Outwards never inwards

 

Outwards never inwards

 

I understand why people in the current era prefer to look outwards than inwards: it is less confronting.

Also, it is easier.

As Toni Morrison points out, the making of peace requires extremely attentive, patient & nuanced communication & thought processes, whereas the war mentality of black & white is easy. It can be done with a simple slogan.

Peace & its making is a slow process.

War is quick to pick.

Peace & its making invites an openness to the future.

War making is closed & has no time for anything other than conflict.

We live in a simplistic age.

Divorce rates have sky rocketed & couples are often unwilling to seek support for their tensions. People simply walk away.

& yet when it comes to the body & diets & fitness regimes directed towards self-beautifying, people seek assistance & show great commitment.

The current fashion for "Politics" is similar.

Not to diminish the sufferings in the world caused by Authoritarian Governments & the legalised illegal operations of Companies, but even the middle class in affluent countries prefer to look outwards to seek blame of others for their life dissatisfactions, as if life has ever promised an end to friction & vicissitudes. As the Buddha said "Life is Suffering." Socrates advised the path out of suffering was to "Know Thyself," not buy a new wardrobe or get cheek implants or create a social media meme.

Put simply, mentally, Australians are adolescent in their outlooks. If they don’t like something immediately they give up trying to understand it & turn their backs & latch on to a slogan to reject or ban it.

This I find to be the loneliest aspect of this land. I am surrounded by children dressed as adults. Impatient & incurious. Simplistically minded.

However, I am also aware that the suffering I feel here is intensified when I’m feeling depressed or anxious & that when I’ve had a couple of drinks & am with friends, it doesn’t bother me at all.

 

 

Published & Copyright Malachi Doyle 2023.