let's discuss.
i've been thinking a lot about this lately.
if ignorance is bliss then does awareness cause unhappiness? i've been finding that the more aware i am of the world around me, and the more self-aware i am, the unhappier i become.
not just unhappy, but let's talk awareness for a moment.
many people develop OCD by becoming aware of germs and diseases. as soon as their eyes are opened and they are no longer ignorant to that inherent danger, they become obsessive about it. let's not use this as THE example to discuss because i'm entirely aware that dangerous and obsessive compulsions aren't innate. but let's just use the architecture of this example as a discussion point.
people become vegetarian/vegan when they drop ignorance surrounding animal based foods.
people Go Green when they become aware of the impact and consequences of ignorance.
people make lifestyle changes when they gain awareness of consequences.
awareness seems to restrict in these cases. however, i love being aware. i love not being ignorant. awareness opens the world up while simultaneously exposing the dark shadows and evil of the world. it's an awful catch 22.
i'm not talking about cautious living. i'm talking about living in extreme awareness. some of the most self aware people happen to be some of the least happy people i know. i'm exploring this correlation.
i have found that it's quite easy to be happy when i'm removed. but is that a good thing? i certainly don't find that an admirable trait in a human being, but is that truly the secret?
am i talking about awareness and depression as some kind of negative cocktail? are people able to have a wide awareness of themselves and the world and remain impervious?
does it make you a sociopath to have that awareness and lack sensitivity, that is, remain unchanged internally, or is that perfectly normal?
is it about choosing when to be aware and when to ignore? is there some kind of enlightened state that i'm missing here?
am i asking too many questions? yes.
anyway, i'd love insight on this matter. comment away!
it's been plaguing my skull for months.
if i can't find answers, i'm seeking this out. no jokes.
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My thought is this: those who are aware of their surroundings and are unhappy, are they TOTALLY aware of their surroundings? I don't think they are. I think they are only focusing on the bad things. There are still an equal number of good things as there are bad things in the world. When you look at the filthy floors of a messy house, you can also see the happiness of a child playing in the dirt. When you look at the pollution caused by too many cars on the road, you can also see the beauty of the sunflowers growing by the freeway.
ReplyDeleteYou're going to find whatever you want to find in the world whether it be sadness or happiness, war or peace, selfishness or giving. The REALLY aware people see all of that. They are saddened by the bad stuff and uplifted by the good. They aren't frozen into a stasis of horror but are able to be completely aware of their surroundings and do something to better their small part of the world. In doing so, they are happy.
Shannon
I also think that the way to feel some measure of stability in this world we live in and the way to be able to be completely aware of our surroundings and not be depressed is if we find something we can do to make things a little better. It doesn't have to be big. In fact, I think the small things have a greatest impact. Do you smile at the people you see? Do you commiserate with the woman in the store whose kids are screaming? Do you help the older woman get her groceries into her car? Do you clean up the cheerios left in the pew in front of you at church? Do you allow someone to get on the freeway in front of you? Do you give some little bit of service to someone and make sure nobody knows you did it? Do you plant a flower in a pot on your front porch? Do you write really cool blog posts that make someone think? (Oh wait,...) :)
ReplyDeleteWell anyway, you got my 4 cents here! :)
Shannon