Monday, October 29, 2018

Choosing to Over Complicate Life

Literally...OMG! Really? Sinead O'Connor converts to Islam.


Is there something wrong with people who choose an overly complex way of living from what they have known all their lives? Or to switch to what is seemingly the opposite of who they always have been?

If it does them some good, if it makes their lives AND the lives of those around them better, well, that's what living in a free country is all about. They should be able to involve themselves in their choices as deeply or as superficially as they wish. Not to be murdered or even abused for "not doing it right." By whose judgment?

There is a concern today that some of us find it easier to change who we are, rather than do the difficult work on finding out why we can no longer be who we have been, and making that work. IS it better to destroy your history than to work with what is there?

It does sound very...Republican. Very, conservative. Lazy, even...childish. Counter-intuitive even, which conservatives seem to have a fundamental issue within their ideologies.

To destroy who one is for that which really isn't necessary or even, better? Doing what you have never done, sometimes does tend to sound better to immature, lazy or unsophisticated minds.

But that is separate from those who truly do have a reason and a need to do so. And they should be supported. There is a process, their are professionals whose job it is to help these indivdiuals and see they choose the right path...for them. Not you. Not me.

There is a curious thing about all that, however.

Because we are seeing some people especially on the conservative side of things, who have built up very complex mental structures within themselves, resulting in some very unsophisticated ways of thinking.

Essentially spinning their mental wheels, experiencing a massive amount of effort for rather simplistic ways of viewing life. Self-serving ways of viewing life. All at the expense of others who need help, while too many have rationalized their way out of offering that help.

We see it frequently anymore in the conservative mindset. It gives the illusion of one being better than, of being more knowledgeable than, of being more right than...even when reality correctly differs, and which to others, to outsiders, it is clearly seen to be incorrect.

I'm not saying Sinead is wrong in her choices. But it is interesting to note, as well as something we are seeing a lot of lately in Trump supporters and within the conservative and Republican bubbles.

It is indeed so much harder to change for the better what you have than to tear down and rebuild with the mentality, so often incorrect, that the "grass is always greener on the other side." It is often a misperception. Often the mindset that leads to marital affairs. Or to Republicans voting for someone like Trump, because "he's not the same old politician." Utterly disregarding the damage Trump could and has done. Or apparently, his entire business history.

The unfamiliar always seems different than, better than, the reality of being a part of it.

To many it is fearful. To some it is attractive.

Either way, its consideration does indeed add to the flavor of life. Certainly, for those who can accept themselves and better who they are, in starting from their foundation of a lifetime of experience and history, they are ahead of the game. Over that of always beginning again in a kind of ongoing dissociative state of mind and lifestyle. We all know those people who it seems every time you meet them, they are trying to be something they've never before been.

Am I against it? No, not really. As I said, we live in a free country. And that is incredible, awesome, we are the envy of much of the world because of it. We are also hated for it by some, mostly religious elements. ISIS comes to mind.

It's so much better than living in a restrictive country. To have the freedom to live however you wish to. To change as you like, when and as frequently as you like. Although we do live now in an America where one political party wishes to force all others to live how they see things are best. Which the rest of us see as truly defective and at times destructive.

But there is also something to be said for sticking with what you have, who you are, and making that better. Living as an example for those who cannot change. And to make better your culture, your way of life, over abandoning it to others to do the heavy lifting. That is a basic tenant of many if not all religions. So there may be something to it.

Of course either way, one must first make oneself functional and productive. Because if you cannot first achieve that, you will continue to flop around and spin your wheels going in circles and repeating the same questionable behaviors over and over again. Which we see in the conservative mindset so very often.

We need productive people who can add to humankind, to our country. So that whatever it takes, we need to become whole. To add to all our lives. And to our own.

Only you know what is best for you, or you should. Just be sure that you do, and that you are not simply taking, not just the path less taken, but the path best suited, for yourself.

As for Sinead? Well, don't be surprised if we find her changing yet again someday. Some of us just never can be satisified. And that, is our main goal in life. Because the journay really is the destination, and the destination, is inevitable. Whatever it may turn out to be.

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