This week from NPR:
"It's time we had proper border security, we're the laughingstock of the world." --Donald Trump
I have no problem with the accuracy of one of those statements, but the two are totally unrelated.
Like with a snuggly blanket or a cocoon or a womb, one's security can be enhanced by wrapping thoughts and words around discomfort. Looking around, I am finding it not uncommon for an individual to create an unrealistic or inaccurate mental construct and if or when questioned about it to attempt to fortify its tenuous nature with words. And it appears that once words begin to flow, it becomes more difficult to consider previous or promised (future) constructs thus (sometimes unknowingly) creating a web of constructs even more tenuous than the one. Many are able to stem this tide within a reasonable time by recognizing the fragile complexity of the web and the (often) ridiculous futility of supporting a crumbling structure, but some (for whatever reason) are unable to connect the dots.
I would like to know that (for whatever reason) reason. Is it unique to each individual? Something from their childhood? Or a faulty adult learning mechanism? Is it common but more obvious when one is subject to close scrutiny? Does it have to do with entitlement and/or power? Or anger? Or (perceived or actual) persecution? Is it more difficult for a (by all accounts and appearances) reasonably articulate adult to learn and grow if they have lived a lifetime of privilege? Or hardship? Or even comfort?
My gut tells me privilege is a major factor, but am I narrowing my questions and suspects just to feel more secure? Is privilege an easy answer that may keep me from a better answer? Or a more complete answer? Maybe.
... ... ... ... ...
Okay. So first, it may not be actual privilege that inhibits learning, but rather the illusion of entitlement; (which is redundant because all entitlement is an illusion).
And perhaps constriction (for whatever the reason) perpetuates constriction. To live in a snuggly little world of one's own making, endangers both reality and reason. And the further removed from reality and reason, the smaller one's world becomes. And the smaller one's world becomes, the harder it is to connect those now more distant dots.
This is nothing new. Throughout the history of Humanity we have worked very hard to live local. And what is more local than me hugging myself? And perhaps this is what differentiates one who cannot connect dots: the individual is so far removed from a consensus reality that the only "local" available is their self. Perhaps we need to be grounded in a local in order to search for and/or find a universal. And perhaps a local consisting of a single individual is not expansive enough to allow for any consistent learning and growth which is necessary for progress toward Universal Truth. And though some of these factors transcend privilege and entitlement, it appears (to me) that privilege and entitlement pave the road to a snuggly world whereas most individuals struggle to make their own path. And many individuals ultimately find their snuggly, (or at least comfortable), world but for most it is not a world of one.
It is good to feel connected. Dots turn into people turn into more people turn into energy turns into compassion turns into thoughtful questioning turns into more questions turn into learning turns into growth turns into progress toward Universal Truth.
So the pertinent question becomes, how does one break free from security in order to connect (seemingly distant) dots? Or perhaps more appropriately, why would one choose to do so? Especially after decades of privileged security?
Many would choose not to sacrifice personal security in one short, selfish lifetime for the sake of service to others. So perhaps it then becomes incumbent upon us (as a group, society, culture, state, nation, world) to recognize narrow-minded selfishness and (where and when possible), refuse it power. This is also not an easy task. But I believe that as new generations take their place as adult citizens, and as older generations die off, we will more and more consistently recognize this unreasonable compulsion and we will learn how to manage it. I see evidence that we have begun this process of recognition and thoughtful guidance.
With that said, today we have learned that there remains a faction still strongly influenced by rowdy populist rhetoric. We cannot outlaw rowdy populist rhetoric. But we can be actively hopeful as opposed to simply hopeful. I believe that today, dot-connectors represent consensus reality. I also believe that today too many dot-connectors (on all sides) are too busy connecting local dots and have recently lost sight of universal dots. A "local-dots-only" frame of mind is divisive. Knowing that today will influence tomorrow, we must expand our worlds. We have never and we will never all live in one large snuggly world. Our world is cold and messy and adversarial and big and challenging. We cannot rest on our laurels simply hoping that we don't mess things up too bad.
Today matters.
And perhaps that is the more complete answer. Until we become a comfortably large majority of Universal dot connectors, we must consistently recognize this difference between local and Universal and turn away those who are unable to learn and grow.
Today matters.
