There is a strange addiction that is going unspoken in our country. It flies beneath the radar and no one is acknowledging it. It is destroying many people but there is no news story to cover it.
I am talking about addiction to self.
I had to address this addiction for its damaging effects on all of us. We live in a society, especially Americans, that is obsessed and dare I say addicted to self. Self addiction is the over obsessession, concern for, and conscious effort to please, satisify, indulge, and gratify our bodies and mental fantasies.
Self addiction causes us to forsake all other virtues and people and place our selves at the center of the universe. Suddenly, we all become the "sun" and everything revolves around us. Our conflicts in the world then come when someone or something dares to say, "It isn't about you".
Self addictions cause us to reject religions like Christianity that purport that the highest calling in life is NOT self actualization but to deny one's self and be more like Christ.
Self addiction causes us to think we can eat and consume anything that tastes good or makes me feel good regardless of the outcome. Thus the obesity epidemic, drug addiction, porn usage, sexually transmitted infections and diseases.
Self addiction causes us to relax standards of hard work, ethical behavior, and honesty for what instantly produces the result we want in the fastest possible way. Thus corruption, fraud, political posturing.
Self addiction cause us to be and remain financially illiterate and overly indebted. After all, having the iPad2 and 3D tv is more important that leaving a financial legacy or trust for our children.
Self addiction causes us to purposfully not see the hungry, hurting, and oppressed because it makes us realize how selfish we are. Thus we do good only at Thanksgiving or Christmas time to make up for 10 or 11 months of the year we focused on pleasing ourselves.
Self addiction causes us to encourage others to "be themselves", "stay that way", "don't change for anybody" and be proud even if that self is godless, destructive, two-faced, or greedy. Afterall if we don't tell other they have to change, no one will tell us we have to change.
Self addiction causes us to view the unborn, diasbled or challenged as disposable if their presence is a threat to our future, our comfort, or our pursuits.
I think the addiction to self is the biggest plight on our society today. I am fearful of the world my sons are growing up in. A world that tells them that being famous, chasing that paper, and get all you can are worthy goals to pursue. You don't have to work hard. Just do enough. You don't have to be the best. Just get by.
I realize the irony of my writing about self addiction because after all this blog is all about ME! I struggle with the penetrating ideologies of self addiction too. I am not above the influence looking down at ye mere mortals in a disapproving nod. No! I am a mere mortal, who is examining her world and questioning it. I encourage you to re-read Introducing to understand that there is a certain kind of me that I am aspiring to become. One that doesn't put self on a pedestal but dares to knock it off and see others.
In my blog philosophy, I try not to address a problem without attempting to offer solutions. I aim for bulleted points to help overcome the problems. But this issue is so deeply embedded, I am having a hard time trying to rise above it myself. So I will ask you, dear reader, assuming you agree with my observations...
How can we break free from self addiction? Leave a comment with your suggestions and I'll do a follow up post with your answers.
Wholeheartedly me,
Julia
I think having children is a great way to attack self addiction. Even just being married also helps, I think.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine used to also say, just thinking about others and focusing on helping and serving others is a great way to feel better in general. I think it would also be good for eating away at self addiction.
For me remembering that I don't deserve anything helps, too. People like to say things like "you deserve to xyz" "you deserve this or that," but the truth is I don't deserve anything. I deserve to go to hell, but by God's grace I've been saved by Jesus to enjoy him and this life (and the next!!) and have the privilege of serving him by serving others.
It's interesting because in people are addicted to self yet they don't really know who they are. I think many are feeding the image of who they think they should be based on voices in the media or movies or wherever. I think you start breaking the addiction by beginning to understand who you really, truly are--way down deep in your soul. When you begin to understand that you're a child of God here by love & grace you'll break the addiction b/c the addict's tools no longer feel good. If I understand who I am and what my true purpose is (and the power that dwells inside) you'll feed the real you and not the bottomless self that must be constantly fed with self-addicted actions.
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