If you look at the surface, you will never understand.
If you peel back the onion, it starts to make sense.
If you accept the simple explanation, you are likely to be deceived.
If you listen to the cacophony, you will miss the point.
It's easy to hear, it's hard to understand.
Those who whine the loudest have the weakest position.
In fact, those who whine for a living have no platform at all.
Don't listen. Watch.
Don't accept. Do.
Don't fight. Love.
Don't worry. Be.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Emotional Terrorism
Emotional Terrorists are not too different from real terrorists. They use deceit, stealth and lies to attack those that unintentionally make them feel inferior, for whatever reason. Bottom line is, they themselves feel inferior because they themselves are lacking somewhere, and rather than look into their own souls, rather than take the high road, rather than use what millions of years of evolution have given them, they blame others. This makes sense. Terrorists are ignorant, and incapable of self-reflection. They just react, instead of thinking, like a human. They are like animals, but smart ones. But rather than react to everything with blatant anger, (at least most of us have evolved beyond that approach) they react in sneaky, dishonorable ways to attack the thinking ones, the one that make life better and are interested in progress and evolution. Evolution is a threat to their existance, so they fight it. But that's the point...they are only capable of reaction.
They have names...usually followed with an four-letter word muttered under your breath. They are the ones you hear about that are incapable of decent, intelligent human interaction, but rather turn everything into a fight or reason to pursue or promote their agenda. They can't just exist and collaborate. They can't accept the fact that others may have differences of opinion. They can't give AND take, they just take. They have to fight and destroy. It's their way, and it's just primitive. They can't appreciate and embrace others, and realize the power of the synergy found in differences. Sometimes they claim to embrace the "straight and narrow", whatever that means. Mostly, it means their version of the straight and narrow. My way or the highway. They want a simple world, where everyone is an easily understandable homogenous blob of similarity. Sound familiar? Makes sense if you are a drill seargent or a football coach...but in the complicated real world of human relationships, where the long term effects matter and there is more than a single objective, (i.e., beyond this season or the next hill) you have to take a more sophisticated approach, and engage and involve those higher skills we have been given. But they don't see that. They only see the here and now, that which is immediately in front of them. Admirable as a skill, absolutely, but not as a strategy. Effective tactics, extrapolated and re-branded as a strategy can only be used for power, and that is just tyranny.
Well screw that. Me and mine may lose this battle, but I ain't buying it.
It took me awhile to realize that terror is terror, whether emotional as in a relationship, or real, as in a palestinian bomber. The consequenses may be vastly different, but in principle, it's the same. I wish I lived in a world where basic rules were respected universally and we could all interact intelligently. But, as I and the world have learned, there is no negotiating, no discussion that is possible with true terrorists. It's like dealing with animals. And animals, like terrorists, have no rules. They are barely alive, and though they may be functional, they are still animals. They take the easy route. They do whatever makes sense in the moment, long term consequenses or strategy be damned. They are too weak to educate or be educated. They give their kids (or constituents) candy to shut them up, rather than engage them. They perpetuate dependence, which, ultimately, is a form of power.
Now, to be clear, I don't mean to imply that there is some group of "others" out there that go around all day with "Emotional Terrorist" t-shirts and club jackets and just exist to cause havoc. Roll with me folks, it's just an archetype. Therefore, unfortunately, we are all capable of displaying this type of behavior.
If we allow ourselves to. (But then, that's the point, right?)
I used to fight with people that were like this or displaying this behavior. I used to argue, and not take it. I would fight back. I now just ignore it. Because unlike real suicide bombers, emotional terrorist attacks only hit their mark if you let them. They thrive on your reaction, and if you don't give it to them, they will just go away. That's why the wise are cautious as to who they let into their lives. They know emotional terrorists are everywhere. That's why people that are open books are so vulnerable to attack. And it's also why this open book has closed, except to a special few.
They have names...usually followed with an four-letter word muttered under your breath. They are the ones you hear about that are incapable of decent, intelligent human interaction, but rather turn everything into a fight or reason to pursue or promote their agenda. They can't just exist and collaborate. They can't accept the fact that others may have differences of opinion. They can't give AND take, they just take. They have to fight and destroy. It's their way, and it's just primitive. They can't appreciate and embrace others, and realize the power of the synergy found in differences. Sometimes they claim to embrace the "straight and narrow", whatever that means. Mostly, it means their version of the straight and narrow. My way or the highway. They want a simple world, where everyone is an easily understandable homogenous blob of similarity. Sound familiar? Makes sense if you are a drill seargent or a football coach...but in the complicated real world of human relationships, where the long term effects matter and there is more than a single objective, (i.e., beyond this season or the next hill) you have to take a more sophisticated approach, and engage and involve those higher skills we have been given. But they don't see that. They only see the here and now, that which is immediately in front of them. Admirable as a skill, absolutely, but not as a strategy. Effective tactics, extrapolated and re-branded as a strategy can only be used for power, and that is just tyranny.
Well screw that. Me and mine may lose this battle, but I ain't buying it.
It took me awhile to realize that terror is terror, whether emotional as in a relationship, or real, as in a palestinian bomber. The consequenses may be vastly different, but in principle, it's the same. I wish I lived in a world where basic rules were respected universally and we could all interact intelligently. But, as I and the world have learned, there is no negotiating, no discussion that is possible with true terrorists. It's like dealing with animals. And animals, like terrorists, have no rules. They are barely alive, and though they may be functional, they are still animals. They take the easy route. They do whatever makes sense in the moment, long term consequenses or strategy be damned. They are too weak to educate or be educated. They give their kids (or constituents) candy to shut them up, rather than engage them. They perpetuate dependence, which, ultimately, is a form of power.
Now, to be clear, I don't mean to imply that there is some group of "others" out there that go around all day with "Emotional Terrorist" t-shirts and club jackets and just exist to cause havoc. Roll with me folks, it's just an archetype. Therefore, unfortunately, we are all capable of displaying this type of behavior.
If we allow ourselves to. (But then, that's the point, right?)
I used to fight with people that were like this or displaying this behavior. I used to argue, and not take it. I would fight back. I now just ignore it. Because unlike real suicide bombers, emotional terrorist attacks only hit their mark if you let them. They thrive on your reaction, and if you don't give it to them, they will just go away. That's why the wise are cautious as to who they let into their lives. They know emotional terrorists are everywhere. That's why people that are open books are so vulnerable to attack. And it's also why this open book has closed, except to a special few.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
