Tags
Advice, family, Love, Relationships, social networking, Society
Hi! I want to present to you an idea which a believe is countercultural.
It NOT all about me!!
I was raised a Christian and currently I am starting to come back to my roots.
If you look at the first couple in the Bible, Adam and Eve, there is a precedent that I see.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. (Genesis 2:18)
From these two verses we see the idea that:
- People (man interpret as man or woman) have work. Life goals, a purpose that we have been put on this Earth to accomplish. And that “purpose” is not “self-actualization”; it is to tend to the environment (the Earth and those around us)
- It is better if we have help, or a “helper” to achieve this purpose.
So whether or not you believe the Bible to be the Word of God, or simply a book of ancient wisdom…
The purpose of having that “special SOMEONE in your life” is not simply to feel “whole” (in a self-actualized sense), but in order to help each other achieve our greater goal IN THE WORLD.
You might be saying to yourself, “what do you mean?” Why is this ‘countercultural’?”
Because… our world is increasingly becoming about each person pursuing his or her goals “independent” of all those around us.
(You can read some of my previous post concerning my ideas about the “evils” of independence. Such as Cult of —> ME <— among others)
Yes, most of us “help” the rest of the community / society as part of the workforce, but in an increasingly competitive way, as opposed to a cooperative way. Everyone focuses more and more on her / his individual such and not elevating the his / her family and community.
We have been fooled; we had a “means” to an “end”…
“Success” is not a bad thing in of itself.
Striving, achieving, becoming stronger, becoming more capable… in of themselves are not bad. If your efforts are so that you have more to give your family… more to give your community – These things are honorable, noble, GOOD!
But somehow we as a society forgot the WHY we needed to be successful and have surplanted the idea that…
“Success allow us to provide for, give to and enhance –> those around us and the greater humanity“
with idea that
“Success allows us to provide for and give to and enhance –> ONESELF“
So LOVE too has ultimately be defined as another way to “better oneself”.
Soulmate Love and Authentic, Egoless Relationship (A non-religious reference…)
This is a Biblical definition of what “love” should look like…
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
I think that this idea of “independence” is cancerous for society or many it’s better to say the community…
“I” becomes the focus of the majority of my actions…
As a result individual people are feeling less and less connected to each other.
We are “gaining” the “benefit” of more and more autonomy, but maybe there can be “too much of a ‘good‘ thing”…
Can a plant that TOTALLY “independent” of the soil – grow?
We are loosing the very connections to the enviroment that allow us to achieve our fullest strength.