If radio and TV made the world "smaller," then today's world must be seen as micro-miniaturized. For today we can (and do) talk and communicate around the world, in pretty much real-time, more easily than granny and grampa did across the room.
There's a cost to this, however. A real one. And it is to our peace of mind. No small thing. For the fact is that relatively few people today seem to be able to stay positive.
"The whole reason people read the papers is to hear about other people's problems." -That's a quote (as remembered) from the 1954 film "Hobson's Choice." And if back in 1954 that rang true -- and it did -- how much more such is true today when people seem to have far fewer positive things to fill their lives.
Having one 'crabby' friend or relative always seemed to be every person's fate, but being surrounded by such can be, and for many people is, tiresome. And today such 'crabby people' seem to be almost coming out of the woodwork.
If you try to stay positive and hopeful you will often be told that you are naive. That you are "foolish" or "easily mislead." Try to actually counter the nay-sayers and you may well find yourself under direct attack.
And if all this negativity were only about small matters such would be sad and bad enough. But today negativity is for many a total, almost all-encompassing, point of view. It is how such view the entire world around them. And if you do not go along with that, If you dare to see the good or, worse from their point of view, see an upside in anything, you yourself will often become the target of their nay-saying.
Is there a defense against this depressing negativity? Yes, there is. And it is threefold.
First, we must search for all the facts on the subjects we choose, or feel forced, to focus upon. Nay-sayers tend to only find and believe the negatives. The bad. The wearying. Bright spots -- and there almost always are some such -- are either darkened or totally denied.
We need not join in that. If we see something positive we can (and should!) say it. Fearlessly.
No, not with undue exaggeration, but honestly. For it, too -- the positive -- is a part of the story. Often a big, if neglected, part.
Two, learn to laugh at life's ill twists and turns.
The best humor often is just that -- wry humor. Humor discovered in otherwise dark things. Indeed some of the world's most historically oppressed peoples credit their community's developed sense of humor as the key, not just to their joint survival, but to a greater than typical ability to find joy in life.
We can do that too.
And three, we can choose friends and associates who choose to do the same. Limit the negativity. Deny others the opportunity to drum such endlessly into our heads until our joy in life, too -- like their's -- disappears.
This includes the media, certainly. Today's Harpies of Horror. But others, too, closer to home.
That old "friend" for instance -- he or she who sometimes leave us wondering how they ever came to be seen as a "friend." Those that never have a good thing to say about anything, and who themselves gravitate to, and sit at the feet of, all the sponsors of, and spokespeople for, negativity.
Right now, especially, all the above is of added importance. This because some genuinely dark days may be ahead. And many of us, even if we are not as greatly impacted as some others may be, may find ourselves in a sort of 'soft lockdown.' Limited to our home with the only break to our boredom and concerns being available from 'out there' in the ether. -The home of the Dark People. Those without hope or light.
If so, let us choose carefully. And to the extent that we can be so, let us each be a light in a dark time. Being so ourselves, and seeking out others who we sense themselves need such light.
In short, let us be true friends to one another. Adders to, not diminishers of, each other's hope and happiness.
_
No comments:
Post a Comment
Want to share a thought about today's blog post? I'd love to hear from you!
(Please allow time for moderation before your comment is posted)