08-22-2004, 08:25 AM
EDIT - I must start off saying that I am so tired as I re-read this that I can't even comprehend what I just read the second after I read it, so I post this in the hopes that there is some useful context in here somewhere. I'll come back in the morning to see how much of a fool I made of myself:
It seems that what I hear you saying is ALL hobbies could be considered addictive, is this correct? I see you going to great lengths to justify the concept of escapism, and we all do it to some degree or another, however people who are really addicted to SOMETHING do need help. Long-term, it seems to me that compulsive behavior stems from the desires of something, rather they be good or bad. This compulsive behavior becomes a problem when we fixate on it, and when trying to change our behavior we only end up focusing on our problem more in the process, spiraling us further down into addiction. MOST people are capable enough to see this cycle occurring, but others fall into the cycle all too easy, some stuck in a cycle consisting more cycles. So my response to your topic is, how do you stop fixating on a compulsive behavior?
In all cases of addiction, this "thing" which binds us is fulfilling a need we desire to be fulfilled. For whatever reason it reaches a point where we need it to unwind, relax, feel good about ourselves, feel comfortable, or whatever it does to fill our need. But how does it get to the point where we can no longer turn away from it because it has become such a strong influence in our life/behavior? The only way I can think of, and I often thought this, would be to teach some kind of 'self-awareness' and 'morality' classes to our youths instead of leaving the responsibility of morality to their parents, who in a country where the divorce rate is climbing above 75%, lacks moral integrity. Marriage is the principle concept of respect for one-another, compromise, and unconditional love and if we can't get that right as a country, it says a lot about what we are teaching our children. With most families having both parents working, where does one learn their morals from? Coming off as an only child whose parents both worked and later divorced, I developed my own morals about what was right and wrong. Once I married and had my own children, it took me awhile to see that what I once thought was right was definitely wrong, but I have a relatively open mind about self-awareness. I don't think other people would be so lucky as I have been.
So do I really think lessons in morality and self-awareness could change people to the point that they would find addictions to be a bane? Yes, I do. Do I think there is any other way to curtail addictive behavior in people in general, much less people who have no restraint or urge to stop what their doing? Sure there is, but they won't be nearly as effective. Am I saying we should completely change our school systems now? Nah, eventually everything will come to a head and our moral decay as a society will be our downfall. I will be there watching from the outside, knowing it was meant to be while others will be left scratching their heads.
It seems that what I hear you saying is ALL hobbies could be considered addictive, is this correct? I see you going to great lengths to justify the concept of escapism, and we all do it to some degree or another, however people who are really addicted to SOMETHING do need help. Long-term, it seems to me that compulsive behavior stems from the desires of something, rather they be good or bad. This compulsive behavior becomes a problem when we fixate on it, and when trying to change our behavior we only end up focusing on our problem more in the process, spiraling us further down into addiction. MOST people are capable enough to see this cycle occurring, but others fall into the cycle all too easy, some stuck in a cycle consisting more cycles. So my response to your topic is, how do you stop fixating on a compulsive behavior?
In all cases of addiction, this "thing" which binds us is fulfilling a need we desire to be fulfilled. For whatever reason it reaches a point where we need it to unwind, relax, feel good about ourselves, feel comfortable, or whatever it does to fill our need. But how does it get to the point where we can no longer turn away from it because it has become such a strong influence in our life/behavior? The only way I can think of, and I often thought this, would be to teach some kind of 'self-awareness' and 'morality' classes to our youths instead of leaving the responsibility of morality to their parents, who in a country where the divorce rate is climbing above 75%, lacks moral integrity. Marriage is the principle concept of respect for one-another, compromise, and unconditional love and if we can't get that right as a country, it says a lot about what we are teaching our children. With most families having both parents working, where does one learn their morals from? Coming off as an only child whose parents both worked and later divorced, I developed my own morals about what was right and wrong. Once I married and had my own children, it took me awhile to see that what I once thought was right was definitely wrong, but I have a relatively open mind about self-awareness. I don't think other people would be so lucky as I have been.
So do I really think lessons in morality and self-awareness could change people to the point that they would find addictions to be a bane? Yes, I do. Do I think there is any other way to curtail addictive behavior in people in general, much less people who have no restraint or urge to stop what their doing? Sure there is, but they won't be nearly as effective. Am I saying we should completely change our school systems now? Nah, eventually everything will come to a head and our moral decay as a society will be our downfall. I will be there watching from the outside, knowing it was meant to be while others will be left scratching their heads.
"The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self." -Albert Einsetin