I was with my eldest son a few weeks ago at Rutgers University for an orientation. They had a separate session for parents in their very large gym. Along one side of the gym they had refreshments set up. It was hot and sticky in the gym and so I got up to get myself something to drink. A new speaker got up on stage and he started his talk by inviting the parents to get up and stretch. They all did. He then asked them to sit back down. They all did.
I was amazed. These were adults at a session of their own volition. They either had been sitting there uncomfortable (and it was pretty uncomfortable) and were waiting for permission to get up or they were totally comfortable and got up only because they were asked to. Either way, amazing!
Think of all of the ways – subtle and overt – in which we are influenced to do or not to do something. Society tells us what to wear and we don’t even question the orders. It tells us how to speak and about what. And it tells us when we’re allowed to get up and pee. We start the mind control in childhood and it never relents.
This can’t be good. Just because you don’t drop dead immediately upon consumption of the kool aid doesn’t mean the kool aid isn’t killing you. In fact, I would argue that the kool aid we all drink every day without ever knowing it is far more dangerous than the swill that we know will kill us.
We don’t all need to be contrarian rebels. But we help nobody by conforming absolutely. When should we conform and when should we strike out on our own? I don’t know. But maybe we can all start by standing up without permission to take a pee or grab a glass of water when we need to.
Baby steps folks…
