There are two poles of human emotion - love and fear. Every other emotion is an iteration of those basic ones. Out of fear arises anger and its expression, violence; also greed, revenge, exploitation, and entitlement. Fear of survival is a basic instinct driving those impulses. We also have an instinct to love. To bond with another (as an infant does), to cooperate with others, to learn and grow and care. Those also contribute to our survival. We are hormonally hard-wired to seek connection.
The fear family of emotion is driven by hormones too - mostly adrenaline. Danger prompts a huge spike in physical energy. The love hormones are quieter but no less dramatic, creating a sense of well-being. It's logical that a society based on individualism is more fear-based - you can't or shouldn’t rely on family or community to help you in life. A Tibetan Buddhist teacher once described American culture as “aggressive” (and he was being nice.)
Humankind has been plagued by war - organized aggression. America had a violent birth and went on to tame what they saw as a hostile new world with more violence. Somewhere along the line, as actual threats to physical survival became less relevant, perceived threats engendered the same behavior. Add that to the fact that no other country in the world has relatively unhindered access to guns and weapons of war - to use whenever someone “feels” justified. It’s a recipe for disaster that unfolds weekly in mass shootings.
Wars have been used strategically through the ages by tribes and countries. Political violence in the hands of an individual is an entirely different issue. Whether by word or deed, inciting violence for a personal agenda to create a desired outcome (and can effect all of society) is dangerous. Whether adhered to or not, nations of the world have created a set of guidelines for how to conduct warfare. An individual motivated to violence is beyond societal rules.
We are now in a war. The inclination to cooperate for the health and well-being of all, to work together to create abundance, is in conflict with personal and political agendas. This conflagration is fueled by money and power, and acted out as intimidation and aggression. Fear and its progeny are sweeping up political parties, individuals and institutions In America. Many people have been personally targeted with violence by individuals - an actual threat to survival. Civil boundaries have become irrelevant. The winners will dictate our future agenda.
How did this happen? Like all large and complicated scenarios it started slowly. The best analogy is of a frog in cool water, gradually warmed to boiling and realizing too late the cumulative impact of the environment. Yet there are always elements of discontent that will be subverted for personal gain. When and how to thwart a violent movement is usually determined by the courts. What happens if the system of checks and balances is not working? It's a precarious situation.
Suffering can be described as dissatisfaction with the way things are. Isn’t that the default human condition? Our nervous systems are cued to the negative, and potential threats. This climate is a challenge to us all. It takes conscious intention to remain rooted in the best version of ourselves. To resist the propensity toward fear and foster that instinctual desire for love. So listen closely to your thoughts, and with all whom you encounter. Are they coming from fear, or love?
Peace, Love and Healing -
Bear
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