Tuesday, March 23, 2010

iDENTiTY

doll commented about suicide and it's relationship to ones inability to recognize the connection between ones perceived self (imagined to be perceived by others) and ones conscious self (imagined to be perceived by oneself).
SeeNew left a link;
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27850393/Ouspensky-a-Further-Record
which goes into great depth concerning ones self-awareness and it's effect (or affect) on ones performance.
While these may have not intentionally been left to be related - they are.

IMOHO - Suicide and seclusion are one and the same.
One would imagine that the unsuccessful and the under-rated were more prone to suicide.
But a SENG (http://sengifted.org) report states otherwise.
That many of those who are considered to be "excellent" are more prone to suffer from depression and that some may attempt or commit suicide.

Judging by the number of celebrities, who are thought by many to "Have it all", which suffer from some form of meltdown - even an excessive amount of financial and social status can produce some sort of detachment from ones reality.
This detachment seems to effect ones ability to subjectively make even the most mundane choices.

Many athletes or musicians, who suddenly acquire the fame and fortune most were seeking for the better parts of their lives, also seem to act-out in self-destructive behaviors.

But what is the common factor in this disparate group?
IMOHO - The answer is "excessive adulation" and the inability to reconcile what everyone else seemed to think of them with what they actually thought about themselves.

Dave Chappelle seemed to be doing fine making his little show by doing what he had always done.
But then Comedy Central decided to make Dave's often quoted exclamation, "I'm Rich Beotch!" true.
Dave could easily be one or two million dollars funny - but the stress of suddenly having to be $50,000,000.00 funny was too much for Dave to handle.
Dave could not reconcile his image of himself to that which a $50 million personality should be.

Charlie Parker, Micheal Jackson, Billie Holiday, John Belushi, Marylin Monroe,... - the list goes on - all seemed to have been ill prepared for the management of fame and the reconciliation of such adulation to ones own self-image.

So why don't the poor and undereducated commit suicide more often?
Well... the short answer is because they know that they are poor and under-educated.
Most have accepted their station in life and most just live within those societal values and norms.
"But even many of the poor act-out with irresponsible behaviors.", some might say.
Okay... True Dat.
But this is different.
These are those who can't accept their station in life but they also lack the ability, resources or volition to do anything about it.
Although some may have the volition, many just go about it in the wrong manner - i.e. selling drugs or robbing a bank.
(In this post - I'm focusing on those who have the abilities and resources - but they may lack the volition.)

"Volition" is an odd thing.
While usually understood to be synonymous with "desire" or "choice"- it isn't.
Volition requires action.
Volition may also require one to be humble enough to accept an undesired short-term station in life on ones way to their natural higher station.
Volition is doing what needs to be done even though one may not wish to do it.

The Bible relates a story concerning "volition" in the parable of "The Unjust Steward".
The steward is found wanting in his collection abilities and is set to be fired.
As he reasons, "I cannot dig, and to beg I am ashamed.".
The steward sees himself as being better than those who beg and not skilled enough to actually do any hard labor so he resolves to ingratiate himself amongst the impoverished.
In the end he gives them all the Hook-up and finds favor with his master as well.

I'm not saying whether his actions were good or bad - only that he exemplifies the problem with many today who don't have that which they desire.
That many see themselves as being better than one group while being unable to do the work of the other group.
That many only imagine themselves as better.

Whether one believes in the religious teachings of the Bible or not - the Bible does reflect millennia of knowledge passed from one generation to the next, interpreted from one culture to another.
The main focus of New Testament teachings revolves around "Humility".
Ofttimes "Humility" is required for one to 'shovel shit in the snow' to collect a pay check instead of waiting for a welfare check.
Humility is required so that one can admit that he may not know something before he can be taught.
Humility is required to make progress.

So, going back to doll's comment - The reaction of suicide is the lack of humility.

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