Had the most interesting weekend....read a lot, thought a lot, listened a lot (really like that Jose Gonzales album), even wrote a lot.
I am fascinated by belief and fundamentalism.... those who think they really know... the ones who really believe, i have learned to be very careful of these people, to question everything but not adopt questioning and second guessing as a lifestyle.
The book above is called SHAM, and it's an diatribe against the self help movement, but it's valuable as an alternative point of view.
It rails equally against the twin self help groups of victimisation and empowerment and examines the relationship and effect of both on individuals and modern society.
Victimisation is the "disease" mentality (typified by groups like alcoholics anonymous) of labelling things like alcoholism or obesity a "disease" which absolves the "sufferer" from either guilt or responsibility, talking about some "gene" which causes these things
Alternatively the empowerment movement (typified by the tony robbins of this world) leads people down the road of telling people they can do, be or have anything in the world they desire, which is not true either) He does make an interesting distinction between the concept of potential and reality...in other words you could (theoritically) become president of the united states... but we all know you won't. he says these guys sell potential as reality and that's why they are so addictive (it's a disease you know) and peddling hope is not that difficult to a world hungry for answers..
I enjoyed Roisin Ingle in the times on saturday.....and Chris barrows blog.... they are very open about how they are getting on..... maybe a bit too much but i like it....
there's a middle ground for everything..... between the stiff upper lip and the blubbering fool
between the niave glomp who accepts and believes everything and the hardened skeptic who believes nothing,
between all absolutes.... does this mean there is no absolute truth...... perhaps... does it mean that nothing matters.... no.... what does it mean then?
it means an enquiring mind is a good mind....but maybe we mix up enquiring with simply seeking to prove what we have already decided.
which puts us right back in the hamster wheel again.
I have real writing to do...hope it turns out better than this
