Welcome to our Spiritual Forum where we examine the many instructions - and insights - offered by our Path... and none are as important as our personal ability to resist others’ influence...and for that we must consider
Wisdom ... the lost art
Since my earliest days in college I have been studying human nature, and what drives us to behave the way we do. One of the things that has most amazed [perturbed] me is how easily people get manipulated...and why...
Here’s the fundamental key to it all:- If life has been hard for you, you’ve been unfairly treated, used and discarded with no feelings for your worth, then what drives you is a sense of uncertainty, insecurity, or even tentative timidity... and now anyone who presents itself as your ‘friend’, agreeing and supporting you in your beliefs, will have access to your vulnerability...and yes, can manipulate you quite easily, for you have chosen to let them in without first considering their motives...
If this same life situation has resulted in legal or social abuse, then you are even more easily influenced...
You see, Man is what is called a ‘social animal’, and is always looking to join up with others that see life the same way...yet what he fails to understand is that once he finds his ‘peeps’ then he gives up a lot of personal identity, and is easily swayed by the currents others may create - and so he submits ‘to the greater good’, trusting them to know better.
[Well, can you blame him, all he wants to do is to ‘belong’ - that’s why Group Therapy works]
All this is well known to counselors, therapists, policemen, politicians...and con artists.
And this brings me to one of the most important insights... how ‘Men and Women of goodwill’ get controlled [without even realizing it].
Most people are basically good - they want to help, to reach out to those less fortunate, to rally against what they see as injustice, to join together to support those who are having a hard time...
Now don’t get me wrong - I’m not saying this is a bad thing...just pointing out Man’s innate good nature... but...have you ever considered how this ‘good nature’ was first formed...?
The desire to help is shaped by ethics and moral values [which, by the way, are common to ALL - no matter your race / religion / social status...well, maybe some politicians flunked this course, but I digress]
As a child we are told to be ‘good’ and do good, for that is the mark of a nice person, of a worthy person, of a decent neighbor, of an upright citizen.... and at that point we were taught what this behavior looked like...and we just accepted it, without question [after all, we all want to be nice, right ?!]
It is here that ‘good people’ can so easily be manipulated:- the simple acceptance that ‘authority’ knows what is right, and righteous... and so we just comply, abiding by our sense of Virtue, and the trust that we are being told ‘the Truth’ ...
It’s called ‘misdirection’ - if they first show you a small offense, and tell you it’s the cause of all your wrongs, most would believe them...and if they now offer you a ‘solution’...why would you not trust them...
After all, they have placed themselves as the authority of this subject, and have proven their trust by agreeing with you that you both know this horrible thing to be wrong... so, why question their solution...?
[and never, never, never ask who would benefit from this misdirection...certainly not you]
Ah, poor innocent Noble Man, never once thinking that someone would take advantage of your pure nature, and so lead you to blindly accept what they want you to believe...you’re just too much of a ‘nice person’.
No, don’t think of me as being cynical, rather think for yourself... Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Krishna, Lao Tsu...and many others were all Great Masters, and so yes, we could - and should follow their teachings... but I don’t see many ‘great masters’ in those who influence our society, I don’t see many altruistic executives that support their flock instead of squeezing one more penny for their own profit...
All I see is lies, and more lies, and a lot more misinformation...and so many good, good people being led astray...
So now it’s up to you - yes, each of you out there - all the ‘good people’ who just want to live a nice, fulfilling life...think for yourselves ...don’t just accept that ‘authority’ is flawless - because it seldom is...
Live, think, and act from your own Inner Wisdom... you have a lot to offer - you’re not just a puppet whose strings are pulled by skilled manipulators. [unless, of course, you find it reassuring to have your strings pulled]
The Path we have chosen to follow requires wisdom, inner peace, and higher guidance... it may be tough or even demanding... but would you have it any other way ...?
We are all travelers together, and I greet you, Namaste...
