Life in a Bubble

Let me preface what I'm about to post by stating that I have had 2 hours sleep since yesterday around 6am, and while I know I should not post when tired, I'm doing it anyway.

I've had a few experiences today which have brought into question man's ability to care about others beyond their own little world, beyond the bubbles they've created to keep "others" out. So I come here, and thread after thread, is about man's inhumanity toward man, capital punishment (for or against), war, the atrocities of Darfur, interrogation abuses, who is right/wrong politically, racism, people being sued, whose brand of religion is right or wrong, etc. Driving home from work, I watched other drivers as they shut out those around them, unless they felt they were somehow slighted by someone driving too fast, too slow, cutting them off, etc. It was only at those times that they even took notice of anyone outside of their bubble, and generally it was to throw a look of disgust or anger or even almost, dare I say it, hatred. So I tried a little experiment. When a car was driving really fast to get around me, I would let them go around and would smile and wave. Noses went into the air and they totally ignored me. Or if someone cut me off, rather than yelling and getting irate, I would wave and smile and mentally wish them a good and safe trip to wherever they were headed. Again, it was as though they closed off the world around them.

In the grocery store, I helped an elderly woman reach something off the top shelf. She begrudgingly thanked me as she pulled her purse closer to her body. I don't believe that I look threatening, but I smiled at her and just said, "you're welcome. If you need more help and see me, let me know and I'll be happy to help." The look in her eyes though as she thanked me, made me realize how far removed we are from each other, that even a kind act by a stranger is seen as questionable - "What does she want from me? Is she going to hurt me? Is she going to steal from me?" It just really made me sad that we've isolated ourselves so much that a kind act generates that kind of trepidation.

It is as though we've developed our own little worlds inside of a bubble, and anything outside of that world is a blur and beyond our vision, unless it comes to close to our own bubble and somehow threatens the bubble world we've created. We say we want world peace, but we don't act like it, not when we shut off everyone and everything around us unless it somehow pertains to our own bubble in what we consider to be an important way. We aren't at peace with ourselves. Heck, for the most part, people don't even know what it means to be at peace with themselves. They are generally too busy trying to be right, and hoping everyone else is wrong, because of course, if they are wrong, and others are right, that's a threat to their bubble. And I guess I wonder, does it really matter who is right or wrong? Why not walk that line in the middle? Why not just say "It doesn't matter whether I'm right. This is how I choose to live my life, this is how I chose to manifest my world. I accept that you choose to live your life and manifest your world in that way. Neither is right, neither is wrong. It is just what it is." So why do we live like this? What are we gaining as humanity, by living like this? Why is it so hard for people to love one another (and truly mean it!!)???

I had a very altering experience yesterday during a meditation, and perhaps that, combined with very little sleep, has made me more sensitive today to how we treat each other in even the smallest ways. Every action, every look, every word, every thought, effects the world around us. But we aren't even willing to look at our actions, looks, words, or thoughts because .... why? If we claim to be a civilized people, how does the way we treat each other, in the minutest detail, prove that we are civilized, especially considering that we don't act civilized when we live our life in a bubble? We are so far removed from being civilized, from being humane, that we can discuss capital punishment, wars, hurting others financially, etc and so forth, and have it not truly effect our world, our bubble, because it's somewhere outside of it and whether it changes or not, it doesn't change our bubble unless it effects us personally. I say everything that happens, effects us personally, if we open ourselves to the full experience of being Humane, and that by trying to close ourselves off from the world around us, by living in our bubbles, we somehow miss the mark of what it means to be human.

Okay, getting off my soapbox now.

Get some sleep it's not healthy to not sleep. The problem is everything is getting more and more watered down, love your neighbor might mean to many, don't get involved, mind your own business. Hence we get a bubble.

I'm watching a prophecy be fulfilled.

2 Timothy 3: But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.

well put, LRC, as always. i've often thought of the "bubble life" as well - in our cars, in our cubicles at work, in our locked-down, alarm-"secured" homes... the delusion of separateness gives us temporary comfort, but the results are a less humane, less human life.

rodman2 said:

IrresistibleB1tch said:

Good stuff. I feel this way a lot, that people care only about what affects them directly and it is really too bad. I feel the compassion I have for others slowly slipping through my fingers.

Stymie said:

I got the greatest phone call today. It was a recorded message that said, "Hi, please forgive me for calling but I felt this was urgent. I just want you to know that you are loved and important. Thanks, and have a great day!"

I have no idea who that was or why they called. But it was great!

RodeoSchro said:

LittleRedCorvette said:

rodman2 said:

Get some sleep it's not healthy to not sleep. The problem is everything is getting more and more watered down, love your neighbor might mean to many, don't get involved, mind your own business. Hence we get a bubble.

I'm watching a prophecy be fulfilled.

2 Timothy 3: But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up [with pride], lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.

I was never much of a sleeper, but have been doing better in recent years. But sinus infection and a very bad pain in my neck and back of head kept me awake that night. But thank you for your concern sweetie.

I wonder though, hasn't mankind always been as those verses describe? I cannot think of a time in history in which man truly loved his fellow man. News travels much faster today, so we hear more about the atrocities man commits against man. With the ready accessibility of the news, and oftentimes graphic images, I feel we've become too desensitized to the horrors that people act out on each other. And it just makes me sad to see this. Loving people isn't hard to do, though sometimes it seems as though people make it the hardest thing in the world to do. They allow their ideas of what love is to get in the way, or their expectations that they cling to, or, probably more accurate, their fears. It just really truly comes down to letting go of those expectations and fears and treating others the way you want to be treated, and just Loving. People don't want to take the time to get to know each other anymore. They don't want to expend that energy, unless there is something to gain from it. And it's just sad to see this in action every day.

hmmm...

Nice stuff, LRC. I love reading your thoughts. U are one awesome person.

Rightly said:

JellyBean said:

Nice stuff, LRC. I love reading your thoughts. U are one awesome person.

LittleRedCorvette said:

Rightly said:

hmmm...

???

Rightly said:

LittleRedCorvette said:

???

LRC


hi
with my comment I only wanted to bookmark this thread so I could return to it later with enough time to reflect and respond. Your contributions to the org are excellant, I don´t like to miss your threads.

I´m usually very stingy with my hugs, but this 1 is heart felt.

Wow.
You wrote all of that while sleep-deprived?
How many red-bulls did you consume beforehand?



Seriously though...what you're describing is the "shell" that people build around them when living in a major urban area. The overcrowding makes people distrustful, egocentric & selfish. It's some kind of survival mentality thing.

Travel to a more rural area, and you'll find that people are kinder and more open.

I went to Abilene, Texas about 10 years ago. I was at a car wash and a guy - as he was walking past me - greeted me with a; "Hi there! How're you doing today?" My first instinct (as a New Yorker) was; Holy shit! What does he want? But turns out all he was doing was being courteous.


We're a product of our environment.

PurpleJedi said:

Wow.
You wrote all of that while sleep-deprived?
How many red-bulls did you consume beforehand?



Seriously though...what you're describing is the "shell" that people build around them when living in a major urban area. The overcrowding makes people distrustful, egocentric & selfish. It's some kind of survival mentality thing.

Travel to a more rural area, and you'll find that people are kinder and more open.

I went to Abilene, Texas about 10 years ago. I was at a car wash and a guy - as he was walking past me - greeted me with a; "Hi there! How're you doing today?" My first instinct (as a New Yorker) was; Holy shit! What does he want? But turns out all he was doing was being courteous.


We're a product of our environment.

The golden rule, treat others the way you would like to be treated, take proactive steps; not keep account of injuries, forgive their indiscretions.

LittleRedCorvette said:

PurpleJedi said:

Wow.
You wrote all of that while sleep-deprived?
How many red-bulls did you consume beforehand?



Seriously though...what you're describing is the "shell" that people build around them when living in a major urban area. The overcrowding makes people distrustful, egocentric & selfish. It's some kind of survival mentality thing.

Travel to a more rural area, and you'll find that people are kinder and more open.

I went to Abilene, Texas about 10 years ago. I was at a car wash and a guy - as he was walking past me - greeted me with a; "Hi there! How're you doing today?" My first instinct (as a New Yorker) was; Holy shit! What does he want? But turns out all he was doing was being courteous.


We're a product of our environment.

I don't live in a major urban area.

PurpleJedi said:

LittleRedCorvette said:

PurpleJedi said:

...R U gonna keep us guessing where...?

Didn't know you had asked?

I live in South Carolina.

PurpleJedi said:

LittleRedCorvette said:

Didn't know you had asked?

I live in South Carolina.

(didn't ask...was just being obnoxious)

I am surprised that you're describing that type of behavior "down south".
Sounds like you're describing Queens or something.



Oh yeah...and how come you haven't posted HERE???