The Ability To Go Against The Grain

It takes a certain inner strength to be able to go against the grain. People want to do what is popular. Fitting in is something that is basic to most individuals. I presume it is inherent in us as humans. Only a select few in any generation were able to rebel against common thought. At some level, we all want to be considered "normal".

Unfortunately, normal in this generation is the path to mediocrity. Following the herd leads to another form of slavery. The recent financial crisis reveals how the "American Dream" can be smashed in a few short months. Now, there are millions of people who are dependent upon the decisions of others for their existence. The laid off only hope their unemployment compensation and/or welfare payments are granted. At the same time, many workers are hoping they are not the next one chosen to be let go. Their lives are all in the hands of others.

What was the cause of all this: debt. People lived above their means for way too long. We spend a great deal of effort trying to have all the things that impress others. Being normal meant going to school to get a "secure" job which paid well while allowing us to accumulate all those things which would make us happy. Those items were: a foreign automobile, an over sized house, exotic vacations, and designer clothing. This mindset gave the entire nation a huge debt load. When things collapsed, they brought almost everyone down with them.

Succeeding requires going against the grain. This takes courage. Those who walk a different path risk being alienated by those closest to him/her. Isolation is something that most people will do almost anything to avoid. Being an outcast is a sentence heavier than most can handle.

The entire concept of sex based motivation goes against many tenets of our culture. We like to portray ourselves as an "evolved" society. There are times we seem to evoke the Victorian principles of yesteryear. Everything that is wrong with society can be attributed to some form of moral decay. This is what we are taught. The idea of using something that is inherent within us is contrary to what "upstanding" people do. Entertaining the sexual side of ourselves is not normal; that is something the perverts do. By classifying our behavior, society exerts control over us. It is only by getting out from under this control that we can call ourselves free.

The recent events in this country show us where following the herd leads us. It is time for each of us to take the power over our lives. We lived under the myth of society for long enough. Success is something that is available to each individual. However, we first must decide what our definition of that is. Then, it takes us setting up a plan for achieving the results we desire. Finally, we take action to get to the point that we are destined. It is that simple. Yet, we must be the one to take these steps. Leaving it to others can have catastrophic results.