Some years ago, a chimp was born that looked somewhat different than the other chimps...and because of that difference and the somewhat different way he acted, he was often excluded from the fun and frolicking activities of his peers.
To that single historical circumstance, many senior students of human behavior attribute our pervasive and seemingly insatiable desire to belong. Whether it be to a race, a religion, a family, a country, or a country club, we seem to need to be accepted, to be "one of the guys" if we are to remain mentally healthy. Our self-confidence, it seems, substantially relates to the frequency of our success in being "on the in", and is significantly diminished by the frequency of our being on the outside looking in. The implication is clear: you, your life, alone does not measure up, does not mean much.
And to be successful, many freely pay the highest price: their soul. The group becomes king, personal thoughts become prisoners within the confines of one's mind, and individualism metamorphs into groupism. "And God created man" becomes "And God created herds".
Throughout history, untold savagery and human degradation have been perpetrated by groups and their belongees, who still do not understand that there are, for good reason, four "I's" in "individualism" and none in "group".
And the chimps continue laughing. Can you hear?
To that single historical circumstance, many senior students of human behavior attribute our pervasive and seemingly insatiable desire to belong. Whether it be to a race, a religion, a family, a country, or a country club, we seem to need to be accepted, to be "one of the guys" if we are to remain mentally healthy. Our self-confidence, it seems, substantially relates to the frequency of our success in being "on the in", and is significantly diminished by the frequency of our being on the outside looking in. The implication is clear: you, your life, alone does not measure up, does not mean much.
And to be successful, many freely pay the highest price: their soul. The group becomes king, personal thoughts become prisoners within the confines of one's mind, and individualism metamorphs into groupism. "And God created man" becomes "And God created herds".
Throughout history, untold savagery and human degradation have been perpetrated by groups and their belongees, who still do not understand that there are, for good reason, four "I's" in "individualism" and none in "group".
And the chimps continue laughing. Can you hear?
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