Privilege

What is privilege?  Dictionary.com gives a few definitions ~

1. a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most: the privileges of the very rich.

 

2. a special right, immunity, or exemption granted to persons in authority or office to free them from certain obligations or liabilities: the privilege of a senator to speak in Congress without danger of a libel suit.

 

3. a grant to an individual, corporation, etc., of a special right or immunity, under certain conditions.

 

4. the principle or condition of enjoying special rights or immunities.

 

5. any of the rights common to all citizens under a modern constitutional government: We enjoy the privileges of a free people.

 

 

So, basically, as I see it, where one has a relative advantage over another in some way or other.  I have been personally 'privileged' in my life to have the opportunity to have light shone on my own privilege, to be made aware of what relative advantages I personally have over many if not most people in this world.  I am white, male, in good health other than the hiv thing (which doesn't really effect me anymore) and the disability in my legs, a citizen of the First World with all the privileges that entails (I don't have to work if I don't want to). 

 

But I have other privileges that are perhaps not so outright apparent that with my growing awareness of them, I am imbibed with an incredible responsibility to use them wisely for positive change.  I was raised by and am still the beneficiary of an extraordinarily loving and caring mother.  Something which many people in this world do not have.  And because her nurturing and guidance throughout my life, my mental and musical acuity is quite sharp, and my state of mind is rather sane, now.

 

I say 'now', because even though I went through harrowing and hellish times with the professor and the following years after being diagnosed with HIV the love from my mother I experienced in my early childhood pulled me through.  But even that hard, horrific time I see as a privilege, for I relate to those who've gone/are going through such times.  I have an awareness that enriches my life now like never before.  I've come to know my privilege, and have discovered I have more than I ever thought I did. 

 

Privilege as I see it is very relative.  My advice to anyone thinking they've got it tough is to look at their life and see what they do have.  You might be surprised.

 

"There are people so poor, that the only thing they have is money."

Why Do Victims Become Victimizers?

Another topic that's been on my mind for many years.  Quite often people who have been abused in some form or another end up abusing others in a somewhat similar and/or dissimilar way.  Why is this?  As in all things, abuse is relative and viewed and felt from one's personal perspective.  I think the abused may go down this path to one degree or another in order to understand what the thinking behind their perceived abuser's intentions and motivations, heart and mind were.  Because we are one, we are at a loss when someone or something takes actions towards us, that we perceive as abusive, would ever do such a thing.  Even if we might do or have done something similar or just as 'bad' to another, if done in a different context, style or degree, is perhaps where the real confusion lies?  As it is said, "people often hate in others what they hate in themselves".  And being taken out of one's comfort zone may be in some cases what really frightens.  I am sure there are many reasons why victims become victimizers, the possibilities of choices one can take is endless.  And, unfortunately, it is so easy to become jaded.  You would hope after being abused one would never want to abuse another, but sadly, that is somewhat wishful thinking.  People are complex.  Everyone has demons to exorcise and will abuse another indirectly or directly, subconsiously or consciously, intentionally or unintentionally to one degree or another.  What is common sense to me though, is that both victims and victimizers should be shown the utmost and utter compassion.

Because We are God

Because We are God
I am not afraid to die
Though this ego identity may cease to exist when this body dies
Consciousness which comes from the same single source that all consciousness comes from
Will never die

Because We are God
I have compassion, respect, honor and love for all faces of God
All forms of life, all people, how 'good' or 'bad'
Including myself

Because We are God
Is what I believe those like Jesus
Were really trying to say

Because We are God
Life has meaning
I know what Love is


Because We are God
We trudge, step by step
This daily path of sorrow and troubles, joy and insight
Always as we are
~

Feel free to add to this your 'Because We are God' thoughts. Email me them at t@southerntime.ca. If they are in the same spirit, I will post them within this blog.  I will too from time to time as inspired.  Comments are welcome too.

"Assume the Worst"

Today's thought/epiphany ~ that saying, "hope for the best, assume the worst" triggered a realization about myself of a thought pattern in which I've been entrenched for the last fifteen years ~ assuming the worst of a person's, people's, government's, corporation's, elite's interests when what really is their core motivation may be something rather relatively innocuous and even good-intentioned.
I guess it all started with the betrayal of trust with my professor who infected me with HIV and didn't tell me he was positive.  That completely shattered my world, my trust in authority and in those who said they loved me.  I became paranoid by the slightest indiscrepancy in a person's narrative, medical establishment's dogmas, political rhetoric, 'the corporate line' and news stories.  This fearfulness has not done any outright damage to me or others in regards to the 'bigger picture', ie. 'conspiracy theories', which I think is a benign fascination as long as I were to not act out in any violent fashion as in the movie 'Fight Club'.  My health was compromised because I was so anti-authority and suspicious of the medical establishment.  But it has hurt me and those I have loved most horribly and has destroyed what could have been beautiful, many times.

Ok.  I'm not saying that one should not engage in critical thinking, nor have in the realm of possibility thoughts of what might possibly, in the worst-case scenario, be a person's or organization's insidious intention.  One should be open to all realms of possibilities.  What I am saying is one shouldn't be stuck, fearing everyone, especially someone who says they love you, and think they are only out to use and abuse you.  This is not healthy and gets you nowhere in life, or love.

Speaking Truth in Love

Those of us who have the power of speaking truth to power need to speak it in equal amounts of love all the time.  Unless we do, it can have distrastrous, unintended consequences for those listening to us. We have been given a gift, we must use it lovingly.

Truth

Had an epiphany this morning.  This one's been a long time coming.  It's about lies and its opposite, truth.  I've told many lies in my past and have been told lies to by many people.  What is the nature of a lie?  What is the nature of truth?  These are questions I've been seriously pondering since I was a teen.  Now I think I've finally started to find some clarity with this issue.  I think it is to do with the human condition.  We all tell lies and we all are truthful to one degree or another.  This is where the definition of a lie and of (a) truth really begs the question.  For example, not being open about a subject in your life is a way of concealing the truth, a form of dishonesty, no?  Believing in superstition and fantasy is a way of deceiving yourself and acting on it can hurt yourself and others.  Why do humans need to be dishonest?  I think it is because of the human condition ~ we are here, we are aware and none of us know for certain wtf is going on.  We're all relatively insane.  We tell lies as form of coping with this conundrum.  One thing I do know for sure though.  Truth does set one free, and one can never grasp the whole truth.  One must seek it from a humble perspective, hearing all sides of the stories to even get a foothold in the door of truth, and freedom.

What a good friend wrote to me today

Nothing is ever perfect, and that goes for people too. We learn when we open ourselves to other people's idiosyncracies, if we are healthy in ourselves to approach them with that measure of openness. When you open your door to others, you are engaging them and yourself in a learning experience. I know this is what you truly want in your life, so have courage. Don't spread yourself thin. Know your boundaries. Be professional AND personable (not the same as personal). And definitely, definitely always be true to yourself!

Welcome to my blog!!!!

Our world is in a time of transformation, one where we can choose 'to keep doing things as they've always been done', or to do things differently.  Our destruction might come despite, but if we choose to make serious analysis and attempts at amending our behaviours that have led us to this precarious situation(s) we now find ourselves in, we might not only prevent destroying ourselves, but may make this world a better place to be.  Humanity has been overrun by head/ego-centeredness for the last 500+ years.  If we are to survive, we must remember and connect to what made us human in the first place ~ heart.