As Acting Soliloquists, we live in the our own little one-dimensional worlds, this is what I've called the me-dimension. The me-dimension, however, is also multi-dimensional. In my own little world, I have the following dimensions:
a) family dimension (how I interact solely with my immediate family)
b) extended family dimension (how I interact with solely with my extended family)
c) close friend dimension (how I interact solely with my close friends)
d) fringe friend dimension (how I interact solely with my not-so-close friends)
e) work dimension (how I interact with my work place)
f) school dimension (how I interact with my school)
g) church dimension (how I interact with my "religious" acquaintances)
h) social dimension (how I interact with the social world)
i) etc.
Living an effective acting soliloquist life requires us to interact with these multiple dimensions all at once; this leads us to the multi-dimensional, me-dimensional life. Since we actually tend to ignore others (as acting soliloquists) and compartmentalize our own lives, we are actually operating in a single dimension of our one-dimensional lives - which makes us ineffective acting soliloquists.
When General Petraeus recently resigned as the head of the CIA, there were several individuals who declared that President Barack Obama should have refused to accept his resignation because his personal life has no bearing on his professional life. In reality, though, General Petraeus was acting in the multi-dimensional, multi-dimensional realm when he decided to resign. I will certainly agree that his affair was a grave mistake effected as a single-dimension in his personal life and 2-dimensional world and I am certain it was a progressive "slow fade". However, General Petraeus realized that his professional life is an extension of his personal life. I applaud his decision to resign. We've had political leaders who are less honorable in their personal lives remain in leadership, but General Petraeus determined that he is not a person of mulitple personalities; he is a multi-dimensional person. Everything he does reflects on him as a whole.
In fact, we are all this way despite what we would like to claim. While society wants to claim that we can compartmentalize our lives, when a pastor of a church makes a mistake in his personal life, the first thing society points to is his profession, "And he's the pastor of XYZ Church". Every decision I make in my professional life, affects and reflects on my personal life and vice-versa. Your decisions in each individual dimension of your me-dimensional life, the collisions of the dimensions in your me-dimensional life, as well as the collisions of the dimensions of your me-dimensional life with the multi-dimensional world define you as a single, complete person. Don't run away from the multi-dimensional world because it is difficult, work at improving who you are. If your life is worth living, it is worth the effort to live it well in reality.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
Acting Soliloquists
A soliloquist is one who talks to him/her-self. I am further defining an acting soliloquist as one who believes and lives as if he/she is the only being in existence. René Descartes would have been the epitome of an acting soliloquist if he had stopped his reasoning at, "I think, therefore I am."
We all talk to ourselves to some extent, some mentally and others audibly. It is a natural tendency, and perhaps it is healthy to some degree. In our culture, however, we are teaching and encouraging others to be single-dimensional, "me" thinkers. We have a tendency to evaluate most if not all issues based on how satisfied "I" am with it. Consider the epidemic divorce rate or the short job stints as examples. If my marriage or my job is not meeting all of my needs or making me happy, I can just leave and find someone or something else.
John Donne correctly stated, "No man is an island." We live in a multi-dimensional world. When we bring our one-dimensional, me-centered thinking into our multi-dimensional world, our delusions are completely crushed. Other people do exist, and they do have their own needs and desires. Real life is messy. No matter how wonderful my own little (or grandiose) world is, it is not reality. While some of us feign multi-dimensional living using politics, these people are really merely functional acting soliloquists. These individuals have only learned to manipulate the multi-dimensional world to fit into their own single-dimensional worlds.
How do we overcome the acting soliloquism syndrome?
1) Identify who I am (and who I am not).
2) Understand that the world is not about me.
3) Foster a genuine concern for other people.
In fact, the only way to overcome is with a proper worldview, grappling with and fully grasping the message and context of God's message in the Bible. James 1:27 says, "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." There is no better way to combat the lies of the world than to inundate oneself with Godliness. What does God desire of you? Care for others and keep yourself clean from worldliness. Get out of your me-centered, single-dimensional world, and step into the multi-dimensional reality.
We all talk to ourselves to some extent, some mentally and others audibly. It is a natural tendency, and perhaps it is healthy to some degree. In our culture, however, we are teaching and encouraging others to be single-dimensional, "me" thinkers. We have a tendency to evaluate most if not all issues based on how satisfied "I" am with it. Consider the epidemic divorce rate or the short job stints as examples. If my marriage or my job is not meeting all of my needs or making me happy, I can just leave and find someone or something else.
John Donne correctly stated, "No man is an island." We live in a multi-dimensional world. When we bring our one-dimensional, me-centered thinking into our multi-dimensional world, our delusions are completely crushed. Other people do exist, and they do have their own needs and desires. Real life is messy. No matter how wonderful my own little (or grandiose) world is, it is not reality. While some of us feign multi-dimensional living using politics, these people are really merely functional acting soliloquists. These individuals have only learned to manipulate the multi-dimensional world to fit into their own single-dimensional worlds.
How do we overcome the acting soliloquism syndrome?
1) Identify who I am (and who I am not).
2) Understand that the world is not about me.
3) Foster a genuine concern for other people.
In fact, the only way to overcome is with a proper worldview, grappling with and fully grasping the message and context of God's message in the Bible. James 1:27 says, "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." There is no better way to combat the lies of the world than to inundate oneself with Godliness. What does God desire of you? Care for others and keep yourself clean from worldliness. Get out of your me-centered, single-dimensional world, and step into the multi-dimensional reality.
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