15 | Suffering is Caring, Vulnerability is Strength. With Lucas Mack
I'm very happy to be joined once again by Lucas Mack. This is his second time on The Dialogues.
A characteristic of the world today, and perhaps especially the United States, is a desire to blame the world, the neighbor, or those who disagree with us, for all of our problems. Blame has become central to political speech, campaign platforms, and basic communication on social media.
But, to quote Lucas: "He who controls the narrative... controls the people."
So how can a new narrative be formed where healing, growth, and freedom are the objectives; rather than blame, division, and group vs group power dynamics?
We also discuss the idea of trauma and suffering. We all experience this, in our time and our turn, and there are many schools of thought which attempt to educate us on this journey – deny pleasure, control your desires, and so on.
Yet we always seem to want more out of life...
Of course, we do not want to suffer. But we do want to live a life where we do suffer under certain circumstances. This is not to say we are morally better, it simply means we care about something. To care is to accept the possibility of suffering.
This is also the meaning of "bearing your own cross," if it is indeed worth bearing.
"The constancy of the wise is only the talent of concealing the agitation of their hearts." – Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Recorded on November 18, 2018.