From the Fringe

There are many advantages to being part of “the circle”, one big one being part of a community. People are becoming aware that they need their families, friends, and local communities now more than ever.

However, being outside of the circle does give one a perspective that cannot be attained any other way. Being inside is too conducive to the mindset of “following the crowd”, doing what everyone else is doing, because if they’re doing it, it automatically must be okay, right? Wrong. When did the human mind become this lazy?

Let’s face it, humans have been increasingly conditioned to not think for themselves. Certainly our education systems do not teach or encourage independent or critical thinking. In a locked down world our “permission” to move about, or not, increasingly makes it difficult to physically remove ourselves from the circle and gain that broader perspective.

So, what is one simple way that anyone can remove themselves from the noise of the circle?

Unplug from the phone, at least for some time every day. Phone addiction has become a disease, in and of itself.

If we don’t remove ourselves from the reinforcing thoughts of our peers and the media, when do we ever have time to get in touch with our own thoughts and feelings? I would wager that there are many who have a creeping feeling by now that society is not going in a good direction, but it’s just too easy to distract themselves and pretend it will all just go away, if they ignore it long enough.

No. It will not go away unless we start paying attention and intend for it to be different. One of the first ways anyone can take personal responsibility is to unplug from the incessant societal programming and give themselves time and space to think.