Pop quiz.
Name three things many Americans survive each year.
Hurricanes.
Elections.
Black Fridays.
There are, of course, myriad other examples that could answer the question and make the point, but, in keeping with the season, let's zero in on numero tres there.
For, at this writing, another Black Friday has come and gone.
From all reports, the casualty list was relatively short this year. And while the totals are still being tallied, it's a safe bet that the number of people, who were out and about festively pushing, shoving and/or clawing their way to that fourth flat-screen they've just got to have, this year will still end up, at the least, surpassing the number of people who showed up at the Inauguration.
Surprise pop quiz.
Name three things you are guaranteed to hear on television during the calendar year.
The Fourth of July fireworks safety spiel.
The Memorial Day/Labor Day/Thanksgiving Day be careful in record setting traffic spiel.
The "it's more blessed to give than to receive at Christmas" spiel.
The always energized, smile saturated, good morning mavens at The Today Show are locked and loaded on the subject of selflessness this season.
There's nothing wrong, and everything right, with the spirit of what Jenna and her spirited sidekicks are suggesting by way of getting in the selfless spirit of the season.
But it's difficult, if not impossible, to prevent Mr. Cynicism from tracking into the happy house with his muddy boots if only because of that pesky pixie of a word in that last sentence there.
Selfless.
For those who are, perhaps, unfamiliar with the definition, say, very, very young people or maybe folks new to our shores and to our language, oh, and certainly including, but not limited to, anyone on the Earth named Jenner or Kardashian, "selfless" is defined as "being concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own; unselfish."
And while it's both unfair and incorrect to paint an entire population with the brush soaked with "enough about me, what do you think about me", it's another safe bet to offer that you wouldn't lose a dime if you were to wager that, at least here in the land of the free, home of the what else you got that's free, these day, selfishness is at all time high....and, conversely, of course, selflessness is at an all time low.
Here's a few examples, especially offered up for those folks who are already tweeting or posting, oh, yeah, well, how about some examples, Mr. Cynicism?
And, just so we're clear, I'm not Mr. Cynicism. And I'm not Mr. Hypocrite,either, because I'll cop to being a cynic on a scale that makes Richter look no worse than a little Jello shaking, but, Mr. Cynicism is a symbolic icon of a mindset, an attitude, a pattern of behavior in our current culture.
And, yes, icon does also mean symbol, so saying symbolic icon is like saying symbolic symbol, thank you, Mr. Helper, for your selflessness in pointing that out.
Here's some examples for use in assisting others, or, your self (and that's totally ironic, but it might take a while before you can connect the dots on that one) in determining selflessness as opposed to selfishness. And taking into account the remarkably, amazingly, record shattering all time low, sometimes even non-existent attention span of the average American, we offer up these examples via the quiz show sensation that's sweeping the nation....that's right, kids....it's time to play........
(play the Soundcloud file)
See? Idea and execution are harder to get together than a red cap and a, well, no cap, because those things look ridiculous.
The idea of no gifts, giving and caring for others, more blessed to give, all of that?
And the execution of actually giving no gifts, giving and caring for others and experiencing the blessing of giving as opposed to the fleeting adrenaline rush of receiving.
Easily said.
But, that's not what America really is right now.
For now, there's just simply more "ish".
And, for that, we are all...all of us.....
Less.
No comments:
Post a Comment