Have suggestions, not answers

Beside the side effects mentioned in the previous post, there is another -- to my way of thinking much more important -- side effect to knowing oneself, being secure in oneself: you realize you don't have ready-made answers for problems you are confronted with.

I'm talking about "bigger" problems, like war & peace, wealth inequality, interpersonal and intercultural relations, religious tolerance, social policy, education, or any number of others with which we are confronted every day. We all know people who have an answer for everything, a quick fix, a pat solution. Very often we've elected just these sort of people to public office, too. It turns out and it becomes very obvious very quickly that in truth, these folks have really nothing on the ball. They're just talking heads, blusterers, con men, fast-talking glad-handers ... the epithets go on and on.

Although the world is simpler than we often make it out to be, it is still a rather complex place. A person who has gone to enough trouble to take that inner journey known as the Hero's Quest soon realizes that there are any number of conflicting needs, interests and desires within us and that trying to satisfy them all all the time is a hopeless endeavor. You also realize that in many regards that the outside is like the inside in the respect and trying to juggle and accommodate a wide range of needs, interests and desires of others is a sizeable challenge. Those who are insecure of themselves will want solutions, answers, because they don't have the (inner) security necessary to come to terms with life. They want others to make decisions for them, they want others to take the responsibility, they want others to tell them what to do. A person who is secure in him or herself knows that at best you can try things and if you give it all an honest effort, you'll find out quickly what works and what doesn't and you'll be open for new, reasonable suggestions as to what changes need to be made to keep things moving forward.

If you stop to think about those seeking answers and leaders, you also quickly realize how dangerous these people are in the greater scheme of things. When you abdicate your own responsibility, when you place your power in the hands of others, you can be pushed, shoved, flattered, and cajoled into doing just about anything those "leaders" want. You become a "yes person", a blind follower, a passive pawn who would rather be liked than be effective. You become a person who is easily scared, easily frightened, easily manipulated, and easily sacrificed. And you will be. Believe me. History is replete with just such examples. And every day we provide countless more.

A brief look out into the world quickly reveals that the issues we need to deal with and the problems we need to solve are such that we truly need everyone's full attention and energy. The luxury of passivity is one that we can no longer afford. We all need to get involved.