Jumping Off Cliffs

Daily Meditation #440–5/11/2023

This sort of jumping off of cliffs is (probably) safe.

I was running late.

Not super late. But certainly wasn’t going to be showing up the couple minutes early like I prefer.

As I pulled up at the 4-way stop, I saw another Realtor ahead of me.

“She must be going, too,” I mumbled. There was a free Continuing Education course being hosted — save some money, and eat a free lunch while getting my annual credits. Win!

As the light changed green, she flew off the stop and was quickly going nearly 50 in the 35.

Without a second, without a thought, I also began to speed up.

However, when I saw my speedometer showing 42, 43, 44 and then looked over at the “35 MPH” sign…

I let off the gas.

If I’m late, I’m late.
I must not do as others do simply because they’re doing it.

I must be responsible and do things on my terms.

— — —

Just as your parents asked you “If they jumped off a cliff, would you join them?” when you did something stupid in coordination with our friends, you must also take the same attitude of cautious self-awareness as the flames of the world rages around us.

Whichever side of “the aisle” you sit on (in anything! Not just politics!), you certainly likely (mis)perceive that the “other side” is full of problematic ideas and people who are causing harm.

And a lot of your words, ideas, and behaviors are simply parroting those around you.

Meanwhile, those not around you but instead “across” from you aren’t so bad. I promise.

Be conscientious of yourself, your words, and your behaviors.

“Is this my idea? My behavior? Is this MY will? Or am I following the lemmings over the cliff?”

Cautious self-awareness, though nearly impossible, is essential. Just imagine Nazi Germany if only 5% more people had had an ounce of cautious self-awareness. Could things have ended up better? We will never know.

So, be mindful of yourself and don’t allow yourself to get overly caught up in the zeitgeist, whatever it may be. Seek to think well on all things and avoid becoming too blind.

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These are distillations from my coming book “YouDaimonia: the Ancient Philosophy of Human Flourishing.”