The Freedom To Be

Before we discuss sickness, one should inquire into what is health -- and not merely presume that everything one does is right -- or wrong, without first considering, what is health?  For many, especially in the health care professions, that means enabling sickness and dysfunction -- which makes them vulnerable to all kinds of catastrophic events and challenges.  The presumption is, that the way we already are -- is normal, or healthy -- when the truth of most lives, is that it is mostly a deteriorating condition, beginning with as soon as they reach their full maturity -- and then it is all downhill from there.

Seldom does one heed the information that they might simply be doing things wrong -- or badly, while even thinking they are living optimal lives -- when for many, if not most, that is obviously not true -- if one thing after another, seems to go wrong, and eventually, nothing seems to work right -- forevermore.  Even most exercise -- thought to be healthy unequivocally, is often what causes that damage and injury, and if not recovered, leads to permanent dysfunction and disability.

As often as not, ceasing one's normal activities, results and allows a full recovery from injurious efforts.  That phenomenon is experienced by nearly everyone in hard training -- who make most of their gains in a brief experiment that is not sustainable for longer periods of time.  That is the familiar boom and bust cycles of training -- particularly notable in competitive bodybuilding activities -- in which those short term gains are achieved by fanatical obsession for short periods of time, doing everything possible and even dangerous, and after 6 weeks, experiencing a breakdown of some sort.  A natural break from those activities becomes imperative and inevitable -- but the more desirable model, is to be able to do something and be capable daily, when one needs to.

Thus like in achieving wealth, one progresses slowly, steadily and relentlessly -- rather than the boom and bust cycles requiring frequent breaks and timeouts for "recovery" -- which then seems to be most of the time, and eventually, all the time.  Frequently it is noted, that one cannot even do -- what they formerly were the best in the world at doing.  Many end up prematurely dead or disabled by their practice -- and for some, it is inevitable, and they would have it no other way.  It is said of such people, that they died doing what they loved to do -- which in the minds of many, is the perfect scenario.

However, even better, is knowing when that threshold and margin for error is not breached, and one can safely live out a long life enjoying all those things they like to do -- without an overly premature end.  That is the frontier that needs to be explored, expressed, manifested -- and not simply living in fear of doing anything, and taking any chances.  That would not be healthy -- and the difference in outright dysfunction and disability, is difficult to determine.  

Thus individuals, as well as societies, often swing a pendulum from one extreme to the other, trying to fine-tune the balance -- but never presuming what those ultimate limits are -- until they actually find out.  That is largely what life is about -- and not simply repeating a pattern or protocol mapped out by the so-called "experts," claiming to have perfect knowledge of such things.  Most only know what they know, but the far more valuable thing to know, is what they don't know, and are eager to find out.  That is the real miracle of life.

Unfortunately, most of those claiming to know it all, are more intent on profiting off of that claim -- rather than finding out whether what they know, is truly worth knowing.  That is often compounded by another's attempts to claim that knowledge or any other, as their own invention and authorship -- which is the root of authority and authoritarianism.  The latter, is the claim to know everything that can be known -- and all others must be brutally suppressed, censored, intimidated.  That observation, should be the premise in the study of every subject -- as the limits of the known, and what is essential to explore.

We always live in such times -- and so the greatest books ever written -- is invariably about that timeless story.  The best one can know, is what they don't know -- and will then embark to find out, otherwise, one is too full of their own knowledge, and never bothers anymore to even question that what they know, is worth knowing.  Far more can be known, than can be applied practically and productively.  The rest is sound and fury -- signifying nothing of importance.  In this, "many are called, but few are chosen."  One mistakes what they know, for all that can be known -- which is the greatest catastrophe of all -- in every field and endeavor.

One doesn't want to be "that guy" -- so full of their own knowledge -- that destroys civilizations and societies because they cannot allow that they do not know everything -- as though that alone, is their exclusive jurisdiction, and all others must be eliminated.  That is the only way they can assure their own victories -- and are interested in no other.  Such people are endlessly engaged in turf wars -- as the only thing they know what to do -- and it does not matter how many others have to be "sacrificed" to prove their point.  

That is the perpetually self-aggrandizing ego -- devoid of any humor and perspective -- who thinks that only their way, is the only way -- and there is no room for any discussion about that.  That is always the danger to a civil society -- that a few coerce the others into believing only their way.  That is also a deranged mind -- who thinks others exist only for their own self-aggrandizement.  

So real health is also this relationship with everybody and all else -- not to be employed ruthlessly only for the benefit of the one -- even if all the others must be sacrificed.  It is not the most good for the greatest number -- but for only the one, at all costs.  Such costs are regarded and justified as a necessary means to the end -- and morphs quickly into the necessary evils to those ends -- which they will be the exclusive judge of that.

Such absolute power corrupts absolutely -- and doesn't matter what their station in life is.  In fact, it is invariably an inverse relationship -- of the least, feeling fully justified and entitled to their delusions.  They think life is only about winning and losing -- and never about just being -- as fully as each individual is capable of doing.  That is a mind that is always comparing and competing with everyone else -- and can never recognize that life is not that brutal, relentless and endless struggle against everything and everybody else.

That outlook destroys everything in its path.  It builds nothing -- for any future; it argues only with the past -- as though that can change anything.