Sometimes, I can't help but sit back and be amazed that we are able to survive our culture. Have you ever stepped back to realize how many cues are in our environment? I've read articles insisting that we are being brainwashed. I've also read articles reassuring us that it's not really that bad. Still, we're convinced that fashions change with the season, so we must update our wardrobes. We are assured that, in moderation, eating pre-packaged goods with mile-long ingredient lists is okay. After all, it's unrealistic to expect Average Jane to go to so much effort (and money) to ensure that she is eating naturally in this day and age. We hand our lives over to the experts, ignoring the age-old advice given by many a concerned parent: "look both ways before you cross the road." Are you looking both ways before you make a decision that could have a significant impact on the planet and on your health?
Yes, I'm in that place this morning. I had a slip up with the processed fare again, and I still find myself repeating "Holy SHIT!" when I realize how profoundly I am affected by it. Anything that happens to be made by someone else for commercial purposes seems to poison my soul. It sounds dramatic, and it is. I feel the walls closing in, and I am transformed into a purely reactive being. I've gone through this hundreds of times, but it's as though the realization is brand new. I am bombarded with guilt and a feeling of helplessness. A feeling that I am incapable of controlling my behavior. Ever been there? It really blows.
So, why are some of us stuck in this response set, yanking the same lever even though we aren't rewarded? Hell, we're given a shock when we pull that lever. But the shock is going into the nucleus accumbens. We are addicted. My brain is wired from the jolt of dopamine caused by the extreme stimuli. We also become addicted to the social acceptance of consumerism, whether it's eating at restaurants or indulging in retail therapy. It's hard to think when you're getting off on that pecan cinnamon roll, isn't it? I certainly think so.
Yes, I'm in that place this morning. I had a slip up with the processed fare again, and I still find myself repeating "Holy SHIT!" when I realize how profoundly I am affected by it. Anything that happens to be made by someone else for commercial purposes seems to poison my soul. It sounds dramatic, and it is. I feel the walls closing in, and I am transformed into a purely reactive being. I've gone through this hundreds of times, but it's as though the realization is brand new. I am bombarded with guilt and a feeling of helplessness. A feeling that I am incapable of controlling my behavior. Ever been there? It really blows.
So, why are some of us stuck in this response set, yanking the same lever even though we aren't rewarded? Hell, we're given a shock when we pull that lever. But the shock is going into the nucleus accumbens. We are addicted. My brain is wired from the jolt of dopamine caused by the extreme stimuli. We also become addicted to the social acceptance of consumerism, whether it's eating at restaurants or indulging in retail therapy. It's hard to think when you're getting off on that pecan cinnamon roll, isn't it? I certainly think so.
The fact that the American lifestyle favors obesity and disease is not news. Yet, we are taught to cure consumerism-gone-wild with...drum roll...more consumerism. This time, it's gym memberships and pills and consultations with "experts." Books, magazines, and videos. I have seen obese and overweight people treated like the scum of the earth. They are seen as incomplete, incapable objects that have no ability to control themselves. I was treated that way when I was overweight. Imagine the progress we could make if we offered more education about self-care. Imagine what would happen if we taught everyone how to cope with stress and negative emotion in a healthy way. A way that excludes food and drink.
I have been a slave to diets for a decade, all based on the assumption that I am less of a person and cannot possibly make informed decisions about how to take care of myself. I know the wisdom of listening to the Earth Mother because I've experienced the freedom in it. However, getting there is incredibly difficult. You have to bypass society, addiction, and your own personal hang-ups. I've heard fierce criticism about my vegan lifestyle, and even more criticism about weeding out all the packaged stuff. The criticism starts to feel like fear, but the seed of doubt germinates and I'm back to spending hours "getting high on information." I'm tossed between contradictory advice from dozens of registered dieticians, forgetting that the number one priority isn't my well-being.
I have been a slave to diets for a decade, all based on the assumption that I am less of a person and cannot possibly make informed decisions about how to take care of myself. I know the wisdom of listening to the Earth Mother because I've experienced the freedom in it. However, getting there is incredibly difficult. You have to bypass society, addiction, and your own personal hang-ups. I've heard fierce criticism about my vegan lifestyle, and even more criticism about weeding out all the packaged stuff. The criticism starts to feel like fear, but the seed of doubt germinates and I'm back to spending hours "getting high on information." I'm tossed between contradictory advice from dozens of registered dieticians, forgetting that the number one priority isn't my well-being.
And that, my friends, really sucks.
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