Essay

This is an essay in the guise of an inner-monologue. A battle being had with oneself to identify some of the issues of assimilating into society as seamlessly as some people seem to be able to do.

An Introspective Dialogue About the Difficulty in Simplicity.

Incoherently Mashed Together By [Possibility 4]*

with various inspirational quotes from various inspirational people

"Why is it that the most simple things are the most difficult to achieve?" - Not sourced from an inspirational person.

Take, well... taking advice.  

Someone shares with you a piece of them-self that has worked for them.  Often this is given in direct relation to a specific, shared event.  Empathy.  Other times, it is given with attempt to assist with a disconnected event.  Sympathy.  

In the first instance, the advice is empirical.  

In the second instance, the advice given is an attempt to bond with and understand beyond the realm of empiricism.

[Assumption/Principal 1: Those giving the advice successfully conquered their trials, understood their significance, and are capable of identifying their parallels.]

[Assumption/Principal 2: This advice is crafted, honed, and then thoughtfully shared.  It has proven it's worth, not solely based on initial attempt but through trial-and-error.  It is then processed and delivered in an understandable manner.]

[Assumption/Principal 3: The advice given is intended to enhance the recipient in a universal way.  Critical, yes, but positive and borne of nurture, caring, and good will.]

"Being with someone who is smart and gives good advice adds tremendously wonderful elements to your life." - Patricia Cornwell.

Those three assumptions help form the foundation for why advice is both given and received; accepting them as reality only helps embolden the need to apply, appreciate, and consequently, build upon and assist in the administration of advice.  Accepting those principals, the refusal to acknowledge advice could rightfully be considered, well, not only counter-productive, but detrimental!  

Why, then, is it so easy to dismiss such an altruistic endeavor?  

[Possibility 1: The recipient does not adhere to the 3 principals of advice, questioning others and assuming the worst.]

[Possibility 2: The recipient of the advice is narcissistic and thus incapable of forming the necessary ties to humanity that allow one to grow via a connection to others.]

[Possibility 3: The recipient of the advice is mentally dense to a degree that, despite genuine effort, there is, as of yet, no known way of meaningful communication.]

[Possibility 4*: The recipient of the advice is mentally/emotionally crippled by over-analysis of shared information.  In their attempt to absorb, there is a mental paralysis that creates an emotional disconnect.]

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes.

The first possibility is likely the result of a paranoid mind.  It is, however, possible that such a person is a victim to their so-called benefactors.  There are those who are surrounded by and manipulated by people with cruel intentions.  Fortunately, possibility 2 does not constitute a very significant make-up of society... though, given their predisposition, any effort to communicate with those individuals would be meaningless.  With the intention of connecting with the broadest base, and in hopes that such is a mere fragment of society, those who fall under the first two categories will be tabled.

The third possibility is unfortunate.  That is not to say that society should remain stagnant and ignore their fellow man.  Likely, any effort to reach out to, communicate with, and ultimately share with those described in possibility 3 would result in positive growth for all involved in the process.  However, as of yet, this is not the case and this is not the forum.  And so the show continues.  Tabled.

That leaves those who fall into the fourth category.  Those who suffer anxiety, fears, doubts, and ultimately lack the self-esteem necessary to grow with their brethren.  They have the benefit of receiving advice from those who follow the 3 principals; they possess the emotional fortitude that allows one to care for and connect with those beyond themselves; and they have the mental capacity to comprehend the advice being given.  Yet they are crippled in a different way.  In their attempt to understand and relate to the advice given, they encounter numerous barriers.  Barriers that range from their attempt to dissect information until it is diluted, to their sense of self-defeat.  Their journey to bond and grow with others is often misunderstood, arduous, and more often than not, painful.  

"There is always strength in numbers. The more individuals or organizations that you can rally to your cause, the better." - Mark Shields.

The first step, then, to meaningful communication, to the sharing and cultivation of advice with those who suffer such inhibitions, is to understand their barriers.  This process, in and of itself, is beyond complex in scope when perceiving each case as individual.  And, whereas, each and everyone has their unique perspective and connection to the world, the benefits associated with the sharing and enhancement of advice impacts society as a whole (at least for the sake of this argument).  And for that very reason such benefits ought not be limited to those who, in comparison to the constituents outlined in possibility 3, find the ability to accept advice a casual affair.  

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."  H. P. Lovecraft.  

The effort to understand, fortunately, seems to have a profound effect on the misunderstood.  So any attempt is a good start.  Be wary, however, as there is an implied cynicism and if your desire is not sincere, the divide remains.  The sources of anxiety are too numerous to list, and often times too numerous even on an individual basis, to identify.  Therefore, it is not so much comprehending their psyche, but rather comprehending the impact their anxiety has on their psyche.  

"We, as a people, we have a strong need to categorize everything. We put labels on everything and it's a totally understandable need because we are animals and we need to understand order and where to fit in." - Armin van Buuren

Often times, the need to understand issues at their source helps perpetuate the disconnect.  It's either that the task of articulating their issues is a seemingly insurmountable feat or that identifying them is an interpersonal affair that can potentially span a life-time.  So to those who do not see the difficulty in simplicity, you should easily see the simplicity of finding such things difficult.  

Author's Note

I really don't know what to ask for. Do your thing and let me know. Any thoughts are appreciated!