RF Motivations and Behavior ... Interesting Observation / Theory - What do you guys think?

[Guest guest]

Elchanan,

 

I always appreciate your sharp insights and your relentless,

unselfish willingness to share, educate, and engage in friendly

discussion.

 

I agree with much of what you wrote below. It's helpful for people

to be able to " clean themselves up " before they are able to turn

their attention to other people. This is a logical sequence.

 

I also believe that some individuals, sometimes, turn this sequence

around, or use a hybrid approach. I have spent most of my life

engaged in some type of service / volunteerism. Some people turn

outward, and in doing so discover a larger purpose in life. This, in

turn, can lead to greater motivation to improve their own health.

Formerly viscious cycles become virtous ones.

 

I also know people who appear to have spiritual voids, in the sense

that they are in no way, shape or form engaged with making the world

around them a better place. Such people often lack the " why " to

improve themselves; it is not a question of " how. "

 

I would encourage anyone and everyone to reach out, whenever

possible, to noble causes, be they local or global, or anything in

between.

 

Marc

 

 

 

rawfood , " Elchanan " <Elchanan wrote:

>

> Interesting, Erica. Actually, I've observed partially the same and

partially

> the opposite:

>

> On one hand, many people come into RF because they are a mess and

have

> " tried everything " (whatever that clause could ever possibly mean).

In this

> sense, yes, many are very self-focused, exhibit little or no

regard IN

> THEIR BEHAVIOR / CHOICES for the larger world.

>

> Example: people who debate about whether to buy organic based upon

those

> silly lists about which fruits and vegetables have the most/least

spray or

> the like. Many appear, at least to me, to have little or no

awareness or

> regard at all for the MESSAGE they send out with every penny they

spend. And

> there are always one or two people, in a list as large as this one,

who are

> ready to provide that nonsensical spray information at the drop of

hat,

> apparently mindless of the larger context in which we are all

living.

>

> But I distinguish between " selfish " and " self-centered " . When one

feels

> miserable, uncomfortable 7 days a week in his/her own skin, there

is a

> tendency for one's world to become very small indeed. This occurs, I

> suspect, not so much because they are selfish, but because it feels

rather

> challenging to lift up their eyes more than 3 feet in front of

themselves,

> so to speak.

>

> I genuinely believe that each of us is doing his/her best in every

present

> moment. If any of us COULD do better, then by definition, we WOULD

do

> better.

>

> So in fact, while I do see a FEW who exhibit that obsession of

which you

> speak, more commonly I observe people struggling simply to lift up

their

> eyes and see.

>

> Make sense?

>

> Best,

> Elchanan

> _____

>

> Erica [schoolofrawk]

> Friday, October 12, 2007 2:08 PM

> rawfood

> [Raw Food] Interesting Observation / Theory - What do you

guys

> think?

>

>

> Okay, earlier I mentioned that SOME, not all, raw foodists seem to

have

> this really selfish obsession with ideal, perfect health that seems

to

> override even things like ethics and preventing global warming so

that

> there can even BE a future, etc. They almost have an unyielding

> obsession with perfect health. It seems to me that Health, when

> achieved, is still but a vehicle, and not the prime focus. Kind of

like

> the whole " eat to live, don't live to eat " deal.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

rawfood , " Elchanan " <Elchanan wrote:

>

> Interesting, Erica. Actually, I've observed partially the same and

partially

> the opposite:

>

> On one hand, many people come into RF because they are a mess and

have

> " tried everything " (whatever that clause could ever possibly mean).

In this

> sense, yes, many are very self-focused, exhibit little or no

regard IN

> THEIR BEHAVIOR / CHOICES for the larger world.

>

> Example: people who debate about whether to buy organic based upon

those

> silly lists about which fruits and vegetables have the most/least

spray or

> the like.

 

Heeeyyyy, I resemble that remark!

 

> Many appear, at least to me, to have little or no awareness or

> regard at all for the MESSAGE they send out with every penny they

spend. And

> there are always one or two people, in a list as large as this one,

who are

> ready to provide that nonsensical spray information at the drop of

hat,

> apparently mindless of the larger context in which we are all

living.

>

 

[...]

 

But, not your conclusions regarding the motivations

for presenting such " silly lists. " I do it not out

of ignorance, lack of regard, nor mindlessness. I

do it out of pragmatism. Sorry.

 

 

-Erin

http://www.zenpawn.com/vegblog