In this episode, I explore why you should not embark on your self-care journey alone.
Before, the nuclear family had defined roles and responsibilities. This isn’t a thinkpiece on whether or not those specific gendered roles are good or bad, this is an exploration of the necessity of roles and responsibilities. When we have the freedom to do anything we want, whenever we want, that's a daunting task for someone who isn’t grounded in something bigger than themselves. You don’t have to worship a religious institution, but then, what do you worship? What is the anchor that will ground you? How will you identify the community that you connect with, whose values align with yours? Because you need that. Every human being does. This also explains the rise in Astrology. Again, I’m not arguing for one or the other, merely the importance of recognizing that we all need SOMETHING to go to in our times of need.
We live in really confusing times with the endless possibility of choice. The Jam Study is one of the most famous psychology experiments ever performed. Essentially, the study found that offering customers fewer choices led to better sales and happier consumers. With technology and the “Free World” ideology, we are constantly drowning in choice. The choice of what to do with our days. The choice of partners. The choice of meeting people or keeping to ourselves. And nearly every modern business is moving the needle in such a way that increases autonomy and independence from community. You don’t need to go to the store, order it online. You don’t need to actually see a therapist, talk to a robot. You don’t need to go to your favorite coffee shop and connect with a barista, just use UberEats.
The trajectory of where we are headed is making us ‘need’ each other less and less but I hope I’m wrong… because how sad would it be to live in a world where all of us operate in our own little silos.
