If you’re a product of academia, you’ve been brainwashed into thinking that “helping people” means “impressing my peers.”
Being a true force for good in the world is hard, lonely work. You won’t get much praise from your peers. After all, they’re invested in the status quo, the system that rewards you for perpetuating CULTURE.
But, culture isn’t what helps people. If culture were enough, there would be no need for help.
Culture is what’s here NOW. To help, you’ve got to show a NEW path.
I feel encouraged when I contemplate the possibilities of social media. We’ve got a chance at going against culture and reaching people who are open to being reached on their own level.
You can sorta do this in academia, but there’s a lot of bullshit you have to work around. The biggest obstacle is the fact that most of the people in that system are too attached to the system to be open to change.
That’s a big obstacle, bigger than it seems at first glance.
Be a leader.
Show people a way.
Help them carry their insecurities and doubts.
Don’t try to impress your peers. You’re doing that because you want to fit in, because you feel lonely, powerless, isolated.
Don’t let them control you. They don’t care about you. They don’t even have the power to care about you. CULTURE is what’s pulling the strings, not them.
Remember why you started this project. It wasn’t to fit in. It was to drag people, kicking and screaming, out of the cave. They’re not supposed to like it, and you’re not supposed to like it. But, you both should be willing to do it, for the sake of something bigger.
Those who agree with you aren’t open to your help.
They’re feeling the same pressure you are: to feel safe, to fit in.
You’ve got to go it alone.
(But you’re not alone.)
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