Preoccupation

All the happiness there is in this world comes from thinking about others, and all the suffering comes from preoccupation with yourself - Shantideva. 

Preoccupation is the key word here. We are counseled to look out for number one, to take care of ourselves and to mind our own business. True, survival is hard-wired and we are instructed to tend to our individual safety before assisting others, on aircraft anyway, plus we are repeatedly told that the only things we truly own are our thoughts, and that in turn our thoughts become our realities, so where does all this concern for us as individuals break down into the chaotic realm of ‘preoccupation’ and suffering?

I think it starts to head south when greed, selfishness, corruption and ambition assume control of our ability to reason at appropriate levels of consciousness. When politics and the power of prestige take the wheel. When preoccupation with profit at any cost, with complete disregard of collateral damage created along that treacherous trail and a sadly simplistic and myopic view of purpose and meaning finds us thinking that it is us against the world. Get rich or die trying. The myth of the self made man. The rugged individualist. Cowboys. 

I struggle with this dichotomy. I have always felt that one of the ‘higher-value’ traits any man can aspire to is his ability to be self sufficient. A guy has gotta be able to use the tools, be Spencer for Hire or Jack Bauer. Society, under the guide of mainstream media, promotes this daily with stories from the sports world. The guy can do it all. One of the most successful slogans for the US Army was their Army of One campaign. 

So how does being preoccupied with oneself so often lead to suffering? 

Because we are weak. We lie, take things from others, find loopholes, bully, manipulate and employ any means possible to enrich ourselves, often at the expense of those less powerful, of color, less educated, or different in any way. We see horrific examples of this every day as our elected representatives now embolden unethical, immoral and racist behavior through their bombastic MAGA rhetoric. 

Politicians take an oath to serve America first. Not to do exactly the opposite. One need not be a cartographer to connect the dots from our leadership’s preoccupation with self, nepotism, and the suffering it brings to the populace, literally everyone else. 

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office (enter position here) and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Right.

Try it today, focus as much of your attention and action on others first before turning towards your fine self. See how that plays. 

And then vote the bastards out of office that brought about all this global suffering.