“We have met the enemy and it is us.” So said Pogo, the legendary American comic strip created by Walt Kelly.
Pogo’s statement came into my mind as I ponder about what is happening to our world these days. We have forgotten the power of positive thinking. Instead we give more emphasis on negativism. As Thich Nhat Hanh puts it, “People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?”
Media has played a bigger role on this recent attitude. “Say what you want, but I blame it on the media,” wrote American television host Jay Leno in an e-mail circulated letter. “If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by ‘justifying’ them in one way or another.”
Deepak Chopra agrees, “The current perception I get from the evening news is that the world is dominated by human failure, crime, catastrophe, corruption, and tragedy. We are all tuning in to see how the human mind is evolving, but the media keeps hammering home the opposite, that the human mind is mired in darkness and folly.”
Unfortunately, negativism brings in unhappiness. In the United States, a recent ‘Newsweek’ poll found out that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of their president, Mr. George W. Bush. In essence, two-thirds of the citizenry just ain’t happy and want a change.
“What are we so unhappy about?” Jay Leno wondered. In a satirical mode, he tried to ask some questions: “Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?”
Here are more “reasons” why most Americans are unhappy these days, according to Mr. Leno: “I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.
Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen televisions, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?”
Don’t worry; be happy, so goes a line of a song. “Avoid destructive thinking. Improper negative thoughts sink people,” Alfred A. Montapert suggests. “A ship can sail around the world many, many times, but just let enough water get into the ship and it will sink — just so with the human mind. Let enough negative thoughts or improper thoughts get into the human mind and the person sinks just like a ship.”
Forget negativism! Hollywood actress once commented, “Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.” This is the reason why some people don’t believe on the negative side. Business mogul Donald Trump is one of them. “The worst things in history have happened when people stop thinking for themselves, especially when they allow themselves to be influenced by negative people,” he said. “That’s what gives rise to dictators. Avoid that at all costs. Stop it first on a personal level, and you will have contributed to world sanity as well as your own.”
This reminds me of the story related by German mystic Tauler on himself. One day, he met a beggar and said, “God give you a good day, my friend.” The beggar said, “I thank God I’ve never had a bad one.” Tauler answered, “Then may God give you a happy life.”
“Thank God, I am never unhappy,” the beggar said. Tauler asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well,” the beggar explained, “when it is fine, I thank God. When it rains, I thank God. When I have plenty, I thank God. When I am hungry, I thank God. And since what God wills is what I want, how can I say that I am unhappy when I am not?”
Tauler looked at the man in astonishment, and asked, “Who are you?” The beggar answered, “I am a king.” “And where is your kingdom,” Tauler asked. The beggar answered quietly, “Here in my heart.”
Yes, don’t deal on the negative aspects of life. Perhaps you can learn a lesson or two from Henry Kissinger. “There can’t be a crisis next week,” he told reporters. “My schedule is already full.”
In other words, throw those negative thoughts. You have enough of them already.
For comments, write me at henrytacio@gmail.com
Pogo’s statement came into my mind as I ponder about what is happening to our world these days. We have forgotten the power of positive thinking. Instead we give more emphasis on negativism. As Thich Nhat Hanh puts it, “People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?”
Media has played a bigger role on this recent attitude. “Say what you want, but I blame it on the media,” wrote American television host Jay Leno in an e-mail circulated letter. “If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by ‘justifying’ them in one way or another.”
Deepak Chopra agrees, “The current perception I get from the evening news is that the world is dominated by human failure, crime, catastrophe, corruption, and tragedy. We are all tuning in to see how the human mind is evolving, but the media keeps hammering home the opposite, that the human mind is mired in darkness and folly.”
Unfortunately, negativism brings in unhappiness. In the United States, a recent ‘Newsweek’ poll found out that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of their president, Mr. George W. Bush. In essence, two-thirds of the citizenry just ain’t happy and want a change.
“What are we so unhappy about?” Jay Leno wondered. In a satirical mode, he tried to ask some questions: “Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?”
Here are more “reasons” why most Americans are unhappy these days, according to Mr. Leno: “I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.
Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen televisions, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?”
Don’t worry; be happy, so goes a line of a song. “Avoid destructive thinking. Improper negative thoughts sink people,” Alfred A. Montapert suggests. “A ship can sail around the world many, many times, but just let enough water get into the ship and it will sink — just so with the human mind. Let enough negative thoughts or improper thoughts get into the human mind and the person sinks just like a ship.”
Forget negativism! Hollywood actress once commented, “Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.” This is the reason why some people don’t believe on the negative side. Business mogul Donald Trump is one of them. “The worst things in history have happened when people stop thinking for themselves, especially when they allow themselves to be influenced by negative people,” he said. “That’s what gives rise to dictators. Avoid that at all costs. Stop it first on a personal level, and you will have contributed to world sanity as well as your own.”
This reminds me of the story related by German mystic Tauler on himself. One day, he met a beggar and said, “God give you a good day, my friend.” The beggar said, “I thank God I’ve never had a bad one.” Tauler answered, “Then may God give you a happy life.”
“Thank God, I am never unhappy,” the beggar said. Tauler asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well,” the beggar explained, “when it is fine, I thank God. When it rains, I thank God. When I have plenty, I thank God. When I am hungry, I thank God. And since what God wills is what I want, how can I say that I am unhappy when I am not?”
Tauler looked at the man in astonishment, and asked, “Who are you?” The beggar answered, “I am a king.” “And where is your kingdom,” Tauler asked. The beggar answered quietly, “Here in my heart.”
Yes, don’t deal on the negative aspects of life. Perhaps you can learn a lesson or two from Henry Kissinger. “There can’t be a crisis next week,” he told reporters. “My schedule is already full.”
In other words, throw those negative thoughts. You have enough of them already.
For comments, write me at henrytacio@gmail.com
