Hi Betty — I think you and I are saying the same thing in different language.

My way of expressing it is that we are systematically conditioned to disconnect from our needs. This puts us in a state of learned helplessness (by the definition that I’ve been taught) where we feel the only way to meet them is by consuming: “I am unable to deal with what I’m feeling right now is with things outside of myself”.

The systemic, biggest-picture version of this is a society that’s built on a monetary system that attaches stories to it like: you need to earn money to survive (objectively untrue) or your income proves the worthiness and value of your existence (again, untrue).

Under these constraints, most of us feel that there’s no option but to continue with ‘business as usual’ — and there are some objective truths that might make a ‘transformation’ (i.e. short term, radical shift) feel impossible. But we can stop believing the myths — or start training ourselves out of them — any time we want. Then it becomes about transition, rather than transformation, from learned autonomy (or something like that — the opposite of helplessness).

Very much appreciating what you’re putting out there, how you’ve thought it through and the energy you seem to be pursuing it with.

Thanks for the prompt.