It seems like people are becoming more dependent: more dependent on drugs, more dependent on the government, more dependent on anything that will help them get by.
Everything is someone else’s fault and there is little to no personal responsibility anymore.
There are those that believe that greater dependency is the way we are being “driven”. There is this idea that we need someone to tell us what to do, what to eat, how to act, where to go. Why would that be the case? Why would we need or want to be more dependent? Well, I can think of one reason: you don’t have to be responsible. Everything is always someone or something else’s fault.
For example, pain. Treatment for pain has become huge. Many people are addicted to narcotic pain medications. Some have had multiple surgeries or even organs removed because of their pain and they continue to experience it.
When I see a person with pain and no obvious cause for it, that is to say, all of their organs are normal, I tell them that we have to treat their pain. What’s interesting is that when there is time to have a long conversation, we can usually get to something that, at least to me, makes sense and could be the cause of their pain. For example, a woman with pelvic pain who was raped 10 years ago. A man with penile pain who had an affair. I know these examples may sound extreme, but they are real examples of what I have heard as a Urologist.
These people do not always seek to get to the “bottom” of their pain, only to control it. There has been a big rise in the chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia. We have so many people addicted to narcotics that the pharmaceutical industry has a new medication to help one of the the side effects, chronic constipation. You know that there has to be a big market if big pharma is involved.
I know that many people do not want to hear this. They are thinking, “it really hurts. I really have pain.”
I am not saying that you do not have pain; I believe that you hurt. The question we need to ask is why.
It’s a lot easier to control things when people are dependent. If you need to have something given to you, you will likely do whatever the giver wants you to do to get what you need. For example, let’s say you get your pain medication from a government agency. You’ve been getting your medicine for a long time. You are addicted. Now, the government needs cars. The only way it can get cars is to have them given.
The government guy comes to you and tells you what they need and implies that without the cars they will not be able to continue the pain medication program. All you hear is that you will not be able to get your medicine. He leaves and you think about it.
At the government office where you get your medicine, you hear someone in line talking about the guy that called them about their car. Another month goes by and all of a sudden the medication you need is difficult to get. You can only get 20 pills for the month when you usually get 100. You hear again about this car thing and wonder if this is why you cannot get your medicine.
About ½ way through the month, your supply is getting really low (like any good pain medicine user, you had some extra). You start to panic, it’s real, they really need my car. You call the guy and hand over the keys. You would rather take the bus than be without your pills.
I know this sounds crazy and I did just make up this story, but the premise is real. When you are dependent on something or someone, truly dependent, you will do what is necessary to keep it and in doing so give away your freedom. You are letting them or it be responsible for you. They/it are making your decisions for you. Think about it.
Remember, it’s your responsibility, don’t give it away.
