tba
CONTENTS
What is "the drift"?
What you're given is good, but not sufficient
And it makes no sense not to go further
The decision not to buy into the drift
From writings of other people
Excerpts from writings on this site
“THE DRIFT” IS LIKE DRIFTING ALONG IN A RIVER WHICHEVER WAY IT GOES, BUT IN THIS CASE IT IS SOCIETY’S OR ONE’S SOCIAL CIRCLE THAT JUSTIFIES OR “REQUIRES” THAT ONE DO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR ONE’S PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL HEALTH OR PROGRESS IN LIFE."
WHAT IS "THE DRIFT"?
It is analogous to the metaphor of just floating down a slow river with no rowing or thinking, going wherever the current takes you.
In life, "the drift" consists of just going along with what the culture says is true and valuable, without questioning it. It is just flowing with what is given you and following the directions of the culture. It is just going along with what your parents and other significant influences told you. It is letting demands, people, and circumstances cause what you do, instead of doing what you'd actually like to do. It is easy, without effort, without control - in the short term, as a "default strategy" - ironically, it ends up making life more difficult, not easier!
There is little, if any, questioning, and little, if any, use of brain power or will power, as those things determine who you are and what you do and what you value and your philosophy of life.
WHAT YOU'RE GIVEN IS GOOD, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT
Make no mistake about it, some structure is a good thing to start with, for trying to put it all together from scratch would be a formidable task. Plus, it gives you something to use while you are growing up, before you're able to use logic and reasoning and before you have enough knowledge to make up your own rules and beliefs.
Though some of what you're getting is wisdom and workable, a great portion of it is unreasoned, unworkable, untrue, and/or damaging. Alot of comes from people who have not bothered with or had the time for figuring out what really works and doing what is necessary to learn enought to do so.
AND IT MAKES NO SENSE NOT TO GO FURTHER
If you really think about it, it makes no sense that people wouldn't engage in learning all they could to make their lives better. But most people don't think about it or address the Five Biggest Life Decisions.
An example of "the drift", in my opinion, is that of "having to have approval". In saying, perhaps also in the "love" section or in "Needs", I made some strong statements, followed by: "This statement conflicts with the cultural 'drift', but please take it into account that cultures make up incredible stories to explain things they don't understand, from gods to mystical vibrations, and to sell their current beliefs that arrived unquestioned into their lives."
THE DECISION NOT TO BUY INTO "THE DRIFT"
Once I got the idea of this, although I was never passively stuck in it, I saw that I needed to do more of the opposite. The term was used exactly in LifeSpring and in Landmark, but with different words. (See, and utilize, Trainings In Life Education.)
In those I learned to commit to standing strong in the "drift", whether it was a raging river or a slow one. I committed to not buy into The Drift.
FROM WRITINGS OF OTHER PEOPLE
Under the category of "false beliefs that cause us not to accept reality are the 'we must avoid disapproval'. And we adapt to this belief by hiding who we are and operating in fear of being discovered." A big waste of time and energy.
EXCERPTS FROM WRITINGS ON THIS SITE
I want us to create something that is beyond the ordinary,
Beyond what is determined by “the drift”,
By the typical “going along” with life,
Letting it determine what we do.
Rather let’s have us determine our own path.
I will fight the good fight valiantly.
I defend my garden against the intruders of fear and ignorance. I will not let sickness in.
I gently but firmly block the door against what sucks life from my belly and kills my heart.
I will not allow the monsters in.
I shall stand so solidly that the “drift” of life shall not suck me down the river of mediocrity and passiveness, cynicism and resignation.
Whatever it takes – and it shall be easy, without allowing the blocks, so that life flows without the stoppage. It shall be graceful as I skirt around all that is “not” part of the masterpiece, is not beauty and love.
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Notes for later integration:
one's avoidance of the drift into the old beliefs
Actually, you can also “stand for” contributing to your friends who have the standard “cultural drift”, disempowering conversations.
