MENTAL HEALTH, CONFORMITY AND EQUALITY FOR CHANGE
by George Mason
Those of us with mental health issues are treated like a third class within society, we are consistently looked down upon as people with fewer abilities than others.
As someone who struggles every day with mental health issues I understand how much of a battle life can be. The day to day activities that other people find easy, are not that way for me.
Like Einstein said; “Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Every day people with mental health issues are being judged in that same way. The person who society judges cannot cope with mundane day to day tasks can often have excellent abilities in other areas that are unappreciated.
How many great artists, geniuses or mathematicians have been unrecognised, so they have rotted away in mundane work? Even worse they will drown in unemployment when deep inside they have a calling for true greatness, and could contribute huge amounts to society with their own unique talents.
Society repeatedly leaves people who are different out in the cold. All you need to do is look at statistics of any country and you will find within unemployment, poverty, suicide, debt, homelessness and alcoholism; a disproportionate number of people who have mental health issues. Society does not help these people. They become increasingly marginalised as they go further and further into the fringes in order just to cope and survive.
Each individual has limitless potential if given the right help and support. Ultimately societies failure to capture this potential and help it grow is societies own loss. We all lose every time someone who could have given their special genius is lost in this sheer waste of possibility.
Until the core root of conformity is changed, until diversity is embraced, until we see difference as strength, there will always be someone on the outside.
Rarely is the ability to conform a mark of true intelligence; and the highest rewards in our backwards society always gravitate towards those who have the greatest ability to conform and do what they are told.
Not only is this fact morally wrong but also upside down. It results in a society of people who are miserable as they find the freedom to be themselves meaningless and their own unique ability is not appreciated.
Not only does society reward conformity but it also consistently rewards the most selfish behaviour of those amongst us. Just look at how society is structured, look at those who are the wealthiest financially. They are those who have the ability to be the most self-serving, this behaviour is consistently rewarded. Yet on the other side of the spectrum those who are the most selfless and caring receive the least material rewards. They are punished for this behaviour by society to teach us that greed is good.
Children growing up learn that this is normal, this forms the thinking of our future generations, forging a new society in the image of greed and self-interest. In many senses society consistently educates us that conformity is the only way, for those who choose to not conform; they are either punished or left isolated and alone, on the outside looking in.
This type of conformity is highly organised and enforced primarily by the state and corporations and the tiny elite who control this highly unequal world.
What we as a people must become aware of is, this is not the main power behind the control system of conformity, we are. We are all programmed to be part of the security system that keeps it running. Every time you look at someone and see difference instead of uniqueness, you are feeding this system.
Over years, you have been programmed to be a gatekeeper for them, to keep this system of oppression strong and alive. The kindest of people are mistakenly part of this cruel system. It is time that we waken up and no longer be pawns for those who seek to oppress us.
People are not cookies, and they cannot be shaped by giant state based cookie cutters. People are emotional and intellectual entities of great uniqueness and power. Until this idea has true value, people will suffer unmeasurable pain.
How many people have been treated badly because they are different? When you are on the receiving end of societies intolerance the world can seem like a very cold and harsh place. We must move beyond survival of the fittest, and move towards caring for each other. Life is not a game or a competition. We should not be forced to outdo each other in order to survive. What right does society itself have to treat anyone in this way? Just because we are not the same?
Whether it is other people looking at you as if you have limited or no potential, or an employer ending your contract early; mental health bigotry isn’t always obvious in society. Especially with those who have little personal experience of it as a fact.
The change must come from within us, the people, not the state, not government, not corporations. As individuals we need to alter how we perceive reality in this sense, and this is something each of us can do through a sense of awareness. We need to make it so we are no longer the gatekeepers and enforcers of something we do not believe in.
It doesn’t have to be this way, we need to reach out to each other in diversity and help each other. If we all do this, it will come back to you when you need it.
If we build a community that is inclusive of everyone, that change is there for everyone. If you ever find yourself alone, the community will back you, as you backed them.
If you believe in equality, be equality first, if you be the society you need, the society will be what you need. We can create a better world, that is for everyone, not one person left outside, not one person left alone.
Humanity, united in diversity.
GEORGE MASON
"Standing Against the Powerful. Standing Up for the Vulnerable"
Politics, Mental Health, Disability and Alternative Health Issues.
Please Follow, Up-Vote, Comment and Re-Steem.
😊welcome!follow me, good
Thanks, is good to be here, it seems like a fantastic community :-)
Welcome George, I think your way of thinking will be really respected here on Steemit. You just need to take opposite system. First, you make a few valuable post, which represents you the best. Then you try to comment others, so you will find some valuable followers. With whom you'll grow up... Try reading @gold84 series of explaining how Steemit works / how to get most from it. Because I agree with your whole post, and I think it's highly undervalued. But that just because, you didn't get the audience you deserve. Keep up and hold your head high!
Thanks a lot for your warm words with it, I appreciate that, have you found that as you have gone on your posts have gotten more readers now? If so any tips that helped that? :-)
I try to make one or two good posts a day. I try to comment people who read/vote/comment my posts, on their posts aswell. I don't beg for votes, I try to help others to be better and more succesfull. But most of all I try to make posts with me in it. I use only my photos, I don't spam others posts with links to my post. Because I know, that if I write them a good comment or give them decent upvote, they will most definitelly go see and read my posts. I wish you all the best!
All good tips :-) How are you getting along with it?
Thanks :-) Hope you do well too :-)
I've always liked that quote by Einstein. Yes, the beauty of the world is the diversity and endless variations. It would be quite boring if everyone were exactly the same. Great discoveries are very often born of those who think and act differently than what the 'normal' standards of society are. We need to embrace the beautiful variety as long as in doing so it also embraces the right to liberty and happiness for all. Sadly, great thinkers, artists and inventors are often misunderstood. Einstein is a prime example, and his theories are still continuing to prove themselves in modern physics. If he didn't think differently and 'outside the box' we could still be stuck in a limited view of the universes(s). Others have come along, but Einstein is a good example of someone being labeled as a 'misfit' by society at a young age. Thank goodness he continued to try and I think that part of that credit goes to both his mother and his first wife, who both supported him. Anyway, this is getting long. I like how engaging you are. Thanks for posting. I'm posting an article on depression if you're interested. BTW my perspective is both from my profession as an occupational therapist and having suffered from depression and ptsd myself, so it's definitely not one-sided. :)
Yes I agree for certain, it is those who think differently who alter the path of human society, very often change comes from a tiny minority of people who see things differently then the mass population fall into line and it becomes normal thinking, from civil rights to the suffragettes it has always been those who have been different that have stirred things up, I try to remember that a lot when I feel outside of everything :-)
I will check out your post and leave a comment :-)
Agree. And we are never taken seriously :/
I think that can change with time, don't you think? :-)
Hope so dude.
I think the chances of it happening are massively increased the more people demand it and talk about it too, its only in these things being hidden that they won't ever be sorted :-)
Welcome to Steemit georgemason and I'm sure you'll have a great time here!! :)
Thanks :-) It really seems like a brilliant community, I am glad to be here, been here long yourself?