“We do not want our fear, our anger, our pain, so we suppress it by filling up our lives with the things provided us by modern civilization: websites, games, films, music. All these items can contain many toxins that only serve to increase our sickness, our fear. Suppose you watch one hour of television. That seems like very little, but you know there can be a lot of violence, a lot of fear, and a lot of poisons in that one-hour program. And you practice intoxicating yourself every day. You think you’re getting some kind of relief, but while entertaining yourself you continue to bring into the depths of your consciousness even more elements of pain and suffering. So the blocks of pain deep within you keep growing bigger and bigger. We intoxicate ourselves with what we consume every day.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
A World of Intoxicants
When you mention intoxicants, most people will think of alcohol and drugs. But looking at it in a broader sense, As Hanh does, we find that there is a lot more in the world that serves to intoxicate us. Further, we find that contrary to the war against drugs, our governments, schools, and other institutions often encourage intoxication in one form or another.
Entertainment
One of the greatest of the intoxicant categories. Outside of drugs and alcohol, is entertainment. This includes television, movies, concerts, plays, amusement parks, and others. While a few of these may be educational, the vast majority serve one primary purpose: to keep us under control.
The skilled pickpocket distracts us while his hand is grabbing our wallet, watch, or cellphone. He might bump into you. He might pretend he recognizes you and starts a conversation. Whatever it is, the purpose is to keep you from noticing him grabbing your valuables. The entire entertainment world serve the same purpose.
Think about it. Do you ever plan a government protest while watching a movie? Do you talk to friends about how unfair the business payment model is while thoroughly engaged in a concert? Of course not. The governments know that. So do the business operators and the super wealthy people who keep one half of the world’s wealth in one percent of the people. Continue reading “Many Intoxicants to Keep Us Away from Reality”