Journey for Compassion
Today’s modern American society has been filled with misery and despair. There seems to be a general lack of compassion and understanding between each other. Many individuals have difficulty doing so because choose they choose to focus on the differences that set us apart. For example, conflicting political viewpoints between two people can easily result in them having a mutual untrust and maybe disgust toward one another. This is mainly due to the lack of compassion and understanding toward each other, we see our viewpoints as being correct and will go to great lengths in defending that point. This is causing a divide in our society and is preventing us from growing and developing as a nation. A simple fix to this problem is compassion and understanding. These two qualities can save our society because it allows us to find a middle ground. A place where we can put our differences aside and come together. Without these qualities, our society will remain in a state of conflict, this conflict is the root of our misery and despair. We must learn to be compassionate in order to elevate not only ourselves but our community as well. A failure to do so could cause a catastrophic setback toward human growth and development.
The illustration above is a representation of the world I live in from my perspective. I constantly see violence and hate around me, and it forces me to take on the burden of building a better future for our society. The reason why I bear this burden is that I know I must be the change I wish to see in order to live in the world I want to live in. I currently live in a time where comradery does not exist, the mentality always seems to be us versus them. I do not want to take any sides on any matter because once I do I become part of the problem I am trying to fix. The problem is our own human nature we have to compete and battle against. In The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr, edited by Clayborne Carson, Dr. King states, “The more I thought about human nature, the more I saw how our tragic inclination for sin causes us to use our minds to rationalize our actions” (Carson 25). The current day example of this would be a person who riots, and then use the black lives matter movement as a justification for their actions. The sin being the rioting is being inclined by the injustices of the society and these various injustices are the justification for causing injustice onto other individuals. This causes a negative feedback loop that results in violence and hatred toward one another. Our human nature does not promote compassion, it promotes irrational fear that can lead to violence. It is our duty to recognize this fault in us in order to prevent this fault from destroying our society. If we can understand our own human nature, then it will be a small victory in achieving compassion and understanding
The illustration above is an illustration of my identity. My identity plays a major role in defining the type of individual I am. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, California, and have lived here my entire life. The Bay Area culture is engraved into my soul and it’s something I carry proudly. In the book, Peace is Every Step, by Arnold Kotler, Kotler describes an idea stating that “When someone speaks unkindly to us, if we understand the reason and do not take his or her words to heart, we will not feel irritated at all, and no knot will be tied. But if we do not understand why were spoken to that way and we become irritated, a knot will be tied in us. The absence of clear understanding is the basis for every knot” (Hanh 64). Having a complete understanding of your identity is key for a person to grow stronger without having a fear of regret or social acceptance. If we can untie these knots, then it will become much easier to untie the knots of others. If we must master this in order to make major strides in becoming compassionate toward others.
I chose to embark on the music industry journey because I feel like it is a place that lacks compassion. Today’s modern rap music preaches sex, violence, and hate. The topics have empowered listeners in the wrong sense; it’s causing some listeners to become self-centered and less compassionate toward others. In the book, The Art of Pilgrimage, by Phil Cousineau, he mentions that “Sometimes people need a shock; sometimes a tocsin call.” (Cousineau 36). It is time for the music industry (rap & hip/hop specifically) to start a pilgrimage. We need to have a dramatic change in the industry before it gets out of hand. We as the artist have the power to use our platform to promote peace, love, and compassion. Even if the fractional of the listeners follow the message, it will be that much more than those who wouldn’t.
Works Cited
- Carson, Clayborne. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Illustrated, Warner Books, 2001.
- Hanh, Thich Nhat, et al. Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. Bantam, 1992.
- Cousineau, Phil, et al. The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred. Phoenix Books, 2009.
