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The Existential Crisis: How Does it Affect the Kids?

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The Existential Crisis

How Does it Affect the Kids?

We are in the midst of a major existential crisis.   The crisis is not new.   It has been around for years.   Modern man and woman have been duped for the past century into becoming mindless consumers while working hours on end to make a living which generally consists of buying plastics and electronic gizmos such as televisions, computers and i-pods.   .

Buzzle.com defines an existential crisis as follows (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/existential-crisis.html):

An existential crisis questions the norms and cultures of the society and the person facing it tries to find meaning in life either by positive means or by negative means. Is dealing with existential crisis very difficult? Certainly, it is extremely difficult to grasp the concept of being positive and staying happy in cases of existential crisis depression but then if we don't make efforts to improve our situation, there is no point of being alive An existential crisis questions the norms and cultures of the society and the person facing it tries to find meaning in life either by positive means or by negative means. Is dealing with existential crisis very difficult? Certainly, it is extremely difficult to grasp the concept of being positive and staying happy in cases of existential crisis depression but then if we don't make efforts to improve our situation, there is no point of being but then if we don't make efforts to improve our situation, there is no point of being alive

As it is in most American psychologies, the idea of helping those in an existential crisis is to improve   thinking and behavior.   The responsibility of the problem lies directly with the person feeling alienated and / or, in the case of children, the parents.   Or, the issue is ascribed to a chemical imbalance of the brain which takes the responsibility off of our modern existential vacuum created by our sociopathic corporate, political and social systems that educate, employ, feed, clothe and entertain, mesmerize and hypnotize those in our society.    

Yet, if one becomes depressed, which is nothing more than redefining a sense of powerlessness, one is blamed for having false cognitions and/or a faulty brain chemistry that can be changed by the same business, political and policing powers that rule our day-to-day lives on the job, in our homes and in our communities.

In essence, our power is taken from us in a multitude of ways.   Our kids are being educated in standardized systems that are more geared towards some corporate standard than allowing a child's passions and talents unfold.   Meanwhile, many of us work hours on end just to make ends meet in order to afford the latest electronic gizmo on the market.   We have been so indoctrinated into the psychopathology of the culture that we are more likely to sit in front of a "boob" tube, be that boob manifest in the form of a computer, game system or television set.   The point is, we don't spend quality time with our spouse and children and in our community.   When we do get social, we tend to go out drinking, hanging out with our buddies, or cheating on our spouses instead of engaging in true home and community building, parenting and being a spouse.    

American adults are oftentimes kept in a perpetual state of adolescence and it is by adolescents that our children are often raised.

In a consumer society mesmerized by a shop-till-you-drop ethos, we have become alienated and pass down that alienation to our children.   We are blind to the existential pain of meaninglessness lying behind our jobs, careers, and making a living for the sake of financial gains, or, in this day and age, survival.   Meanwhile, our children are being educated in standardized systems designed as training for the same corporate world we are enslaved in while at home we as families are saturated and mesmerized in the violence and sexuality of game boys and televisions designed specifically to hypnotize an adult into a mindless trance while indoctrinating a child into a consumer/militaristic culture.

To bring the effects of this alienation home, watch the following movie on YouTube.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdkNn3Ei-Lg

Know that this child is not abnormal for our culture.  

 

Burl Hall is a masters level therapist living in Sabattus, Maine. He is currently working as an in-home therapist with families containing children that are at risk for out-of-home placement due to being in trouble with the law. Burl is also (more...)
 

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Alienation of our Children by Burl Hall on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 7:24:23 AM
Thank You Burl Hall for this so to the point article. by E. T. SIMON on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 9:24:23 AM
The Voice of Reason by Burl Hall on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 11:34:08 AM
That is the question .... I do agree by E. T. SIMON on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 2:46:03 PM
Not Playing the Game by Burl Hall on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 5:50:29 PM
"from the French religere ..." by E. T. SIMON on Thursday, Dec 8, 2011 at 4:43:55 AM
You address the root of the problem from a personal level... by for_hibakusha on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 8:44:26 PM
Sociological Elements to Change by Burl Hall on Thursday, Dec 8, 2011 at 4:38:33 AM
Another Gem by Thomas Brown on Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 at 9:43:04 PM
alienation by Patricia Gray on Thursday, Dec 8, 2011 at 1:16:28 PM
Powerful Comments Patricia by Burl Hall on Thursday, Dec 8, 2011 at 3:17:21 PM