We, as the human species, are much, much more powerful and self-directed than we imagine ourselves to be. If left to our own raw instincts, we would almost always know what choices to make in any given situation. Unless we are mentally ill or aberrant in some way, we USUALLY know right from wrong. If we take the time to plug into ourselves, we know what is good for us and what is not, what works for us and what doesn’t. We have an internal “knowing” that guides us on our way (some call it God or the Divine) more often than not. Whatever it is inside of us that “knows” the truth, really is God-like or transcendent. We can’t touch, taste, smell or see it, but it remains always present no matter what we choose to do. That “knowing” protects, teaches, informs and guides us and insists that we “keep it real” or things can derail very quickly. It is all connected to karma, but that is yet another article which I plan on writing. Given this reality about what we already know, why, then, do we have a tendency to give our power away? Why do we think that everyone else knows better than we do, and therefore, we are gullible to ubiquitous (they are EVERYWHERE!) salesmen and advertising?
All around us—especially if you live in a big city like Los Angeles or New York, we are besieged by billboards and advertising that implore you to buy this product or try that one. You cannot walk any square block in any big city without being overwhelmed by bright lights and razzmatazz telling you that you must have this thing in order to be happy. Or that some other product will make you look and feel younger. Television commercials are good at that game. Every other commercial is selling some kind of pharmaceutical drug or youth cream that will keep you a slave for life! Forget that your nose may fall off from the cream or the drug, or you’ll be incontinent or in danger for your life (exaggerating, but not much!); or maybe your kidneys will fail or your sex life will be in jeopardy. And so many of us, who should know better, fall prey to this constant invasion and run out and buy the product or the placebo which, chances are, will NEVER fix us! Why do we think that someone ELSE knows better than we do about our own bodies? Now, granted, there certainly are many instances where doctors or real professionals DO know better than we do. And we would be wise to seek out real help where it is needed—it is always available to us. But often much of this stuff is just tied into consumerism, snake-oil salesmanship, and other people PREYING on our vulnerabilities and insecurities.
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