OF INDIVIDUALS AND ATTITUDE
It is quite easy to heap the blame in one's life or circumstances on others (e.g. the society, the system or other external factors). But of greater importance is the ability or propensity to look inwards into one's being, assess oneself and endeavour to correct whatever needs to be corrected. The more one looks outward for target of blame for one's circumstances, the less the chances of one's progress. Chances of progress are greatly enhanced when one cultivates the habit of looking inward into oneself when it comes to finding fault and adjustment. Habitual attribution of faults to external factors or others is conducive to laxity and indulgence. Individuals who have the habit of looking inward more than outward tend to exercise more self-control and discipline. Of course, both discipline and self-control are integral ingredients of success and progress in life, regardless of challenges from external sources. Whining about the evil in others is one thing, addressing whatever defect lies in oneself is another.
Some societies can make available and accessible facilities such as government assistance in the area of education, health, or some form of pecuniary aids. Not all societies can make these facilities available. Even in societies where they are available, it may be only to a certain extent. What the society has to offer is considered by many as necessary for the progress of the individual. But does that mean one should have a heavy reliance on what the society has to offer (or probably does not have to offer) for one to progress? Does it mean that the society bears the responsibility of how an individual ultimately ends up in life? More often than not, what individuals make out of their own lives has little to do with circumstances pertaining to the society, and has a lot to do with the attitude of the individual towards life. Holding the society responsible for one's perceived misfortune(s) does not explain everything. Whether or not the society fosters environments or settings that are favourable to progress may not always be the issue. The individual's mentality (characteristic attitude of mind) is of equal importance. This is because where the society leaves off, that is where one's mentality picks up.
More often than not, individuals who benefit quite little from whatever benefits the society has to offer do achieve substantial goals than people who suck the milk from the breast of Mama society. Which brings to mind a favourite formula / equation of a high school chemistry teacher:
Aptitude + Attitude = Results
Abundance of Aptitude + Improper Attitude = Minimal Results
Little Aptitude + Proper Attitude = Considerable Results
Aptitude in the equation represents whatever factor that makes success or progress possible without necessarily putting in a great deal of effort e.g talents, gifts, aids, assistance, etc.........
It is not uncommon for individual's attitude and mentality to be influenced by occurrences in time. Occurrences in time may be in the past, present, or future. Of course, the past has ways of affecting the present; and the present can determine the future. The past has an overwhelming influence on the life of an average person. In fact, it seems as if the past - if compared to the present and future - exerts greater authority on the life of an individual. Occurrences of the past can shape the mentality of the present, and the attitude of the present can prove to be a determining factor for what the future will look like. Of the numerous occurrences of the past, the unpleasant ones seem to have ways of proving outstanding.
Unpleasant moments, especially ones pertaining to injustice, have ways of rearing their heads. Not only do they rear their heads, it tends to fill the mind of the individual with spiteful, obsessive thoughts. This obsession hardly ever rises to the level of consciousness; yet it underlies the way individuals think and behave. Indubitably, how occurrences of the past pertaining to injustice shapes people's life does matter. But does that mean the only thing that matters are demoralizing occurrences of the past? Regardless of the injustice of the past, it is the attitude of the present that matters and pivotal. What others did or have done to you may not have as much effect on your life and destiny as much as what you are doing to yourself. What kind of mentality do you base your existence on? The kind that readily reflect on unpleasant instances of the past anytime you face a familiar adversity? Or the kind of mentality that reflects on the hope of the future even in the face of seemingly recurrent problems?
Hope is a vital element of human psychology. It is conducive to fostering an optimistic and progressive attitude. A mentality devoid of hope will find itself constantly withdrawing into the agony of the past even though the past is past. Hope gives people reason to rejoice in the midst of current adversity. Hope supplies the energy and strength to continue and press forward into the future. Recalling ugly incidents of the past will only bring about depression and pessimism. This is conducive to frustration and anger.
In the scriptures, it was revealed that when the descendants of Jacob left Egypt and embarked on the journey to the promised land, they confronted the Red Sea (Exodus 14). Their initial reaction was to succumb to memories of the past. They asked Moses to lead them back to Egypt. More or less asking to be led back into the past. But note how God handled the situation. God told Moses to tell the people to move forward. Did you observe the difference in direction? The people were yielding to the propensity to dwell in the past (mentality of the past) only for the Great One to reverse the course of their mentality by indicating the forward direction.
It can be recalled that it was not only at the Red Sea that the mentality of the past manifested itself. When the people were near the promised land, and they heard unpleasant news about their prospect of living in it, the negative psychology reared its ugly head again (Number 13 & 14). The people began to entertain the past. They entertained it so much it actually beclouded their prospect for the future. Their hands became weakened. Their morale became dampened. They become discouraged and preferred to drop out. They were ready to go back to Egypt. Please note that of all the people that left Egypt, only two (Joshua and Caleb) made it into the promised land. Actually, they were the only ones whose stand was based on a different mentality. It was not that both individuals did not go through the ordeals that others went through. Like everyone else, they received unpleasant and discouraging reports about current events. But unlike everyone else, they had a different psychological orientation. This notion can be buttressed from God's remark:
"Surely they shall not see the land which I swear their fathers,........ But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him,.........., him will I bring into the land.........." (Numbers 14:23,24 King James Version)
The same verses reads thus in Good News Bible:
"They will never enter the land which I promised to their ancestors........ But because My servant Caleb has a different attitude........., I will bring him into the land..........."
********* WORD ON THE STREET *********
If wisdom is a tree, tact is a branch that grows out of it. A man of good discretion will be tactful with his words while hitting the nail on the head and getting the message across.
******** MORE WORD ON THE STREET ********
Eavesdrop on this conversation:
HAY: That which you have done is evil. It is wicked. You are an embodiment of evil. Manifestation of wickedness.........
BEE: (He responded calmly with no remorse in his voice.) There is no such thing as evil.
HAY: What do you mean by there is no such thing as evil? What you've done is evil...........
BEE: There is no such thing as evil. Reprehensible is more like it. Simply say reprehensible.
HAY: Reprehensible? What is that? Look, you can come up with all sort of words to disguise atrocities. You can even coin up vocabularies to conceal the reality behind acts of evil. Use whatever word you can to mask the true meaning and appearance of ungodly acts. It will in no way undermine the fact that....... You think you are so smart, you can allude to some flimsy academic notion that denies the existence of evil, good, morality, God,......... and ........name it. Such notion may seem good for the purpose of writing term papers and essays to obtain degrees and diplomas. But when you step out of the book and enter the real world that is inhabited by people - as against some narrow-minded so-called academician - you've got to face certain realities. And don't
think you are fooling anybody, mister. You're only deceiving yourself. I tell you, call a spade a spade, .........reprehensible? ah!.........that's like sweeping dirt under the carpet..........
BEE: Look modern man does not use such words as evil, wick-.........
HAY: Oh be quiet! And don't you attempt to brainwash me with your false and enticing doctrine that is deceptively presented as modernity. This has nothing to do with modernity. This has a whole lot to do with reality. You are evil, evil, evil. That's what you stand for. That's what radiates from your being. Those calm yet wicked eyes of yours, Lucifer.
BEE: Who is Lucifer?
HAY: Who is Lucifer?! You Satan! Yes, Satan, you!
God bless
Yours
Adekunle O. Majek'
H I A F E M
Of impact, quality and excellence
That's the Spirit!
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