The Lies We're Sold
By Les Mottosky
From the late 1990's through to the 2010's, anxiety took on a disproportionate influence in North American life. Google search data, book publishing, newspaper archives, and social science research all show a substantial increase in discussion of anxiety during this period. By the 2010s, "I have anxiety" had become a common self-description in a way that would have been unusual prior to the '70s.
Currently, anxiety disorders are among the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions. In turn, pharma brands have cranked up the benzo and SSRI supply chains and Psychiatrists reach for their prescription pads like it's first nature.
But what if drugs aren't the best solution?
Duty is a concept we rarely consider. It's a word that's become almost nostalgic in its use and application. Responsibility is the word that we're more used to using. But even that seems rarer than the standing of 'rights' and 'entitlements'.
Duty isn't a purpose, mission, passion, or calling. Duty is the debt we owe to our community. It was very much alive up to about 60 years ago. It has dwindled largely in response to the dying sense of community since the internet came into our lives.
Many of us can name multiple online communities we belong to, but can't tell you the name of our neighbour.
It's this – real, geographic, eye-to-eye – disconnection from those in our actual community that's contributing greatly to the crisis of meaning we're experiencing. Social networks, messaging apps and cell phones can't replace true human connection. And – back to the point of duty – technology is a distraction to even being aware of what we owe our communities, let alone actually taking steps to doing something about it.
Duty has stuck with the human tribe because it's reciprocal. The individual takes care of the community, and the community takes care of the individual. They require one another. That's why people who take too much, and those who do too little are so despised in social structures. That action and inaction violate the role of duty.
So duty is a valuable concept we seem to have lost.
What we haven't lost – and society increasingly encourages – is self indulgence. We live in the age of the selfie. And being able to share our opinions everywhere, with anyone. Regardless of how informed those opinions may be. The metric that used to qualify a perspective no longer seems to matter... feelings over facts, and all that.
Anxiety is generally the result of an imbalanced focus on one's self. There are exceptions, of course, but this is largely true.
My problems. My health. My feelings. My loss. My worry. My life.
Culture does its part to contribute also: over-indexing on beauty, idealism, wealth and fame.
But focusing too much on ourselves, we rob ourselves of a biological impulse and social need to contribute. To our friends and fam, community and the world.
We rob ourselves of duty.
And when our sense of duty shrinks, anxiety will flourish.
So ask yourself: 'What's a cause or need I can contribute to?'
Do that.
TAGS: # The Lies We're Sold
Les Mottosky
Adaptation Strategist // I help organizations turn creativity into their competitive advantage by aligning leadership, culture and strategy to unlock adaptive innovations.
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