We all come into this world whole creatures with great natural potential. However, we all face circumstances that largely determine the entire outcome of our lives. Culture is the petri dish in which we live and grow. To be alive is always to deal with the pervasive demands of culture that inform our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual understandings, and our life experiences. The debate between the influence of nature versus nurture is a long standing one, but nurture appears to win hands down. Initially, in the early years, we are like sponges absorbing as much information as we can to make sense of ourselves as creatures in the world. Our energies are largely directed outward towards understanding what it is that others expect of us, whilst still being driven by our own inner needs. Our social environment consists of our family and community, with its unique norms and values, some explicit and others implicit. Slowly and often painfully we become socialized and conditioned to conform, as our need for acceptance and belonging override our deeper yearnings. As we grow, we become institutionalized within the three pillars of modern society – nuclear family, organized religion and formal education. By the time we reach 18 years of age, we have largely disconnected from our natures and become pawns of our culture, ready one day to enable and reinforce the prevailing culture and status quo. We are caught in a wheel which turns with such power and momentum that escape seems unlikely. But escape we must if we are ever to live authentic and meaningful lives. In fact, our survival individually and collectively depends upon it.
Caught in a wheel
