We Used To Be Tougher

CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE ALL HAVE BECOME A LITTLE BIT TOO FRAGILE AND WE MIGHT NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

Warning! Consider this a friendly invitation to stop reading this article. If you believe that what follows is going to (1) offend you, (2) hurt your feelings, or (3) cause you to need to face-snuggle your emotional support iguana (“Good lizard, Daphne! What would I ever do without you!”) then stop reading now, please!

We here at Word on the Street Magazine have long stood by and watched our classmates, family members, and friends jump on the bandwagon of the latest emotional coping mechanisms. These are, of course, the many ongoing attempts our society is making to build a “protective bubble” around an individual’s emotions and experiences. The goal is to soften the harshness of life. To remove all hurt and disappointment. To ensure personal comfort at all times. To remove anxiety. To provide security and safety.

It is the emotional equivalent of setting out inflatable bumpers at the bowling alley. We all want the thrill of knocking down some pins (whew!) while also avoiding the frustration of rolling ball after ball into the gutter (waaa!). But the bumper lane is for kids, not adults. To remain in the bumper lane as you age is horribly unhealthy. You’ll never get better at “bowling.” You’ll only learn to rely on the “bumpers.”(Note: We aren’t actually talking about bowling anymore…)

Now, whether you agree with the bowling analogy or not, let’s still try to get a little bit specific. We’re talking about trendy things. From prescriptions to pets, these are all very recently invented approaches to “mental health” and personal wholeness that are pushing for the same level of acceptance as the legitimate necessities of life. These are things like (brace yourself):

Weighted blankets
Trigger warnings
Emotional support animals
Taking mood altering drugs
Taking mental health days
Safe spaces
Bias reporting systems
Detecting micro aggressions
Deconstructing your Christianity

None of these things are “worse” than another. In listing a few, we don’t mean to offend you or accuse you of a wrong.

Many are convinced life shouldn’t be difficult. And so, they look for a quick fix to excommunicate every difficulty.

The way we see it, the citizens of the earth have begun to invent a new and very unrealistic expectation for life: that no harm, stress, or fear should ever occur. That everything uncomfortable should be avoided. That life is supposed to be “easy.” That happiness will be achieved when struggle is removed.

So, the chorus line rings out:
Take away our pain,
Take away our stress.
Take away our fear,
Take away the bad people. (Anyone who doesn’t think the exact same thoughts as us)

And people line up… to be prescribed the instant cure-alls of prescription drugs… to receive certification letters from their doctors for their poodles to become their own personal therapists… to wrap themselves in a 55-pound blanket because a few deep breaths, a moment of quiet, and maybe even a quick prayer in order to relax seems like too ”simple” of a solution… Many are convinced that life shouldn’t be difficult. And so, they look for a quick-fix to excommunicate every difficulty.

Does this sound like the people you know? Maybe.Maybe not. But we know people like this. In fact, we know far too many people who are no longer able to handle the slightest of discomforts, anxieties, or struggles. And so, instead of facing up to the wide-ranging scrapes and tussles of life, they seek to mitigate them.

Even some of our Christian friends who voice a faith in a Heavenly Father, and who acknowledge God’s kindness, protection, and care for His children… Even with the power and presence of God available to them… they will look to a pill or a pet to put them at ease! Apparently for some, the popular philosophies of the day have more wisdom to offer than does the God who created everything. (But that is perhaps another subject for another ‘zine…)

So, as we see it –a different approach is needed: it’s time to stop ingesting every idea that is pushed upon us.

These anxiety crusades aren’t helping anyone. The steady supply of emotional avoidance widgets being produced by our modern, fragile sensibilities is actually making things worse. Most of it simply allows people to indulge in their anxiety instead of overcoming it. And this approach has only made us softer and weaker. More fragile. Less able to face the realities of life.

You can figure this out if you are willing to reconsider the premise: things weren’t always this way. We used to be stronger. We used to be braver. We used to be tougher.

Is there something in our past that might point to a better solution? (Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 11:28-30)