Self Preservation

Something that I am most keen of in myself is of commiting self-preservation. It's a sneaky thing because it can be so well justified. Self-preservation has most of its roots in pride and fear. All in all, it's an ugly one.

If you want to see the affects of a cultural shift to more and more self-preservation, it can be seen in different instances. I found one recently in a study that was done which speaks to how more and more people are isolating themselves. The causes of some of this can be linked to more folks using the internet to correspond.

Basically, people seem to be opting for the cleanliness of interacting through the electronic medium. It's easier in many aspects because one doesn't have to deal with the persons odor, or the other person's quirky personality. It's a kind of "disengaged" engagement - a half-hearted approach to relationships which only leaves us more empty and alone.

God has created us for relationships. And, He has properly equipped us to be engaged, be it good or bad. We need not fear interacting with someone who is strange or more powerful or just plain goofy. He has made us for this. And, I don't think He wants us hiding behind a curtain.

Ironically, isolation (which we ultimately think will give us more "safety") only leads to bad things, corporately. The less we know our neighbors - and as our sphere of influence diminishes - our society grows increasingly unsafe. There is no longer a "check" on the new guy moving in next door because no one has bothered to ask his first name - or where he's from. This leads to the (you've heard this before on the news, I'm sure) "He seemed like a good neighbor - but kinda quiet..I didn't think he was capable of__________." scenerio. So, the less we know of one another, the less we are safe.

Now, I hope to take this to heart (Lord help me).