One of the benefits of my transition to teaching in a virtual classroom is that I’ve actually gotten to know my students better. As they came on line and we are waiting for class to begin, I felt more free to engage in small talk. Another benefit has been the experience of teaching students from several countries simultaneously.
In addition to my students who are U.S. citizens, I’ve been able to have conversations with students in Columbia and Turkey. I’ve been struck by the strictness of the quarantine regulations in these countries. In Turkey, for instance, citizens aren’t even allowed to go to the market for food. They submit their orders, and the military makes deliveries to the homes.
In Columbia, there is only one person from any household that can leave to go shopping at any one time. Certain days are reserved for men and other days for women. In addition, the days available for anyone to go out into the larger world are restricted by the zones of the cities in which one resides. Columbia also provides services which will deliver grocery orders to people’s homes.
When I talked about folks in the US showing up at government buildings brandishing AK 47s and demanding that the restrictions be lifted, my student from Columbia commented, “We in Columbia want the virus to be over. It seems you folks in the States want the quarantine to be over.”
That put things in perspective!
It would seem that we in the States have a severe case of social myopia. Instead of looking at the big picture, we are looking at the small personal picture. Instead of being concerned about the long-term consequences of our desires, we are intensely focused on our immediate gratification.
Philosophy teaches us that the first moral law of the Universe is that everything is connected to everything else, which means that to live life to its fullest requires us to take into consideration how our behaviors affect everyone and everything else in the Universe. When what we want is in harmony with what is good for everyone else, then we’ve found our good.
Another way of understanding this principle of the Universe is that if I perceive something as good for me, but it comes at a cost to others, then ultimately it won’t be good for me either.
So, here’s my invitation for today: Check your vision. To the extent that you are being myopic, that you are only seeing the smaller picture, connect with your Inner Magnificence. When thinking about what you want, ask yourself what price someone else might have to pay. If you have failed to consider the effects of your desires on other people, put on your glasses and correct your vision.
The extent to which you accept my invitation is the extent to which you’ll be able to say, “I feel good about being me!” … and that’s a promise!
