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Sunday Musings - July 30, 2023

7/29/2023

Sunday Musings - July 30, 2023

One of the podcasts to which I regularly listen is “The Gallup Podcast” on which various staff members of Gallup report on results of surveys on various subjects. The July 27, 2023, podcast is entitled “What’s Behind Declining Confidence in Higher Education?”  One of the questions examined is the role of student debt which, for many, can be considerable and will determine what future job choices one has.   The Gallup representative cites the example of the person with a law degree who wanted to be a public defender but, instead, chooses a less satisfying job in a high powered, profit seeking firm so that their student loads can be repaid.

A June 14, 2023, Forbes article by Zina Kumok and Alicia Hahn address “7 Compelling Reason Why You Should Go to College”. They list:

            Higher Earnings
            Increased Job Security
            Greater life satisfaction
            Increased access to health insurance and other benefits
            Better health outcomes
            Opportunity to pursue niche interests.
            Expand your professional networks.


Another article published in Education May 11, 2023, entitled “Americans Value College Education Despite Barriers” by Stephanie Market reports that most young people attending college and a significant proportion not attending college believe attending college has positive benefits.

Some studies report as many as 53% attending college are there for future job-related benefits.  My memory tells me this a lower percentage than it previously was.

I have not done extensive research on this subject or read even a majority of the results of studies or the considered opinions of educators.  I do know that from what research I have done and the antidotal reports from those of all ages and educations levels with whom I regularly talk that there are some important issues to consider including:

Of the seven, ten or 15 reasons to attend college most of those listed have to do with greater access to essential needs which in an enlightened society would be available to all. Access to health care, ability to financially make manifest a safe home and lifestyle for oneself and one’s family if one has one, ability to have help with child care; take partner on a date; give one’s children and oneself access to cultural events which broadens one’s view and understanding of the world; and the leisure to be an active/participating member of the community should be available to all members of the community regardless of what job they perform. All jobs including that doctor, attorney, brick layer, trash collector, childcare person, teacher, store clerk, restaurant worker should have the same basic benefits.

Censoring what students can be taught and what educators can teach raises serious questions as to the purpose of education, the quality of teachers wiling to spoon feed redacted material to students and the brain washing of students who attend such institutions.

Cost of college - undergraduate and graduate/professional schools must be addressed. Cost in terms of options of graduates, the effects on families, and a host of related issues must be addressed. We must be willing to address questions such as who is benefiting from the current financial structure, what are options to lower costs, and how we want or expect higher education to lead to graduates creating a more just and equitable society.

The system in the United States of encouraging high school graduates to attend college before having the opportunity to explore what they can do to become an equal, contributing member of the community, while also earning enough money to care for themselves and their families may be flawed. As been suggested on the discussion on the Gallup Podcast and in other places, internships and/or some form of public service prior to higher education might benefit many.

Lastly and most importantly we may need to rethink the basic concept of education. Is education merely learning the logistics of certain skills or is it an opportunity to explore the skills one needs to create a community which lives in synch with the universe and all that exists within that universe; a community which respects and enhances an environment; a community which promotes and sustains life rather than destroying it; a community which allows for diversity of opinion, life style, other choices which do not infringe on the rights of others; a community which allows for imagination/fantasy and science and much less on the fears of unhealthy politicians and religious zealots?

Unless and until we open the doors to such discussions (not fights) we will find ourselves living the results of, once again, ignoring the symptoms while a disease takes over the body politic.
Created July 30, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org

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Sunday Musings - July 23, 2023

7/23/2023

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Sunday Musings - July 23, 2023

Last Sunday I talked about addiction and the role of homeostasis in the pleasure-pain part of the brain.  I recommended the reader listen to the podcast Hidden Brain and specifically the episode of July 10, 2023, featuring a discussion with the psychiatrist Dr. Annal Lambke.  The episode of July 17 entitled “The Path to Enough” continues the discussion with Dr, Lambke.   I again highly recommend it for a further understanding of addiction and how to approach a healing journey.

This week I want to discuss a close cousin of addiction - Shenpa.   Some of the readers may be familiar with the concept because of my past writings and/or because of one’s familiarity with such teachers as the Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron.  I am currently working on a longer essay on the subject of shenpa, but, this week, I want to focus on the relationship between shenpa and addiction.

Shenpa is a Tibetan word which is frequently translated as attached.  Pema is not fond of that translation and suggested translations such as hooked or “that sticky feeling”.  I think of shenpa as a belief that one needs a person, place, thing, position, or situation to be okay.  Thus, one may get attached to or hooked by the opinion that one can only be okay if one’s parent affirms one’s worth. In this case if the parent is unable to offer unconditional love in way one can hear it one may get hooked to the belief that one is not enough. One gets also get attached to the belief one must attend an Ivy League university to have a successful career and life; that all cool/worthwhile people can safely drink alcohol or use marijuana.

If one is hooked by or attached to some idea, thing, place, person, or belief one cannot have a good or satisfying life unless X is true/available.   If one becomes used to having access to that thing, idea, place, person, or belief one can become very anxious or even very depressed if it is not available.  One may have now move from shenpa to addiction.   Addiction as elucidated by Dr. Anna Lambke  is the lack of homeostasis when following the withdrawal of the acute surge of dopamine one’s brain registers pain.  it is only after a period of what Dr. Lambke calls fasting that one can begin to be at peace - one can again reach homeostasis - without that acute dose of dopamine. Fasting is that time for withdrawing from that thing, activity, substance which has been feeding one’s addiction.  There may be some activities, substances, beliefs which one can again enjoy after a period of fasting without triggering the imbalance/the addiction. This is not the case for those whose addiction involves the use of alcohol or other addictive drugs.

Shenpa occurs for many in religious or political beliefs.  Sometimes the two may overlap.  Thus, one may get very depressed or anxious if anyone challenges the statements or opinions of the political figure or the news station to whose truth one is attached.  One may get very attached to the religious doctrine or belief of a particular church or religion.

There may be those who have a personal preference for a vegetarian or even a vegan nutritional practice but who are not offended if others have a different belief or practice.  They are not attached to the idea that their way is the way or the only way.  A friend of mine is a long time vegetarian but in deference to the practices and preferences of her current partner has introduced chicken to the meals she prepares and serves,

I love books and other reading material as my primary source of information.    Yet, I can also enjoy audio books, podcasts, and films as well as lecture/talks as a means of learning or accessing information.  I do not have shenpa for books or other printed matter but it’s still a preference.

The line between attachments or shenpa and addiction is often very narrow. Shenpa may or may not precede addiction.   If one, for example, is introduced to opioids following surgery one may get addicted.  Prior to surgery, however, one may have had belief/an attachment that one could tolerate only so much discomfort. This belief may be an important factor in becoming addicted. (Each of us may experience discomfort differently.).

Shenpa can open the door to addiction. At the very least it may separate one from those whose opinion, belief, or behavior is different.   That in turn can creates opposing tribes who cannot coexist peacefully together.  Shenpa closes the door to further learning.  If one is committed to a growing/learning one may want to gently and lovingly identify and allow for different beliefs, other ways of behavior, or healthier ways of finding pleasure than one experiences.   Certainly, when shenpa leads to a dangerous addiction one wants to seek help in treating that addiction.

Written July 23, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org

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Sunday musings - July 16, 2023

7/16/2023

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Sunday Musings - July 16, 2023

I often listen to a podcast while at the gym.  There are several I listen to on a weekly basis or whenever a new episode is available.   One of those podcasts is Hidden Brain which is hosted by Shankar Vedantam.  The episode of July 10, 2023, featured a discussion with psychiatrist, Dr. Anna Lambke.  The episode is entitled “The Paradox of Pleasure” Dr. Lambke addresses the brain science of addiction; the fact that the brain must always return to homeostasis.  When we humans have an experience which triggers the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathway - the pleasure-pain balance is to the side of pleasure.  Once one has experienced what has been associated with pleasure the pleasure pain balance needs to return to homeostasis.  The attempt to return to homeostasis may be met with discomfort and sometimes an acute pain/dopamine deficit.  Dr. Lambke uses the analogy of a teeter totter.

I have often maintained that one can become addicted to sex, alcohol, other drugs, shopping, food, gambling or a host of other activities or substances.  Dr. Lambke validates this belief.  She, for instance, became addicted to romance novels.  Despite her profession and her love of the use of good writing, she became addicted to often badly written romance novels which were written to trigger lust and other related emotions. She eventually was bringing them to work and ignoring family and work responsibilities.   She may have still been high functioning. but she was certainly not at her best.   I love this example because it does not involve illegal activities or any activities which one would normally consider unethical or immoral.  Reading romance novels or any other type of writing can be a harmless pastime.  When one becomes so uncomfortable that one feels compelled to ignore other responsibilities and engage in a particular activity, we know that the brain is struggling to maintain homeostasis.  Dr. Lambke was able to afford all the romance novels she could consume.  Libraries, new and used bookstores, and Alexa were only too happy to accommodate her needs.  She had an income which did not require her to steal any books.  Had the drug of choice been heroin, crack, gambling, or sexual activity she could have been caught and labeled a criminal.  Once she labeled her behavior, she was able to get the help she needed.  Healing was not without discomfort as the brain experienced a dopamine deficit. Eventually her brain could return to non-addictive functioning.   This does not mean she was immune from further addictive behavior.   We can all get hooked.

In many parts of the world access to potential addictions is more available than ever often regardless of income or other resources.  Wealthy people have, throughout much of history (some thousands of years at least) engaged in a variety of addictive behaviors.   Poor people were limited by funds and availability.  Today availability for many is much less an issue.

Dr. Lambke confirms my belief that we need to think in broader, non-judgmental terms about the “disease” of addiction.  Addiction does not visit because one is weak, immoral, bad, or otherwise an undesirable member of the community.  Labeling addicts as criminals - especially those who are poor and cannot either hide their behavior, buy off officials, or hire very expensive, clever attorneys - does not serve the addict or the community at large.   Incarceration and treating people as less than does not heal or benefit anyone.  It is true that some people might get better in jail but that is despite their being labeled and treated as criminals and undesirables.  Jail/prison is very traumatic.    One may survive it but not without deep painful scars.

One does not wake up on day deciding that one wants some behavior or substance to attempt to destroy one’s life and the life of all those one’s life encounters.  One certainly may be predisposed to addictive behavior because of genetics or early trauma. It is true that, as humans, with the brain that we are given, we are vulnerable to addictive behavior.  Too much dopamine triggered by some substance or behavior can easily kidnap any of us.  We have also created a culture which, for many of us, greatly increases the opportunity for addiction.  Cell phones, computers, shopping access, credit cards, processed food and host of other substances and systems are poised to create the dopamine imbalance which can lead to addiction.

Human brain plus availability equals vulnerability. It is a simple mathematical formula.  It is way past time that we face this reality and find more effective and humane preventive and treatment strategies.  Criminalizing the reality which we would rather not face has not worked, will never work and should not be an option.

Written July 16, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org

Dr. Lembk’s book is "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in The Age of Indulgence."

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Sunday Musings - July 9, 2023

7/8/2023

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Sunday Musings - July 9, 2023

The mass shootings in the United States continue. Although there is a lot of finger pointing, no one action is likely to stop them. I do think, however, a combination of actions might sharply curtail them. I think we citizens can individually and collectively, as voters, insist our elected leaders consider the following:

Stop the manufacture of assault type weapons for civilian sales. Congress takes back the power to regulate the companies manufacturing guns.
Consider whether arm force troops and other law enforcement groups need to use such weapons. (I realize this is a going to be a more complicated and controversial issue.)
Make it illegal, as much as possible, to sell or manufacture parts which can be used in the home creation of such weapons. (One cannot control such options as 3-D printers.)
Make it a federal offense for any civilian to own an assault type weapons no matter what the stated purpose.
Create a fund to pay individuals to turn in their assault type weapons and then destroy them. Do not sell turned in guns as fund raisers for law enforcement groups.
Seriously examine the death penalty in this country and consider a federal ban and/or a constitutional amendment to make it illegal.
Commit to take responsibility for the fact that while we say we abhor using violence as a method to deal with frustration, perceived or real injustice or action with which we disagree we continue the use of lethal weapons by law enforcement. As states and a nation, we use violent action or intimidation (i.e., military exercises and threats.) Consider President Biden’s threat to use military force to protect the independence of Taiwan and to respond to other situation.) Either violence is an okay method to express anger, fear or other concerns or it is not. (Caveat: the use of force in restraining individuals is necessary at times. Force is regularly used in acute mental health treatment facilities. Often thinking is so impaired that a person is a danger to self or others. When used in such settings it is done with compassion and respect.)
Never, ever use the excuse that “X country is doing it.” Just this weekend I heard that one of the Biden’s administration justifications for giving cluster bombs to Ukraine is that Russia is allegedly using them. We do not allow our children to act immorally just because Mikey or Susie is doing so. We do not get to do so as adults. Nearly every other country or international organization has outlawed the use of cluster bombs which can easily scatter submissions over a wide area while some fail to explore until later when encountered by a civilian.
Do not condone groups such as the KKK, the proud boys, neo-Nazi groups or others who advocate violence and who may target specific groups based on a social construct such as race, gender, or sexual orientation. Do not support politicians who support or encourage such groups or individual belonging to such groups.
Do not define justice as “an eye for an eye”. Responding to an injustice or a perceived injustice with violence is immoral and counterproductive whether it is initiated by a “civilian” or by law enforcement individual or agency.
Trust the science of neurology. Many factors affect one’s ability to have a shared reality or to consider the needs of others. Quit deluding ourselves that “free will” is possible for all people - that the brains of all people are able to make humane, logical decisions. Some of us are able to do so at times even though a great many factors have to come together to make that manifest reality.
Accept that some people need long term residential care. Do not recreate the snake pits which were often the norm for state mental health hospitals but create safe, humane, comfortable facilities staffed with well trained and well-paid individuals.
No prisons or jail or so-called correction facilities. Individuals do not get better by being mistreated. None of us do. Mandated humane treatment may often be necessary for addition and a wide variety of actions which hurt self and others. Accept that the current system of prisons and jails is ineffective, inhumane and enormously expensive. Buildings and related facilities require food, clothing, staffing, medicine, and a host of other supplies. It is a very profitable business for many who now have a vested interest in maintaining the current system. Even the jails themselves are now often private.
Set aside political ambitions, religious prejudices, fears and vested interests. Decide we humans can be very intelligent, creative, problem solvers when we are of one mind!

If we decide as a nation that violence is never the solution, we will find non- violent solutions. Telling some to do what I say and not as I do has never worked as parents or teachers and will never work for us at the community, state, or federal level.

Written July 9, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org

2008 treaty—the Convention on Cluster Munitions—banned the production, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions in 108 countries, which noted that munitions often “kill or maim citizens,” though the U.S., Ukraine and Russia have not signed the treaty.

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Sunday Musings - July 2, 2023

7/1/2023

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Sunday Musings - July 2, 2023
“The crack” as a metaphor for the message of the prophets

In two days, on July 4, the United States of America will celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

We are painfully aware that although independence from England was achieved in 1776 many in this country are still waiting to be free from the tyranny of racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty, and the concept of a God which passively and actively supports the continuations of slavery in its many forms.

As we approach July 4, 2023 I am acutely aware the best effort of those who would shield their eyes from the reality of the many forms of oppression by passing laws such as those forbidding the teaching of what is now call critical race theory; who continue to label mentally ill people as criminals;  who deny the fluidity of gender, who would hide their many fears of those who are not them behind religions which pretend to honor the teachings of compassionate leaders such as Jesus, Muhammad, and The Buddha; despite this reality we know the emperor has no clothes.  The prophets continue to attempt to wipe the blinding film from our eyes.

Who are the prophets one asks?  They are not the political figures who continue to scream what they are against but not what they are for.  Perhaps some may be among the few misfits religious leaders who openly reveal truths.  Some may be among those who practice the creative arts.  Yet, I suspect that most prophets are, once again, those who are least likely to be recognized as such.  This has been true throughout history.   We humans often discover prophets are those we find the least attractive; those with little formal education; those who do not wear the costume de jour which identifies them as respected elders.  I suspect we need to look for the prophet who mirrors the reality of the effort to make manifest the extent of our most recent attempts to, once again, legalize oppression. There may be no clearer metaphor for “showing our ass” as a country than those who wear loose fitting pants without belts to ensure their ass cracks are apparent to all.  They are the idea candidates to be the town criers - the town prophets.   Everywhere one goes one is forced to view the ass cracks of many of our fellow citizens. We may not have thought of those individuals as prophets.  We may not have recognized the not-so-subtle metaphor of the public showing of one’s ass crack.  Yet it is clear to me that on this July 4th, 2023, in these United States we are blessed with the opportunity to face the reality of our ongoing fear of freedom for all; our fear of facing the fact we have indeed erred and strayed from the reality of the intentional or unintentional aspirations of the Declaration of Independence which includes the statement:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Prophets often bring uncomfortable truths.  Prophets may force our attention to truths asunattractive as ass cracks.  Yet, if we continue to ignore these truths we will be visited by even less attractive and painful ones.

We cannot claim to be a free Country unless all are free.  Will the truth as proclaimed by the prophets lead to freedom for all?

Written July 2, 2023
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org

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Sunday Musings - July 30, 2023

Sunday Musings - July 23, 2023

Sunday musings - July 16, 2023

Sunday Musings - July 9, 2023

Sunday Musings - July 2, 2023

Jimmy Pickett is a life student who happens to be a licensed counselor and an addiction counselor. He is a student of Buddhism with a background of Christianity and a Native American heritage.

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