ARE YOU BEING DISTRACTED?

The Price of Being Distracted is Beyond Measure

You and I have no excuse, because nothing can really keep us from being distracted. It’s only because our lack of focused attention, that keeps us continually distracted. I’ve been distracted for years. Maybe you have been too. And it’s fair to say, that there are many who use the distraction like an art form. Distraction in itself can be a pastime or maybe it’s a covert war to get your energy, money or votes.

As an example, if you go to a Las Vegas casino, with all the consciously created visuals, sounds, smells and enticements, you can easily become totally distracted. In this particular environment, it is used as a means to extract your money. It is marketed as entertainment and indeed it is. The comedy is not only in the loss of your money, but also in becoming hypnotically allured to follow the next money loosing diversion.

How Distraction Works

Con men, magicians, advertisers, and politicians all use distraction as a means to influence you in their favor. On a most rudimentary level, this is done unconsciously, or better stated biologically. There are specific reasons that a con man will touch you, to trigger your body to respond. To understand this clearly, imagine yourself standing in a line going to the movies.

If someone taps you on the shoulder, you’ll instinctively turn around, usually in the same direction of the shoulder that was touched. This isn’t good or bad, it’s biological programming. However, your biology can be used to distract you while something is being taken. On the simplest level, this isn’t polite.

A con man is legally categorized as a thief, for stealing, and so he is. A magician sidetracks you under the premise, that it’s fun. The advertiser and the politician are very sophisticated in diverting your attention as a manipulative tool for personal gain, power or both. They’ll use any resource, including money and influence, to distract you in a way that they want.

In advertising, there are certain rules that regulate the industry. Specifically, the Federal Trade Commission legalizes the advertising trade. The word regulates should be carefully interpreted when you consider that it took decades for them to determine if the advertising of cigarettes, and other nicotine products, was truthful or harmful. Be reminded the FTC is a governmental agency.

In other words, the FTC, and every other governmental group all report to the highest positions in government. Simply, it is our politicians that speak in behalf of the people. In the United States, our entire political system is based upon a commonly agreed set of beliefs that we proudly honor as the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. The very core of such ideals, which include; free speech and that every man shall be treated as an equal, are corner stones to our values.

Freedom to Distract

Interestingly, free speech doesn’t necessarily mean speaking truthfully. This indeed allows for every thought and opinion to be expressed. I think it was probably the genius of our founding Fathers that this would create an open society whereby we, the people and society at large, could prosper through truth instead of its repression. The repression of these freedoms is what initiated our country’s initial desire to revolt.

Imagine, anyone bullying or intimidating us, within or outside, our boarders specific to any of our founding values. Historically, as a nation, we have gone to war, not just for ourselves, but also in defense of other people or even other countries that we believed were being bullied through tyranny. Don’t be distracted by the person, or people, who seek to control, or misalign through common bullying tactics. Truthfully, you are either free or your not.

If you are, act like it, and express accordingly. There is only abundance in cooperation. This must include tolerance to differing perspectives and desires. Yet, remove yourself from being distracted or hypnotized into wondering what’s next. Instead, focus on what ways you can serve your fellow man.

There are biological reasons that you find yourself endlessly watching; your phone, Facebook, Twitter, the news, etc., it can be distracting. Instead of being shocked about any state of affair, get involved in proactively expressing the changes that you want – instead of passively participating or responding to the many current distractions.  Since, politics is largely unregulated, except by the news media in our idea of free speech, perhaps it’s time for you to determine what’s true without the distractions. Perhaps, personal empowerment is the government of the future.