reality check

lately i have realized that we, as a culture, seem to be afraid of reality. we try to escape the realities of our life and what we have handed to us and instead long to be like someone else, buy things we can't afford, or use mind altering substances to forget. we are constantly focusing on what we want--instead of what we have.

a couple different things brought this up in my mind. i heard recently by a couple different people that the small intestine actually absorbs more alcohol into your body and some people actually inject alcohol through their anus as a means to get drunk. now, that doesn't sound like any fun to me, (both the intoxication and injecting though anus) but again, it's a way to escape reality.

i'm also stunned by the average amount of debt an american has. in 2004 43% of ameican families spend more than they earn and an average american household carries $8,000 in credit card debt (that does not include student loan debt). as we all know, this is huge. we know that as a country we have spent way more than we can afford and we have only begun to pay for our mistakes. but i worry what lesson will come of this. we need to not only be more accountable and live within our means, but we also to face reality.

what is it about ourselves that we are so afraid of? why do people scrap by only to use the little paycheck they just cashed for mind altering substances? why do we want to have the newest and greatest thing? why has our identity become what we own instead of who we are at the core?

i am by no means saying that i am not guilty of escaping reality. i just realized what an epidemic it is.