The topic makes me feel uneasy, especially with so much conflict around the world. \u00a0The question I was left with was, \u201cIs there anything we can do?\u201d Or, is it all perspective regardless of the outcome? Are we victims of postmodernistic ideology or are we willingly and unconsciously following suit? I think a little of both. Let\u2019s go back to the commute. We may not be able to manipulate the time of day for the trip, or volume of traffic, but we can change our perspective and use it as an opportunity for reflection, prayer, study, and deep conscious activity. Whether we are stuck in traffic or hit some obstacles with our physical bodies (which is another vehicle), we have to learn to use it and take control with a Jesus philosophy<\/em> – discern the situation and make the most of it. We have to think bigger overall with our lives and not rush through it or consume all we can. More times than not, it\u2019s not adding something to my life that makes the greatest impact, it\u2019s usually removing something.\u00a0 Like Shonell mentioned in her blog, “We are what we ___” are focused on, and the traffic we allow into our lives affects our output and potential. If the traffic is unavoidable, we have to learn to use it, stay above it, and ultimately decide for ourselves how we would like to react to it.<\/p>\n The Rush<\/strong><\/p>\n I believe the \u2018rush\u2019 and some of the driving behavior on the roads of our lives may be telling of the individuals\u2019 driving. For the commute example, it\u2019s really \u201ccrowded hour\u201d on the road but perhaps we call it \u2018rush hour\u2019 because we are too busy or unwilling to surrender to the unavoidable traffic and construction that plagues our highways each summer and serves as a metaphor for our entire life? We get back on the \u201croad\u201d each day and hope for ideal conditions but regularly fall into our own trap, routines, and habits, and allow the stress to creep in and affect our lives knowing or unknowingly. Is this what God wants for our lives?<\/p>\n What are we in a hurry for?<\/strong><\/p>\n I fear sometimes missing \u2018life\u2019 because of business, goals, or our blended family dynamics. It has been a goal of mine to manage this better these past few years in more ways than one. It\u2019s taken me a long time to get where I am and really don\u2019t understand why so many of us are in such a rush? Who or what is it that determines this rush, or what creates this \u201cdesirable\u201d culture map of rushing and speeding through life? Why are we in a hurry or more importantly, why do we accept it? From my own experience, the rush is probably tied more to Western culture, capitalism, over-committing, and sacrifice of the Sabbath. I\u2019m definitely guilty. However, I have experienced the complete opposite more often since the pandemic and have to say, I prefer a steady pace over a rushed one.<\/p>\n I don’t believe time management is exclusive to a clock and productivity. It\u2019s our reactions, emotions, stress, sleep, and overall balance of dopamine, discipline, and obligation. I\u2019ve learned a lot regarding time management in this program and also on mission trips. For example, I\u2019ve been in Africa on a mission trip and time seems to be much less of a priority. A watch becomes fairly unnecessary and I have learned to translate \u201csoon\u201d or \u201c5 minutes\u201d as being anywhere between 30 minutes to multiple hours. With every experience, I feel like I gain much more than I give and learn a lot about what is truly important. The LGP Advances are very similar. You dive into the Spirit and remove yourself from the daily grind that has the power to influence so much of our lives. We have commutes, church, jobs, assignments, marriages, parenting, and responsibilities, and those are just a few of the super important categories. We also need to have self-care, rest, and wellness and we squeeze in a million other things like entertainment, social media, and extra-curricular events for ourselves and our families. We fall in line. Obey. And do not stop often enough to reflect on the direction this crazy ride is going.<\/p>\n Postmodernism<\/strong><\/p>\n So how does any of this relate to postmodernism? I think it is more of a real-life example of relativism, identity, consumer culture, and unfortunately, destruction that shapes our perspectives, understanding, and thinking. There is an undertone of the postmodern socialistic philosophy that impacts everything we do and somehow feels like we are hamsters on a wheel (or in a car) chasing a futile prize that feels empty in a globalist or Marxist world that we choose to define in our own rational way. \u00a0Is this feeling a hopeless clich\u00e9 or is there someone or something holding the carrot and puppeteering this matrix of control? I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist but postmodernism, described by Stephen Hicks as the \u201cPost-modern Left,\u201d seems to be prevalent and overlooked as an intentional global plan led by a smaller number of individual groups and organizations working in conjunction with their agreed agenda; ultimately leading to a large group of impoverished individuals, and our own demise. Hicks describes postmodernism as a \u201cdeeply flawed and destructive intellectual movement.\u201d[2]<\/a> He claims postmodernists reject the idea of objective truth and argues that knowledge is shaped by power structures and perspectives.\u201d[3]<\/a> It influences our education, reason, or opposition to reason, focuses on identity politics, and has a significant universal value system of indoctrination that sometimes feels unavoidable.<\/p>\n He illustrates the middle class getting squeezed out by a cyclical dominance of the rich over the poor. He describes it as a \u201cbrutal competitive capitalistic struggle of the free market.\u201d And that \u201csuccessive rounds of competition\u201d produce winners and losers. \u201cSome claw their way into the rich sector\u201d while others lose their seat at the table.[4]<\/a> \u00a0In the end, the rich will shrink in number, and increase in wealth, and the income and asset inequality become completely dominated by a small group of individuals who gain ultimate control. U.N. and W.E.F. anyone?<\/p>\n Closing<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m often uncertain when it comes to the fine details and various philosophies and versions of Socialism. Particularly Marxism, Communism, Relativism, Pluralism, Imperialism, Internationalism, Proletariat Dictatorships, and what seems like a dozen more social categories and struggles that all seem to make sense in some regard but also somehow completely miss the big picture in some obvious ways. Capitalism and economics in general are obvious major players in all forms of socialism and for me, that is a red flag. I agree and enjoy a lot of capitalism but I\u2019m also aware of its dangers, even on a small scale. The Bible speaks of money and although \u201cmoney is the root of all evil,\u201d is often misquoted from 1 Tim. 6:10,[5]<\/a> the point (misquoted or not) sends people in the right direction. What Paul is eluding to in the epistle to Timothy is that the Love<\/em> of economics leads to evil. Not just money itself. Money can do great things but our desires are what discredits it. As Caleb mentioned in his blog, Jesus states our love for God should be our number one desire, which will ripple into loving each other. If we get these two commandments right, I don\u2019t really think we have to worry about anything else.<\/p>\n _____________________<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Hicks, Stephen; Postmodernism Ronald, Stephen. Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault<\/em>. Roscoe, Illinois, Ockham\u2019s Razor Publishing, 2011.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Stephen Hicks: How Failed Marxist Predictions Led to the Postmodern Left. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pKMwJo9DHUQ<\/a><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n
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