An Epidemic of Sanity While there are certainly a lot of mentally disturbed people in theworld - maybe more than ever before - there is a disturbing tendencytoward unnecessary sanity in our culture. How often do we hear someoneexpress dislike for a public figure because they're "an asshole"? Howoften do people express the opinion that the only reason person X isdoing <some grand project> is because they're egomaniacs? How manypeople talk to a therapist rather than their friends either becausetheir "friends" told them "I'm not your therapist" or because theydidn't want to seem needy?To be human is to be needy. Repeat that. If you're not needy, ifyou're completely self-sufficient, don't need others, don't need humancontact, communication, affirmation, etc - then you are a sociopath. Doyou do vanity searches on the internet for your name? Congratulations,you're human. Do you dream of starting a grand project or business tomake money and be famous, or at least well-known by some? Also human.Do you want more children so you'll have a bigger family so you besurrounded by people you love and who love you? You get the idea.Somewhere along the line, needing others has become a disease to bestamped out. When no one needs anyone else, they'll be no more war andmurder, no stealing, no unhappiness. No more selfish people strivingfor more than their fair share. It sounds nice, doesn't it? Exceptthat's not how humans are. As we strive for the perfect centeredexistence, what we really create is loneliness and distance. It's fashionable to attack people who do things out of an obvious needto be noticed - at least in the online community. To which I sayphooey. For those who don't need, more than likely, their neediness isonly replaced by enough rage to keep the need in check. Embrace your inner need.

While there are certainly a lot of mentally disturbed people in the
world - maybe more than ever before - there is a disturbing tendency
toward unnecessary sanity in our culture. How often do we hear someone
express dislike for a public figure because they're "an asshole"? How
often do people express the opinion that the only reason person X is
doing <some grand project> is because they're egomaniacs? How many
people talk to a therapist rather than their friends either because
their "friends" told them "I'm not your therapist" or because they
didn't want to seem needy?

To be human is to be needy. Repeat that. If you're not needy, if
you're completely self-sufficient, don't need others, don't need human
contact, communication, affirmation, etc - then you are a sociopath. Do
you do vanity searches on the internet for your name? Congratulations,
you're human. Do you dream of starting a grand project or business to
make money and be famous, or at least well-known by some? Also human.

Do you want more children so you'll have a bigger family so you be
surrounded by people you love and who love you? You get the idea.

Somewhere along the line, needing others has become a disease to be
stamped out. When no one needs anyone else, they'll be no more war and
murder, no stealing, no unhappiness. No more selfish people striving
for more than their fair share. It sounds nice, doesn't it? Except
that's not how humans are. As we strive for the perfect centered
existence, what we really create is loneliness and distance.

It's fashionable to attack people who do things out of an obvious need
to be noticed - at least in the online community. To which I say
phooey. For those who don't need, more than likely, their neediness is
only replaced by enough rage to keep the need in check.

Embrace your inner need.