It is June, and the winter darkness has truly descended. The hibernation time has begun, if you follow the rhythms of nature and find you sleep longer during the dark months.
Often folks reflect on feelings of darkness and light, which like the seasons are described as cold or warm, summery or wintery. This imagery is mirrored in films, poems and art and can be comforting and disturbing.
Oscar Wilde often wrote about the nature of humankind, philosophising on the unnatural state of capitalism against the natural urges of humanity. You may find yourself experiencing a mismatch with your desires and the responsibilities of life.
“When it rains look for rainbows, when it’s dark look for stars.” – Oscar Wilde.
In 2020, a fantastic book by Rutger Bregman called “Humankind: A Hopeful History” caused many to reflect on what is a commonly accepted view of humanity within the capitalist perspective. Like Oscar Wilde, Bregman rejects the long held view of civilised society as advanced and invites the reader to look at the “stars” and “rainbows” of humanity. Bregman convincingly argues that human nature prefers the rhythms of the natural world to the industrialised one, and crave collectiveness and community over the individualistic and selfish restraints of modern humanity. This, Bregman says, is what “evolutionary psychologists call mismatch” (p200-201).
“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” – Oscar Wilde
As the majority, the “99%”, do not experience the wealth and freedom of modern humanity it is increasingly apparent this mismatch can manifest as mental health issues. Sometimes, seeing a different perspective can change the entire perception of control and world views. The incredible human mind, when believed in (Gollum and Pygmalion Effect, part 4 of Humankind: A hopeful history), will achieve much more than commonly accepted theories of motivation.
Reading this book I have challenged my own internalised perception of humanity and see for the first time clearly what I already understood to be true, but it was countered by the culturally accepted notions fed to us from birth. It is for this reason, I now counsel you, dear reader, to look at the stars. Reflect during the dark months on your own dark nature and what mismatches may be dwelling within and around you.