desire, fear, duty

Joseph Campbell identifies three things that keep individuals from reaching their full potential: desire, fear and duty.

But these are three things that I think prevent America from reaching its full potential.

Desire: Capitalism exerts itself extensively to make us desire things we don't really want or need. It's Christmas. We're thinking of spending a lot and hoping to get a lot. We have to spend wildly to save the economy. We get crazed for bargains. We get caught up in the Christmas spectacle, not the Christmas message. We give stuff, not ourselves.

Fear: Another mass shooting, another spike in the sale of guns. Though the actual chance of being gunned down is low for each of us, we must be armed and ready, whether we are in a park, at work or in a bar. Fear keeps on the lookout everywhere. Fear makes any unknown into Satan. We cower, when we should educate ourselves about any perceived enemy. WE should demonstrate what courage really is.

Duty: Duty is complacency. It's the other's job. Duty is blind patriotism. Duty is rigidly towing the party line. Educate yourself. Think for yourself. Be an active problem solver.