A Chatty Dishwasher

My family has a dishwasher. That would be me. At least on the weekends, I'm responsible for washing and putting the dishes away. Now dishwashing is not the most exciting task in the world. This is especially true when you're doing it after midnight, which my hectic schedule sometimes forces me to do. So I make a habit of talking to people while I wash. I'll talk to a family member, call up a friend, or just spend some quiet time alone with God. This ritual gives me a good opportunity to slow down a little and build relationships with those I care about the most.

For me, that's the power of rituals. They are special things people do to maintain something they don't want to lose. Positive rituals remind us to make time for things that are easy to forget about, but terrible to lose. Such things as prayer, daily Bible study, and calling your parents are all positive rituals. Even engaging and reflecting on other people's opinions as you are doing now can be a positive step toward a habit of learning. But now I'm philosophizing, and I need to do the dishes. At least the fun of talking to people almost makes up for having to do them in the first place. . . . Almost.

Positive Rituals

I'm a creature of habit, but not of rituals. Like someone mentioned in class, I think rituals imply some level of intentionality. In that sense, I am either spontaneous or inconsistent, depending on how you look at it. However, I strongly believe rituals can be used positively: to overcome the mass bombardment of manipulation cues in the world.

The First Ritual: Increase Awareness. Taking this class and writing this blog was a start. By increasing awareness of the factors that can influence your consuming habits, you can develop a ritual through which you actively think about how these different factors are going to affect your choice. Then you sort through that insane mix of stimulated emotions and legitimate rationality to decide what you really want to buy, which can often times be a considerable task.

The Second Ritual: Obtain Clarity. One would think that the more you know, the clearer things become. However, through experience I have realized the opposite is the case. I think having a primary, fundamental focus in life is the best way to obtain any real level of clarity. Physiologically, clarity and focus would make me less susceptible to certain manipulation cues because it would reduce cue associations that could stimulate my brain. The ritual I am trying to develop to help with this is meditating on God's will for me while reducing my focus on worldly status.