lowering the tone.

One of my pet gripes is the corrosive effect that the media exercises over human behaviour. There are some excellent exceptions of course, but on the whole, the decline in civil values and the increase in selfish, shallow and mendacious lifestyles is at least partly attributable to the manner in which media outlets operate. I know 'media' is a vast area to canvas, and a huge target to take aim at. But such a large segment (meaning TV, radio, newsstand and internet delivered) aims at such a low denominator in terms of content that its hard not to lump everyone in.

Even my usual online paper, the Sydney Morning Herald, dumbs down for its internet audience, with pathetic 'stories' about celebrities, tabloid-style pieces concerning gruesome murders or intrusive forays into the private lives of individuals, or sex-sells lifestyle journalism, whatever that is. And this is a quality flagship newspaper in real life!

Consumer capitalism might have something do with it. Perhaps the decline of morally authoritative voices, such as the church used to have, is another reason for what now seems a fait accompli. I don't know about you, but I don't want to hear about Miss Hilton or Tom Cruise or who bonked who or the latest on the mile-high club. By all means, read about this trash in the circles that usually publish it (formerly low-brow magazines) but, do we have to have it our faces, on our national news, right there on our laps? I don't think so. What do you think?

anxiety

For over two decades now I have had periods in which I suffer from an anxiety syndrome, which is a result of the fear/flight/fight capacity inbuilt in all sentient creatures. It's debilitating and narrowing in its ability to hamper the joy of life, or even the most taken for granted or simple things.

Today I talked it over with my psychologist who gave me a few new strategies to help deal with my anxiety. In summary (and this is in addition to other CBT-based techniques I use) they involve breathing exercises in which I focus on the breathing cycle, whilst watching my thoughts flit by like passers-by. The idea is to not attach to those thoughts, to not fuse with them. We are not our thoughts. We are something more fundamental. The second was an emotional exercise, involving fosussing on the emotions and physical sensations, looking at them as if a disinterested observer. If thoughts intrude, they are bid farewell with a 'thanks mind'. Once again, it is about understanding that our sensations and emotions are not us. We are something more fundamental.

try hard

I'm in a band that rehearses occassionally and performs rarely. I guess you would say that we are somewhere in the pop/folk/rock area with touches of indie sound now and then. But this is besides the point.

We all contribute original songs but there is one I would like to borrow a line or two from for today's sermon. Try Hard is by our violinist, Elizabeth, and in it, she writes,

"...the world is too loose/there's too much choice.."

There is, simply, too much choice in the (Western) world. And the important things that bind societies, families and individuals together are under huge assault from a misinterpretation of human rights and the nature of liberty as well as the cult of the individual. You can throw the ceaselessly corrosive effect of consumer capitalism into that mix if you like, for it also has a fundamental role to play.

'I have rights. Don't you dare obstruct my rights. They are inviolable. I can say what I want. That's freedom of speech, don't you know? My freedoms extend beyond that of thinking and saying, but also doing. I can be obnoxious, disrespectful, inconsiderate, just plain rude, that's part of the deal, isn't it? Why, you can stock up on the Bible, The Communist Manifesto, The Satanic Verses and I wont complain. But don't obstruct the my freedom of speech, my license to be as profane, as wittless, as I like.

Of course I can buy what I like. Who are you to preach? So what if I want 20 choices of washing powder - that's my right, as a consumer, isnt it? Why shouldn't I have the latest gadget? Why this mobile phone can download a full streaming porn movie, and its my right to do so. It's all a matter of taste.'

And on it goes. A reduction of thinking power with every serve of choice. A reduction in social cohesion with every so-called freedom demanded.

Recently a well-known playwight commented on the social mores of the sixties, how they thought that free love and a rejection of antiquated moral structures would liberate a whole generation. He reflected that the group that he belonged to were ultimately completely and disasterously wrong.

More later on this. I could fill a book.

counselling practical

Yesterday I caught a train into Parramatta to attend my first counselling practical assessment. I was a little apprehensive about it, not knowing how the process would pan out and whether or not all the skills theory I had studied would resolve itself into competent practice.

I needn't have worried so much, as it turned out. The facilitator was lovely - motherly, reassuring and very experienced. So all of us were marked 'competent', which alas, is a good as it gets as far as marks go.

One area I do need to work on is getting a 'paraphrase' in early on with a client. Essentially, this means reflecting back a salient area of content to confirm and clarify what has been said so far. For example, if John says that he has lost his job, crashed his car and misplaced his wallet all in the last week, a counsellor might paraphrase. "You've had a terrible time lately' or 'It's been a really rough week for you." or something similar. I know I can do it but when you are juggling a list of skills-you-must-show in your head, its easy to forget one or insert it too late.

I'm glad I started this course, though I'm not sure where it will lead. But that's okay too.