How Disillusioned Do You Want To Be?

Posted by Bill Sanders
December 30, 2008

mirage

Reading FriendFeed tonight and a particular comment stood out and got me to thinking more about disillusionment.

If 2008 goes down in history as nothing else, it will go down as a year when many realized that they were laboring under some very large illusions. The shock of those illusions falling away is evidenced daily in our headlines: the housing market, the stock market, and even personal tragedy as a result of the Madoff scandal.

We all have our illusions. And if you’re reading this, odds are that you’ve had a few of them shattered recently. I’ve certainly had my share of disillusionment and disappointment this year and frankly I don’t expect that 2009 is going to be much different.

Further more, I really don’t want it to be. By definition, to be disillusioned means to no longer be under an illusion. And how is that not a good thing?

As Stephen Covey put it so eloquently in Seven Habits, “The map is not the territory.” So, if the map isn’t the territory, the difference between the map (how we view the world) and the territory (reality – the way things really are) must be the illusion. And I think there is still a lot of gap left to be exposed.

So, what do you think is it going to be? “Back to Reality” or “More of the Same”? Which will be more difficult in the long run? How disillusioned do you want to be?

Career, Economy

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.

  • TheDavidJohnson
    More of the same may, in fact, be putting it mildly. Off with the rose-colored glasses and back to work with a clear view of reality. May it come quickly! It's a fitting season to re-evaluate some areas that have yet to be exposed, given that we are all about to be handed a fresh new year.

    And yet I have a vivid image in my mind of a man chewing on a juicy steak asking to be inserted back into the Matrix. How many of us would rather stay in the dream world?
  • Well said David. Hadn't really thought of this in the context of The Matrix, but it certainly fits. As I continue to think about this topic I keep asking the question of why we are so reluctant to part with our illusions. Thanks - you've just put watching The Matrix again this weekend on my to-do list.
blog comments powered by Disqus