Melissa Reddick

I kind of want to continue my thread of thought from yesterday regarding general cultural differences between people. Body shapes and sizes, personalities, behaviors.

None of us are a monolith, let’s just start there. I know activists really love to lump together all Black people as needing to be saved from oppression by White people, but then when there are some Black people who disagree with this narrative the activists have to save face by saying “we’re not a monolith!” as in “we don’t all think the same!”

Yeah…that was pretty obvious to anyone who isn’t racist or lumping people together based on the color of their skin. We didn’t need to be reminded of that but apparently you did.

I do like to think of different groups of people and how we all look to one another though.

First of all, how many different groups of people can you think of? And should we group them by personality, the way they behave, the way they look, or their country of origin?

Country of origin is out, right away because every generation changes the trajectory of where that family might be from.

I can think of people like this:

• Loud, obnoxious, shallow, attention seeking. Thinks everything has to be yelled out like a seagull. Really doesn’t care if their words affect another person because they can just fall back on the old adage “you’re being too sensitive”.
• Quiet, contemplative, curious, intellectual. Would rather the spotlight not be on them but also gets jealous when someone else gets the attention or recognition they were hoping for.
• Easy-going, laid back, relaxed but also unreliable when push comes to shove. “Go with the flow” and if you ever get upset with them over not following through on their word they’ll make you regret ever trusting them because they didn’t care to begin with.
• Uptight, obnoxious, aggressive, everything has to be done their way or they lose their minds over it.
• Charismatic, magnetic, attractive but also unreachable.

Do any races come to mind when you think of those different personality types?

I shared my perspective yesterday on how I think people from Chinese and Japanese, and maybe even Korean cultures see White people. But my question really is do you think those perspectives are something they learned from the values of their cultures or are they ingrained?

I believe every difference we have with another person is a result of either a natural preference or it is something we have learned. Skin color, age, gender, things that we cannot naturally determine about ourselves or change do not automatically dictate the way we behave.

That being said, to treat every human as though we are built exactly the same would be ridiculous. So we have to be clear on the overarching categories or archetypes a person can naturally fall into, and give people an opportunity to express that which is natural to them. Then we can get a better idea of “are you a naturally more active person and therefore need more time to move throughout the day” or “are you more of an artist or reader who gets overwhelmed easily by a lot of loud noise, bright lights, and would actually be better off in a quieter setting”? And how do we bridge the gap so that each type of person gets an opportunity to develop themselves as the best of both worlds?

This has nothing to do with race.

If you want to know my preferences, I feel overwhelmed by people who yell for no reason. People who are always seeking attention in their movements, their behavior, the volume and tone of their voice.

I prefer people who care more about attuning to the needs of each person in the room than they do about being the center of attention. People who aspire to maintain a calm and soothing environment where everyone and our nervous systems can relax.

People who are not aware nor sensitive enough (whether by choice or by lack of development) to consider the impact they have on those around them, and instead focus on what kind of emotional reactions they can get out of people, I tend to find them grating.

Maybe from some peoples’ perspectives, that makes me straight up boring. They would rather be rowdy and raucous, without a care in the world for the mess they create while they’re having fun. But other people appreciate the fact that I am capable of creating a welcoming environment for those who also want peace, calm, and quiet. They pick up on my sensitivities, they help me relax, and they notice that I care about them.

My personal goal in all of this is to simply not be bothered. To rise above and relax to the point where I am at peace no matter who is around me. Easier said than done, especially when I am still fighting the inner battle of feeling responsible for everyone else’s state and behavior.

I know, personally, there are certain people who seem far more aggressive to me than others. They react for seemingly no reason, they have a short fuse, and they don’t take into consideration that their emotional reactions might be more than is warranted during a situation. Those people, from what I have observed, also think that I am too timid and meek.

Is it a race thing? Are the best and the brightest of us crying out “racism!” every time someone does something towards us that we don’t like?

No. The best and the brightest are capable of self-reflection. We prefer to take personal responsibility rather than crying victim in order to gain the upperhand. We deploy our integrity as our first and only line of defense rather than using some “safe word”. A word that isn’t actually safe because it only protects one party while actively attacking the other in such a way that the attack cannot be questioned.

Enlightened people can talk about the differences between people of different cultures, nationalities, and even skin colors without attack. That is why so few people are actually able to have those discussions with respect for one another. But it is possible. I just want you to know that it is possible. It is always an option.

It is possible to discuss how the education system is failing kids of a certain disposition because it doesn’t allow them the exercise they need in order to be healthy. It isn’t built to support their abilities. Instead, school is a place where many children are fed a constant diet of hearing how stupid, lazy, misbehaved, and bad they are.

So just remember, at the end of the day, if you rest your laurels on the idea that everybody is racist except for people of a certain race, you have other choices. You are choosing that position.

When you are ready to rise above and stand on your own two feet without crying victim to everyone who has a problem with you, return to your quest to encounter a Master of Light who can and will help you overcome this way of thinking.