There is a new controversy in Cincinnati, which is where I live.  Perhaps the word controversy is too strong.  But there is movement afoot on the “dissatisfied people of America” front.  Who are the?  Well if you read the news you will quickly discover that they are everyone.

Let me explain…

In Cincinnati a group of people who don’t believe that a god exists have placed a billboard reading, “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.”

Don’t panic.  This isn’t a post about whether you should believe in a god or not.  That’s your choice.  What this is though, is a conversation about being dissatisfied and alone.  Two things that we, as a society, seem to really reinforce.  Every day I see an academic article, a book, a TV show or a radio program talking about how “we are the minority, and we are being oppressed.”

It seems to not matter if you really are the minority.  What seems to matter is whether people agree with your opinion.  If they do, then you aren’t being oppressed.  If they don’t, then you are being oppressed.  Seems like a flimsy definition of oppression to me.  But lets look at this billboard issue some more.

The group responsible for the billboard, the United Coalition of Reason, had this to say, “Nontheists sometimes don’t realize there’s a community out there for them because they’re inundated with religious messages at every turn … we hope this will serve as a beacon and let them know they aren’t alone.”

I’m pretty sure if you talked to a Christian he or she would tell you the world is filled with “nontheist messages at every turn.”  Isn’t this the argument often cited against Hollywood?  That Hollywood does not embrace “family values” and is “pushing an agenda”?  How do you think Muslims feel today?  They certainly are under the public microscope.  Especially following the massacre at Fort Hood.  And we haven’t even discussed Hindus, Wiccans etc…

It seems to me that everyone is desperate to claim “despised and alone” status.

Of course this isn’t limited to religion or politics.  We’ve all worked with someone who is convinced that “the man” is out to get them.  Someone who is always playing the “poor me” card.  It’s never their fault, because someone else messed up, dropped the ball, or didn’t tell them something important.

Research tells us that some people are going to be naturally negative.  Their personalities will always be pessimistic.  They will always feel more negative emotions about situations.  In short, no matter the situation, they will complain.

But our culture also plays a role.  Because news stories tend to emphasize the “dissatisfied people of America” front, that message of dissatisfaction is reinforced.  This is why it is so important to bring meaning with you.  Because when you bring meaning to work, it doesn’t matter what others say.  It doesn’t matter if  you are alone or only alone in your imagination.  Because your meaning doesn’t come from the task.  It doesn’t come from being negative or isolated.  It comes from following through on your mission.

If you want your life to change, you can not play the “woe is me” card.  You are not alone and isolated.  The reality is that there are millions of people just like you.  I once heard someone say humorously, if you are one in a million, then in China there are a 1300 of you.

photo provided by flickr