One of my friends posted this question on Facebook: “What’s wrong with people?”

I’m sure there are countless answers but if I had to sum it up in a word it would be, “Conditioning.”

You learned whatever is “right” or “wrong” with you somewhere and, by and large, it was learned at the knee of the people who helped shape you.

I initially laughed but was then saddened by the video clip that follows. (WARNING: NSFW)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vNoR4Yb4Gc

It involves two women who get into a fist fight in an Indiana Walmart over who knows what. The one woman has her 5 year old son with her. What she encourages him to do to the other woman was long-conditioned into him before this incident. That’s the sad part.

I have little doubt this child will carry these attitudes forward. And if we fast forward into the future, I suspect someone else will be asking “What’s wrong with people?” in an incident regarding him.

Many people defend their conditioning, not recognizing it’s not working for them.

It’s only when you begin to recognize what’s not working, that change has a chance of happening.

I have no doubt this woman is telling anyone who will listen that she’s a “good” mother. That’s a defense that will keep her conditioning in place and have her continue to pass it on to the impressionable minds she influences.

This isn’t about the women in Walmart; it’s about us. How much of our conditioning are we defending that isn’t working causing people to ask what’s wrong with us?

When we begin to recognize and address that, then we won’t be getting in fights in the conditioner aisle of our local Walmart.

All the best,

John