Tram Spotting
In the America's, the word "Tram" is often ignored, giving way for the more popular verbal meaning train, monorail, locomotive etc. But for all intents and purposes we'll stick with Tram today with the definition of "Tramcar, trolley, streetcar, vehicle running primarily on streets. Light rail systems may also incorporate street running." The definition is needed as the meaning to which direction this story needs in order to make sense, almost as if it is riding on the same rail as the Tram. The usage of Tram also allows me to steer your attention away from the obvious movie of almost the same name, and other possibilities that ones own 'imagination' would offer. However I can only ask and offer perceptive guidelines to steer your direction within your mind... as you reading this now are a fully independent person capable of their own exacting choices, no matter what others may feed or tell you, you can still make your own mind up any way you want. Positively or Negatively. As I know you can perceive this writing any which way you choose, dependant upon mood, environment. That is why I offer subtle hints and lil nuances to keep your perception of thought in-line with mine.
A Tram is single purpose, mono-directional and without it's own purpose. Others ride within the Tram, while others operate it, along with the many that maintain the Tram as so it always stays on the course it's always known. Nice and safe, no surprises as the Tram is not set up to expect the unexpected. . Just like the way the majority of humanity prefers to live life. Now pay attention, as with that last line I of course exposed a sub-plot to this writing. How an analogy from a Train coverts to humanity is simply that, an analogy I find within my experience of life to match despite obvious differences.
Let's take a random example from my life without naming names. Ambiguity allows those to remain confidence when and where they need to, and I feel to tell the story the way I need to I can label "them" as "they" and then generalize "they" into the larger pool of the "majority". This way nobody gets hurt or learns a lesson, or has to read how some character perceives them or anything as destructive as that. However i'm sure if you put forth the effort most of my writings could be applied to almost everyone at a given time. Including myself. So this example will be a challenge, how it applies to a Tram and further more how am I going to link that and the act of what they do to a linear device that moves along a set path as people push basic buttons to operate it..
Before I start there are of course some ground rules and some generic explanations I need to write down to help me with this direction. Let's start with people. People, ie. Humanity and further more exacting is Americans, tend to allow their mind to wallow where ever it wants. Unfortunately the human mind prefers to propagate negatively, basically to protect itself as we're still survival machines. Thinking negatively allows us to protect ourselves by allowing forethought to a multitude of possible scenarios. From protecting yourself, to protecting someone to lashing out all while telling yourself it's for a greater purpose. While the positive has just one outcome. The "everything will be alright", which people still reject and return to thinking about potential failure. Now what is happening on this Tram of thought is a systemic almost steamroller pattern that becomes apparent in the minds of those whom choose to listen to that and only that. It is a battle in your head to stop those negative thoughts which flow rather easy (since one has decades of that negative Tram Pattern). To break out and stop those thoughts in mid-flow and then redirect them into a positive light is an effort I see only rarely, and to verbally mention the phenomenon is even rarer. Hence Tram. Unwavering in it's Unidirectional goal. Without conscious desire to want to turn around those thoughts which may have offered you protection and the fallacy of growth to get you to adult hood, only hinders the next progression of your conscious mindset for the future. Without the ability to turn a quick perception in which 'they' don't know the entire situation into a positive light, one will of course only see negative. Through that path only leads to jealousy at having to assume the story to which you perceive. And of course assumption leaves out some much needed details. Jealousy leads to anger since one is unable to counter-balance the overly one sided thought with a positive counter-balance. Angry since you are now forcing yourself to believe your only perception that you are allowing yourself, which also now happens to be negative. After that is pure demonic chaos. Once angry due to your own perception (basically a truth you've discovered on your own, without offering yourself the entire picture) that anger can turn old feelings and thoughts against each other. Those old perceptions built up on trust and open eyed perception you once believed to be as true as your now made up perception along your Tram of Thought. Are now being attacked by a shallow, hollow perception they've basically made up to fill in a story you wanted to know. And as cliche as it sounds, as we all know the reasoning to it, to state the obvious.. It's their own insecurities causing this systemic negative thoughts within their head. Most likely due to a pattern of childhood repression where perhaps this negative thought protected them against a sibling or a parent who disappointed often.
A peer talking cheerfully to a boss while you are unable to do so could create a mis-perception.
If one lacks confidence of their current relationship and sees their mate talking with an opposite sex could insite the same systemic jealous mis-perception.
Seeing A friend choosing to hang out with another friend instead of you could do the same.
Yes it's certianly easy to see the negative in those 3 examples. Your peer will get a promotion over you because of their small talk ability or they are ripping you up to the boss, your mate is obviously cheating on you because they are talking to the opposite sex, and yes you can't consider that person your friend since they opt to also hang out with one of their friends. That is not how I see life, I never look for the negative within the situation, there is enough negativity within the world. So to offer a counter point to see positive within all those examples I shall list some various possibilities... A peer is simply talking small talk to the boss, about child, sports, and god forbid an interest they both share that doesn't interest you.. Yet you wouldn't mock yourself for not being interested in a shared interest, yet you want to see negative within their conversation simply because you don't know. And if you knew the boring details of it, you'd quickly detach yourself from that conversation.. because as long as they aren't talking about you, it's ok... If your confident in your ability on the job then others speaking to each other wouldn't bother you. Infact, when you work in an office (especially during your youth) rumors will spread about you. You can try your dammest to defeat them, but it only ends up confirming it to other people. Hence you learn to simply not care about false rumors, because fighting them is futile. But where is that same faith in the ability to learn that not everyone is out to get you?
Second example the "relationship" scenario is an all too common one and one of the most apparent to showcase insecurity as the root of the negative thoughts. Funny things happen to people when they confirm they are indeed in a relationship. It allows them to fixate on the notion that their mate should only really talk to them or their same sex friends. As offering a conversation to an opposite sex is offending to the nature of the relationship. Usually the jaded feeling stems from the thought that the mate should only offer their current relation a deep and meaningful conversation while the rest of humanity should get a shallow facade of them. Or perhaps jealousy due to personal examples in the past has led to an automatic assumption that the two people talking will lead to a possible relationship for them. Hence the desire to want to stop that and protect your current relationship investment. Of course there is the opposite spectrum where an open relationship also allows the faith that the current mate will not go running off with another. The point of a relationship is trust and to believe in that character. But we all know it would only take one example of disapointment, to cause the systemic jealousy in future relationships. This is where the battle in your head takes place and you should step away from control and realize humanity will do as they please, but put hope and faith that your selection of a mate will not disappoint. However most Americans jump from one relationship to the next without offering much time in between the two to reflect and stand on your ground for what you want. Without that break in between there is no time for reflection, to convince yourself not to fall for repeating patterns, and to wait for what you truly want in life.. All while not putting %100 faith into that person until they have a chance to prove themselves. There is nothing offensive about that as this day and age it's a safe assumption to assume any new relationship you get into will also have a past... as we're not dating virgins at this time in our life anymore.
The third example of a friend could be as offensive as a ex relationship most likely because a friendship offers a longer timeline of knowing a person without adding in the complex nature of a sexual side to the human on human bonding. Through friendships because of the lack of a complex sexual side to the relationship, helps facilitate a sensation of trust and true bonding. Without the superfilious nature of sex to complicate a friendship you're allowed to be yourself and have faith that your friend will accept you even while you run through a variety of moods and interests over the years. The problem with long term friendships is they also need to evolve just like everything in your life. A friendship based off a past history will not have the lasting power to sustain. Friendships are as pliable as relationships in that sense, that you still need a stream of new experiences and conversations, perspectives and desires to bring to the friendship. This growth should be a constant and desired by both parties of a friendship, as rehashing the same stories from highschool will not allow for sustained growth. Within that there runs the risk that friends will separate due to interests over the years. A common interest which might have bonded you is now years old and no longer as interesting as a new interest in which both parties might not share. A friend then might seek out another friend that has the same interest as them. And of course that is offensive to the nature of friendship in the modern America, and causes a ripple in the pond of friendship which if left unchecked and exacerbated with insecurity will destroy it. However long term friendships in modern America are labeled as a shorter timeline (5-10 years) As opposed to which they should be (since childhood). This is in parts due to the fast paced market driven society in which we live. Friends do move on, they feel a life where they are at that moment isn't fulfilling to them, and a complete change even tho filled with the unknowns is the direction needed. Thus a move takes place separating life time friendships due to the incessant nature of humanity to slur their lack of enjoyment in the immediate, and distract them away from their own lack of interests and drive to a "new world" in which the same pattern most likely repeats, but since it's relatively new to the person, the pattern gets disguised and stays unrecognized. It's a very interesting phenomenon to watch unfold.
All this forward motion in humanities life is a lot for people to handle. Long gone are the days just 50 years ago where a farmer knew everything he needed to know at age 22 to get him through the rest of their life. In this fast paced economy we find ourselves in, a constant state of change and vast abilities to adapt are needed. From new Computer Operating systems every few years, to new software in the office, new laws to protect ourselves against ourselves, 3 year car leases, short term relationships etc... Half the worlds population now has a cell phone and thus the ability to adapt to the notion of being able to communicate to anyone at anytime.. Yet we allow our insecurities to dictate that communication for us. Humanities odd desire to collect material objects to offer themselves a perspective of their self worth is also a notable trend in this age of excess. Where the average person is now capable of vast debt and credit at the same time, we convince ourselves through subconscious patterns that it's ok to live in this constant state of chaos and doubt. Perception tells us that everyone else is doing it, so ergo it is the norm for our social demographics. A weak assumption that only helps placate the weakminded nature of insecurity, and also feeds off the "being owed" something theory in life. America feels they are owed happiness and their shallow perception tells them to keep up with the Jones is the key to happiness, when in fact that's the quickest way to a losing mindset.
But we cannot see it or choose not to. Unlike spotting a Tram from a distance, it is it's unidirectional, dependable cyclic nature, that's single purpose and unable to alter without vast amount of effort I see when I spot humanity. So easy to see and understand what it is, is why it is still a preferred choice of transportation for older people. They are of course used to the concept of a train, where as a plane with all new security measures, and concepts are far too complex for Grandma or even an aging parent to handle. Altering course to accept new insight and to convince yourself that what you see in your brief perception may not be the true story is also not allowed. Too much effort to ask, dig, look for what is behind their perception is asking too much even for them. It's the four leaf clover theory... I state a four leaf clover isn't hard to find... people never put the effort forth to actually look for them. Finding 2 this year has proven that theory true, against the 30 years of not finding any because I simply never looked.
The downfall of that mindset is pretty exacting. If we take this example of the Tram theory, a typical person within that mindset is also blocked to other perceptions that others may see. It would be arrogant of one to assume the way they perceive life and the reflection and inner monologue they offer themselves is the pinnacle of human evolution and the only option. The fact that most perceptions are lopsidedly negative should in fact validate that their perception is off.. But it doesn't. What their perception allows them to do is to take a stance on the negative, assume it's true, make a conclusion based off that choice and then program that into your mind as the holy truth to effect future outcome. Even despite past perceptions that negate your newly formed self righteous perception! What is also interesting is the amount of energy to sustain this fallacy of a perception. Soon they start to tell friends/family/others stories of that perception, and since those people again are only seeing that one sided perception they of course believe their friend which helps solidify that false perception to themselves. Also while helping a friend to believe the mindset that a negative perception is the societal norm, since they are being exposed to it constantly by peers. (as it's the majority)
All this leads to is them having to lead their life so pure, so exacting their biggest fear is to be perceived how they perceive others! See how they create a mindset in which it's impossible to defeat after a while. Fear and insecurity based off how they only see life negatively closes doors to choices in which taking that risk might have been rewarding. All for the purpose not to be perceived negatively the way you see most people that make those choices, when in fact not everyone perceives life so lopsided as they do. They feed off the negativity only to reinforce that same negativity. As if the world is continually out to get them. Meanwhile if they had a disciplined consciousness to allow a positive insight into the perception (even if that's not what they see) it trains the mind to allow far more freedom of choices then which they normally see. It allows %50 more conversation, %50 more thought and reflection and possibility. The open mindedness and the ability to question even your own perceptions allows also a postive emotional 'glow' from the face and eyes. As there is a distinct difference in facial features between a practiced and forced facial feature, then one that runs pure and unrestrained in regards to your base personality. If one is thinking nothing but negative perceptions, in order to look in the mirror and not see that, one would need to create an overbearing fake smile to convince the world that you aren't judging negatively.. While in fact the overbearing and overuse of an exaggerated smile tells one with a proper perception exactly what they are hiding.