Lensography - The Human Spectrum

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People often talk of having a niche, but for a long time I wasn't sure I had one. I write about so many topics and one doesn't seem to have much in common with the next.

Then someone said something that finally made it all click. They said we as humans exist on a spectrum.

So many see the world in terms of black and white, and often black versus white. Some would dearly love to see the world reduced to nothing but black and white, us versus them, right versus wrong. Eventually they would reduce the world to one single color, the color of their choosing.

What then, when the world is reduced to only shades of gray. When everyone looks, thinks, talks, and acts exactly the same. We all share the same beliefs, the same ideas, the same thoughts and the same emotions. The world becomes flat, and dull, and gray.

They see security in sameness, but they are blind to the beauty in difference. I have always been different, though some do not put it as kindly as that. I'm a strange girl, always have been, and most likely always will be.

Because I've always felt like I was on the outside looking in, I've spent a great deal of time watching those who are "normal." Through those observations I have come to see that the world does not exist as a black and white entity, but as a spectrum.

The full spectrum of humanity fascinates me. The differences in beliefs, cultures, appearances. The power of a persons environment to shape their who being. Humans are such complex and amazing creatures. Yet with all of the obvious differences, we are still more same than different.
Human Spectrum
So I guess I already had a niche, it just took me a long time to name it.

The human spectrum.

Life in contrast 

Have you ever honestly tried to understand another person and why they choose to live the way they do? It is something I do every single day. I try to put all preconceived notions aside, and research a topic with an open mind.

As a result I often present portraits of contrast... here are a few of them...

Making positive changes in your life 

Who couldn't use some change in their life? Some of us only seek small changes in our lives, but some of us need to make a few more changes than others. We all have the power to make positive changes in our lives, sometimes we just need a direction.

Meeting in the Middle 

We are familiar with the concept of good and evil, that positive exists on one end of the line and negative exists on the other.
Human Spectrum
Now it is easy to see this example because most people believe in some form of positive and negative.

Many people see this line as an either/or concept, those that are different from themselves exist on the negative end of the spectrum, and those who are the same as being on the positive end.

The human spectrum is far wider... Each of us does not belong to one spectrum but many, and the poles aren't necessarily good or evil just opposites.

Democrat ---------- Republican
Religious ---------- Secular
Sociopath ---------- Empath
Overeater ---------- Anorexic
Pro-life ---------- Pro-choice

It can apply to just about any trait we possess. Most of us do not exist on the extreme ends of the spectrum, but we do exist somewhere on the scale. Some towards the middle, some leaning left or right.

Now some believe it is the middle we should avoid, that if we do not lean one way we should lean the other.

I disagree, I say in most cases the middle should be our goal.

Philosophy 

I am not really a philosopher, but I do love trying to figure out how things work. The human mind, sociology, humanity as a whole. Some of the theories presented here are mine, some belong to others.

I truly hope they give you some food for thought, and as always feel free to disagree... any theory should always be open to change once new information is brought in.

Advocacy 

I am a trained victims advocate, and youth group leader. I am no longer able to lead a youth group because of my health problems, but I still advocate for youth and victims in our community.

Becoming an advocate rounded out my life, bringing me full circle from victim to thriver. I truly hope that everyone can someday look at their lives and see themselves not as a victim, but as a survivor and eventually a thriver.

The Human Spectrum 

Human SpectrumSo, I write about many things. I talk of the journey from victim to thriver, the journey from doormat to lobster, I talk about raising healthy kids, and creating healthy minds. I talk about many things, but do I have a niche?

Introducing the human spectrum...

It doesn't pay a lot, I'm nothing more than a starving artist. I could give up and turn towards affiliate sales, or network marketing. There is nothing wrong with those things, but they just aren't where my passion lies.

My passion lies in examining that human spectrum, in learning as much as I can about it. I want to see people clearly, unhampered but judgment or prejudice. I don't want to think I know them, I want to know them.

I want to spend my whole life helping one person understand another. I want to connect them, I want them to see that the person they saw as so different from themselves really wasn't all that different after all.

I don't guess I'll ever make a lot of money doing it, but I'm not doing it for money. I'm doing it to help others see and understand the human spectrum. Hopefully when someone walks away from a conversation with me, or even reading my writing, hopefully they walk away with something they didn't have before.

I don't care what as long as it was something. I hope they laughed, they cried, they felt, I hope they connected. If they didn't, then I have failed but I can always try again.

Parenting 

Parenting is just one of my many passions. My children are the most important contribution I will ever make to this world, everything else pales in comparison. I take my job very seriously, and strive everyday to make this world a better place and teach my children the same.

 

Finding Wholeness 

There are those in this life who are normal, and then there are the rest of us. Whether we suffered abusive childhoods or other violent relationships. Whether we have lives with alcoholism, or sexual abuse.

We are not broken, we just learned some unhealthy patterns in our lives and carried them into adulthood. It is up to us now to change those patterns, to go on and live the happy, healthy life we all deserve.

My Story 

It isn't always easy sharing your personal story, but it is an important part of the healing process. Not just for yourself, but for others who may be going through similar things. Just taking the time to let others know they aren't alone, and offer them a glimmer of hope it worth it.

Secret to Life 

Human SpectrumIf there is a secret to life, in my opinion it is balance. It is avoiding extremes as much as possible. When our lives are balanced, we are at peace with ourselves and with others, it is only when that balance is thrown off that our life spins out of control.

It has been said that all things in moderation are good, it is only in the excess that problems begin.

A small amount of anger is actually a healthy thing, it tells us that something is wrong emotionally and needs to be addressed just as physical pain signals physical problems. It is only when we let that anger get out of control, when we allow it to harm others that anger becomes a bad thing.

A small amount of alcohol now and then is a good thing, it has even been proven medically beneficial. When alcohol moves over into excess, it becomes a problem. It destroys relationships, families, lives. It leaves scars not just on the user, but on everyone the user has a relationship with.

There will always be a certain balance to life. If you seek power you must also accept responsibility. If you seek rewards in life, you must first do the work to gain them. If you seek to be taken seriously you must also take others seriously.

The only way to truly attain that balance in life is to stay somewhere in the middle of the human spectrum, to see others as neither above, nor below yourself. All humans were created equal, but equality is only good if you use it. You must apply it to both yourself and others.

There are a lot of miserable people in this world, and the source of most misery lies in not maintaining balance in some area of their life. One of the most miserable people I know spends all of their time trying to control others. They don't ask, they don't beg, they just insist that their demands be met.

Their misery is apparent to anyone who comes across them, but it really isn't apparent to them. If they just attained some balance in life, if they just offered their respect to others instead of demanding it for themselves people would actually want to meet in the middle.

Fact Sheets 

As a result of my research I tend to collect facts and figures, some of them have a place in my lenses, others really don't have a place anywhere and earned their own lens.

Shared Experience 

Part of the human spectrum is the process of shared experience. Nothing brings out emotions in us like a shared experience that causes emotional involvement. Tragedy and triumph.

Laugh A litte 

Humor is my favorite spice of life, I love making people laugh. I've done so many serious lenses, but some of my favorites (and most popular) lenses are the ones that were designed just to tickle your funny bone.

Beware the -ism's 

Human Spectrum"Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism's in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." ~ Ferris Bueller

I long to see a day where we experience true peace in this world, as unrealistic as that may be. The only way we will ever accomplish peace either within ourselves, or with the rest of the world is to find a way to meet in the middle.

Extreme points of view become -isms and -isms divide people. Racism, sexism, elitism. When one point of view becomes so dominant in a persons mind that it excludes all others -isms happen, and when -ism happens all hopes for peace are destroyed.

We will never find peace insisting that there is only one way to do things. I may not be able to find peace in the world we live in, but I can find peace in my heart. I can bring peace to my home, to my children, to my friends. I can even bring a small bit of peace to a stranger.

I can compliment a waitress in a restaurant, I can leave her with a bit of peace in her day. It may mean nothing to her or she may remember it years later. No matter, I do it because bringing peace and balance to others brings me peace and balance.

Because of the way I view the human spectrum, I just can't see people as being above or beneath me, I see all of us as equal. That applies to my best friend and worst enemy. I see them as no less deserving of respect than anyone else on earth.

I can appreciate that we are at different places in our own human spectrum, what I see as wrong they may see as right... we may disagree on one thing or another, but it doesn't matter. We are still more same than different, be it friend or be it enemy.

Someone is not lesser than us just because we have differences, and never will be. Maybe I'm a dreamer for believing that, maybe I'm even crazy but I'm willing to take that chance.

The human spectrum is too beautiful to miss, it is what makes life worth living. That fact that you and I are different is what adds color to the world, the fact that you and I are the same is what adds balance. All across that spectrum, life is beautiful.

Celebrity Profiles 

I've never had much interest in popular media, I don't really care what Paris Hilton is up to this week, or who just went into rehab for the third time.

The people that interest me are those who have strong personalities, who instead of conforming take their own path in life. I love those who march to a beat of a different drummer!

Stories on Film 

I love a good story, be it between the covers of a book or on film. Films are a great tool for understanding the world around us, and no matter how the story is told... each presents a lesson.

Freaks and Geeks 

You call me a freak like it's a bad thing... I will never quite understand why people ask me why I can't just be normal, now where is the fun in that?

Writing 

I've been a writer my whole life, I have always been fascinated with the power of the written word. When things are quiet, and I am alone I can fall into this flow that leaves me feeling calm and peaceful. I make every attempt to use my own writing in my lenses whenever possible, I sometimes quote others but I feel that anybody can quote page after page of wikipedia, but in order to call myself a writer my words should be my own.

On a personal note 

Some lenses are more personal than others, all of my lenses have a personal story or two but I've done my fair share of personal lenses about who I am, where I live and those I love.

 

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  • Reply
    kimmanleyort kimmanleyort Oct 26, 2009 @ 8:11 am
    What a great collection! I have a lot of the same interests as you and have found your lenses to be fascinating. Love the way that you were able to define your niche as "the human spectrum" especially after looking at what you like to write about.
  • Reply
    Ramkitten Ramkitten Jun 5, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
    Hi there. I'm going to add this to my Squidoo Lenses That Don't Sell A Thing under the Philosophical Lenses category. I've been looking for another one for that group. Then I want to look through some of these lenses I've never seen before. :)
  • Reply
    spirituality spirituality Jun 5, 2009 @ 2:18 am
    Great lensography - blessed by a squidangel :)

    Many of these lenses fit one or both of these groups:
    http://www.squidoo.com/groups/consciousness
    http://www.squidoo.com/groups/spiritual-growth

    You're invited to submit those you think fit - I will probably reject a few, but that will just be me being specific about the niche. I'd rather you submitted too many, than too few. They're all great.

The Sugar Patch 

I believe in the power of words, both written and spoken. Simple words have changed people, countries, and the world when used effectively. They plant seeds in the minds of others that when nurtured, can become almost anything.

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by boshemia



I am a writer of fiction and of fact, a free thinker and true Bohemian. I'm also a certified victims advocate and abuse survivor striving to help oth...

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