091 | Transcending Good

Transcend Human

Nov 29

Written By Daryl McMullen

Date: November 29, 2021

Minute of Transparency: Too much of a good thing...

Let's start with alcohol and then talk coffee…

Today's Topic: Transcending Good

In this episode:

There's nothing wrong with "good"
Too much of a "good" thing...
There's "good," and then there's "right"

// 1. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH "GOOD"

After the Minute of Transparency - you might think I'm heading in that direction. That there is something wrong with good things and that we have to be constantly on the lookout for the slippery slope...

That all good things will eventually become bad at some point.

But that isn't it at all.

In fact "good" existed long before there was ever a "bad" thing to compare it to.

God is good. Enough said. God is synonymous with good. In fact - don't you find it interesting that you spell God and Good with the same exact letters?

At least in english... I would be interested to see how that plays out in other languages...

But the truth is this - before God created us - He was good, life was good, everything was good - there was no such thing as bad - or too much good for that matter. Because good was all good. There weren't levels of good - you have to have bad in order for there to be levels of good.

But I digress...

When we as humans decided to give in to Satan's lies - the Sin Virus entered the world - creating what we now experience as the Human Condition. And along with that came this new concept: bad, badness, evil, wrong, less than good, missing the mark, etc.

All things that we didn't need to understand because everything used to be good - all good, all the time...

God even used the word "good" over and over again when He created our little planet, and when He created us.

He couldn't help Himself - each time He added a new thing to our world He said, "Yes! This is good!"

So the last ting I want to do is give "good" a bad name.

Good existed before we did - and it will live on well after this world ends.

Dictionary.com provides over 40 definitions for the word "good" in the adjective form:

Which is just crazy!
Definitions like:
- morally excellent
- satisfactory
- kind
- honorable
- genuine
- sound
- not spoiled
- favorable
- agreeable
- attractive
- etc.

And - if you search for the word "bad" you get an equal amount of definitions - most of which are simply the opposite of the definitions for "good."

So where am I headed with this anyway?

Well, in essence - I'm trying to say that "good" isn't the problem...

God is good. God created good. We have the capacity to do good. So good isn't the problem...

We're the problem...

Thanks to the Sin Virus - we are no longer good:

Not intrinsically good
Not good from the inside out
We're actually born with good and bad in us - and unfortunately our Human Nature tends toward the bad
Which is why God initiated the Rescue Mission
Because He created us with only the good - and He wants us to return to that state of being
He came to give us a way out - so we can leave the bad behind and once again be good through and through

// 2. TOO MUCH OF A "GOOD" THING

Now that we have a better understanding of what "good" is and where it came from - let's talk about the way we view good in this fallen world.

Simply put - I believe the Sin Virus changed the meaning of "good"

We went from God's definition of good - which is all good, 100% good
To a worldly understanding of "good" - which fluctuates in value
Similar to the word "love"
God's definition of love is complete love, 100% love
In this world "love" fluctuates in value

Let's flesh that out a bit more...

In this world - we use the word "good" to describe many things.

But the value we attach to it is rarely the same:

Here are a couple examples:
- I can say, "Food is good"
- But when I say, "That was good" after eating Pumpkin Cheesecake - it's a whole different level of good
Similarly:
- When I say a friend of mine is a good person
- And then I turn around and say that Mother Theresa is a good person
- I mean two very different things

Why? Because we live in a world where there is a continuum between what is "good" and what is "bad."

And we attach values to everything in between.

And because we each have a different world view - the values we attach can be totally different from person to person.

For example: I may attach a very "bad" value to cocaine - whereas another person may believe it really isn't that bad as long as you do it in moderation.

And so this whole idea of "Too much of a good thing" becomes cloudy at best.

First of all - who's definition of "good" are we using?

And second - who determines when too much of it has occurred?

See how vague that really is?

But this is the world we live in - this is another part of the Human Condition.

So let's finish up this section by talking through two high level ideas when it comes to this concept of "Too much of a good thing."

The first we've already touched on - the idea that doing too much of a good thing can lead to Addiction:

And yet - this is cloudy as well
It's not like flipping a light switch on and off
You don't go to sleep one night being ok
Then wake up the next morning a full blown addict!
It's a gradual thing
It's gray, it's messy
And at the end of the day a counselor or doctor only gives you an addiction diagnosis when you meet a set of documented criteria

Actually - it might be good to walk through those real quick:

According to the Gateway Foundation, the DSM-5 lists the following 11 Criteria for an Addiction Diagnosis:

Using more of a substance than intended, or using it for longer than you meant to
Trying to cut down or stop using the substance, but being unable to
Experiencing intense cravings or urges to use the substance
Needing more of the substance to get the desired effect (also called tolerance)
Developing withdrawal symptoms when not using the substance
Spending more time getting and using the substance, and recovering from substance use
Neglecting responsibilities at home, work or school because of substance use
Continuing to use even when it causes relationship problems
Giving up important or desirable social and recreational activities due to substance use
Using substances in risky settings that put you in danger
Continuing to use despite the substance causing problems to your physical and/or mental health

So if you were to walk into a clinic and chat with a therapist about your use - these are the questions they would probably ask you.

And then - once you had answered them all - the therapist would see how many of them applied to you in order to get a sense of the severity of the addiction - which can be broken out into levels of severity:

At Risk (displaying at least one of the criteria)
Mild (if you meet 2-3 of the criteria)
Moderate (if you meet 4-5 of the criteria)
Severe (if you meed 6 or more of the criteria)

Now I know - this gets a little technical - so some of you are already checking out. But look at it this way - at least there is a scale - a way to try and explain how a potential addiction may be impacting you.

A way to determine if you've really started doing "too much of that good thing..."

Interestingly enough - I've never viewed my issues with alcohol through this lens.

Back then I was more familiar with the DSM-4 and the criteria for what they called "chemical dependence."

So this is the first time I've seen these criteria presented in this format. And after doing an honest assessment - I’m realizing I would have been placed in the "severe" category. Because I was able to check off at least 9 of the 11 criteria.

Now again, these criteria are meant for substance use of all kinds - but the DSM-5 is also suggesting that people are becoming addicted to non-substance related things.

They refer to these addictions as Activity Addictions, or Behavioral Addictions.

According to the Addiction Center website - here are a few that made the list:

Sex
Gambling
Internet
Shopping
Video games
Plastic surgery
Binge eating/food addiction
Thrill-seeking activities

And each of these can be diagnosed with a similar set of criteria:

The inability to stop or control behavior
Feeling shame or embarrassment after doing the activity
The inability to stop addictive behaviors despite knowing how they impact the body and mind
Doing more risk-taking and increasing risky activities to thrill seek
Needing more exposure to feel the highs one used to feel while doing the activity
Experiencing cravings for doing the activity
Using a certain activity in conjunction with drugs and alcohol
Using the activity and justifying it to deal with trauma or poor mental health versus getting professional help

Again, a pretty good list of ways to tell if you're doing too much of that good thing.

For example - sex is a good thing. God created it - and when we engage in it correctly it's an amazing gift.

But when you start checking off the criteria above - sex can become an addiction - something that goes from good, to unhealthy to even a bad thing in your life.

So that's addiction.

The next thing I wanted to focus on is the idea that "good" can be misconstrued...

You and I can be led to believe something is good - when in reality it really isn't good. Or the end result ends up not being good.

Now this gets a little abstract - so I'll try to explain it as simply as possible.

Let's start with Satan...

We've talked about him before - and how he uses everything in his power to create doubt, chaos and uncertainty in our lives.

And one of the things he finds effective is messing with things that are "good":

In two ways:
- First, taking a good thing and making it bad
- Second, taking a good thing and twisting it just enough so he can use it for his purposes in the end

We talked about how sex is a good thing. But look at all the ways sex has been corrupted:

Pornography
Sex trafficking
Sex addiction
Free sex - or sex without any sort of commitment

In this scenario - Satan took something God created to be good - and he turns it around - into something bad or dirty in some way.

But the second scenario is more subtle...taking something good - and leveraging it to mislead people later on:

Maybe it is actually a good thing
Maybe it stays good for a long time
But then, after being good for a while it turns - and is used for evil

Now I don't have a lot of examples of this - but one that comes to mind is "inclusivity"

Yes it's a concept - but you could also say it's a movement - a social trend these days - moving toward including everyone - no matter where they're from, who they are, what gender they identify with and what they believe
If you have kids in high school or college - these are the values many of them are championing
Now on the outside - this is a good thing - in fact I believe it's a God thing:
- God loves everyone - because He created everyone
- He wants nothing more than for all His children to love Him in return
- And the last thing He wants is for some of His children to miss out on eternal life
So we should be "inclusive" in the same way God is "inclusive"
So wait...I thought you said this winds up being a bad thing?
Well, I did - and here's one random scenario:
- What happens when this movement toward being "all inclusive" shifts a bit to include things that go against your faith?
- What if being "all inclusive" suddenly means you need to drop some of your beliefs in order to be part of that "all inclusive" crowd?
- At that point you're faced with a moral issue - one with eternal ramifications
- And if the crowd is powerful enough - you standing up for what you believe will be that much harder
- And there is Satan, standing in the shadows laughing at you - and the struggle you're now facing
- In this scenario - Satan started with a good thing - and over time manipulated it so that Absolute Truth would eventually be attacked

// 3. THERE'S "GOOD" AND THEN THERE'S "RIGHT"

This last section of the episode is the meat and potatoes.

This is my punchline - the original concept - the reason I knew this needed to be an episode on the podcast.

To summarize:

I believe there are things happening right now that are "good" - but in the end will challenge what is "right"
Let me say that again...
In other words - there are social constructs, social and political trends and even cultural changes that are good - and moving in the right direction
But when pushed to the extreme - will actually go back on the original premise
Using the example of inclusivity:
- Right now this means all aboard - everyone is in
- But in the future I believe it will go back on that mantra and exclude those who don't rigidly follow what inclusivity means to the majority

Speaking of the majority. Now is probably a good time to talk about the idea that the Majority Rules:

We see this in all aspects of life
In voting mainly - politics, elections, meetings - anywhere a vote is needed to decide something
But even in sports - this is the way games are decided
You have to have the majority of the points to win the game
And so it is in social situations these days...
- The Majority is a powerful force
- The Majority Rules in so many ways
- It determines what music is popular and gets played
- It determines what shows get another season and which get cancelled
- It determines what food items stay on a menu
- It determines what types of cars are produced
  - Did you know that car companies are stopping production of many sedan models because the majority of sales are Trucks and SUV's?
  - Or electric vehicles - but that's a whole other conversation...
And this is the world we find ourselves in
The Majority is very powerful - and they influence the rest of the population through news, television, movies, social media, and mass marketing
Something not really possible 20 years ago
But with the technology we have today - ideas travel at lightning speed to everyone in the world with the click of a button

Now - let's pull these two concepts together: Inclusivity & the Majority Rules:

We already talked about inclusivity - and the potential it has to get muddy down the road
But let's through in the Majority Rules concept and now we have the makings for something big
Because the Majority is powerful - like we said
And when the Majority is behind something - there is no stopping it on some level
Now, I don't know that the trend toward Inclusivity has reached Majority status yet...but I see it coming in the near future
With how quickly it has been adopted by the youth around the world - it's just a matter of time
Once the ruling generation begins handing off the reins to the next generation - there will be a HUGE shift toward Inclusivity (obviously - this is just my opinion - but it seems pretty likely to me...)

Now again - this is NOT a bad thing!

It's growth on some level
Maturation
Making the world a better place
It's refusing to allow questionable things to happen
Choosing not to look the other way when it comes to climate change, environmental issues, social justice, gender issues, race issues, glass ceilings and everything else...

But with all "good" things we see in the world today - can we go too far? Can we push the envelope in one or all of these areas and wind up doing too much of a "good" thing?

Take a deep breath...we're almost done.

But we need to talk about the end result of pushing Inclusivity all the way to the dangerous conclusion.

And I believe this is the trend we’re seeing. Called: the Cancel Culture.

Many of you will recognize what I'm talking about. But for those who don't - let's define it real quick to make sure we're all on the same page:

Let's use an article from the NY Post to help us out
Called: “What is Cancel Culture? Everything to Know About the Toxic Online Trend”
By: Brooke Kato
- The first thing I found interesting about the article is right in the title
- Where they refer to it as a "toxic online trend"
- Interesting that they suggest it happens online
- But they're probably right - people are so much more toxic, and polarizing on social media than are in person
- The article goes on to define it for us:
- Cancel culture — the phenomenon of promoting the “canceling” of people, brands and even shows and movies due to what some consider to be offensive or problematic remarks or ideologies.
- Apparently this is not a new phenomenon - we've been punishing people for years for stepping outside acceptable social norms
- However, social media is the gasoline that has lit this fire into something even more invasive
- The article goes on to list some of the people, and things cancelled recently:
  - Joe Rogan
  - Some of the classic Disney movies
  - Dr. Seuss
  - JK Rowling
  - Eminem
  - The Central Park Karen
  - Companies like: Uncle Ben's, Aunt Jemima, and Mrs. Butterworth
  - And even Holidays like Columbus Day
  - All cancelled by the culture

Now I'm not defending the people, companies or holidays on this list...

But it's fascinating how the Majority is able to so quickly and forcefully cancel them. Put them down and impact their existence without any evidence, or legal hearings.

The Majority simply speaks and the culture follows...

Scary when you see the power behind these cancellations. When instead of condemning and cancelling behavior - individual people or groups of people are targeted and cancelled.

To wrap this up - let's end with two realities that will surface at the end of time:

Reality #1: It will be very tempting to be part of the Majority - the group doing the cancelling:
- Why?
- It's in our DNA
- Part of Human Nature
- We want to be popular - to be part of the in crowd
- The last thing we want is to be seen as uncool - or the odd ball who thinks differently
- But as Christians we need to stay focused on what is "right" and not just what seems "good" in the moment
- The Bible is pretty clear - as things wind down on planet earth - those who choose to do what's right will be in the minority - not the majority
- Pretty sobering when you look at it this way
- But then again - Satan is the master at illusion and misdirection
Reality #2: Being cancelled isn't all bad:
- Now I know - on the surface this doesn't make sense
- I just talked about how bad the cancel culture is and the negative side effects
- And that it is a toxic online trend
- But at the same time - I don't see it going away
- And I expect that at some point I (we) will be up for cancellation if we continue to choose "right" over "good"
- The Bible is also pretty clear about this
- Prophecy in the Bible never talks about the Majority making it all the way through to the end
- Instead it talks about the minority being His focus:
  - The small group
  - Attacked
  - Persecuted
  - Cancelled
  - Because they don't go along with the crowd
  - They choose "right" over the "good" that the Majority is focused on
- So if this is true - it sounds like being cancelled by the culture - is actually the goal at the End of Time

Let’s Land the Plane:

This week - ask yourself the following questions:

Like we said, "There's nothing wrong with "good"
- What are some of the good things in your life right now?
- What are some of the good things you are adding to the world around you?
We also said, "Too much of a "good" thing" may not be the best thing
- Are there areas in your life where you're overdoing it?
- Are there addictions at play? Substance related or even Behavioral Addictions that are causing problems?
- If so, is there someone you can reach out to this week to take your first step toward health and healing?
And finally, we ended with the truth that there's a big difference between "good" and "right"
- Where are you at right now with the whole Majority Rules thing?
- Are you trying hard to be part of it?
- Or can you see how you might have to sacrifice some of your beliefs in order to remain there?

That's all for today - thank again for joining us on the journey.

Before we end I want to talk for a minute about the month of December...

I'm so geeked - because my family has agreed to be on the podcast again! Not a round table discussion as we did before - but each one taking a week to talk about something that is important to them.

So starting next week - we'll do 4 consecutive weeks using this format.

I can't wait for the conversations - and can't wait for you to be part of them.

Then we'll take a short break - and jump into Conscience Driven Therapy in January.

Have a great week, enjoy the "good" in moderation, and as always keep Transcending Human!

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