Noel Manuel
We are all addicted to something or the other. To possess an addiction is a biological way of responding to life and all that is legitimate and illegitimate around us. It is good to be addicted to something or the other – provided that something or the other is legal and not illegal.
When we are addicted to something or the other, our energy levels experience a new high. This is because our sensory organs are controlled by the feelings of pleasure and satisfaction in every situation of our addiction. Our senses of see, hear, touch, smell and taste generally respond better towards anything that produces pleasure and satisfaction than anything else that would not.
There are two types of addiction that we are exposed to during our lifetime - the legitimate and the illegitimate addiction.
The legitimate addiction does not offer pleasure or satisfaction instantly. It is a slow and steady process enveloped in pain and patience. It does not guarantee pleasure or satisfaction at any time in the future or any time at all. The addiction process is agonizing and daunting. Therefore, the legitimate addiction is not something that everyone would love to succumb his or her sensory organs to.
On the other hand, the illegitimate addiction offers pleasure and satisfaction almost instantly. It is a quick and instant process coupled with bliss and contentment. Incidentally, it is this temporary enjoyment and fulfillment that prompts us to allow our sensory organs to be controlled by pleasure and satisfaction.
So much is our desire towards the pleasures and enjoyments of this earth that we hardly stop to think about how the present and future is actually beginning to take shape. We hardly realize the damage that we are causing to ourselves and everything that exists on this environment.
There is a divide between a person whose addiction is legitimized and a person whose addiction is not legitimized.
A legitimized addict is more revered in a society than an addict, not legitimized. A legitimized addict builds hope for the generations to come, while an addict not legitimized has no hope for himself. A legitimized addict destroys his body toiling in pain and patience for the future. An addict, not legitimized destroys his body toiling in pleasure and joy for the moment.
An addiction is considered legitimized, when it is related to activities that build a hope, a future and a persona that could be revered forever. Unlike an addiction not legitimized and can build no hope, no future and no persona. An addiction not legitimized destroys the moral fabric of society and the person himself.
The term addiction, from what I have been able to gather, is generally associated with all the negative things that we do. Drugs, alcohol, chemical substances are all that we seem to relate addiction to.
Ironically, we seldom hear the term addiction being related to activities such as studies, work, responsibility or for that matter anything that is good for us. It is rare that we encounter such associations being made. But, indeed I was fortunate to have encountered one such admission.
Ralph had been addicted to alcohol for a couple of years and found it extremely difficult to kick the habit. He was an exceptionally good person and his performance at his work place was unquestionable. He was addicted to alcohol, which meant that his addiction was not legitimized.
He was aware of how his feelings of pleasure and satisfaction had got the better of his senses every time he sat down to drink. He was helpless until he discovered a new form of addiction – his WORK. He knew that every addiction emerged from a habit. A habit is something that gradually takes growth from actions we commit without really thinking. And a habit is formed from small acts that we give little importance to while doing.
Ralph knew how important it was for him to start with small acts to eventually give up the addiction of drinking. So he started taking pleasure and satisfaction from every act of his work. Gradually these acts developed into a habit. A habit of pain and patience to build hope, future and restructure the body. Finally, his WORK had become his addiction – a legitimized one.
After a couple of years Ralph had this to say, “Before, I would derive satisfaction and pleasure by succumbing my senses to the addiction of alcohol. Now, I derive satisfaction and pleasure by succumbing my senses to the addiction of WORK.”
Everyone is an addict. The difference is to ascertain which side of the divide you are on. The legitimate side or the illegitimate side.
In a world that is flooded with so much of entertainment and temptations, it is indeed difficult to keep ourselves glued to the legitimate side of the addiction divide. There is a constant changeover taking place each day. People crossing over from side to side. It is natural and we term this changeover as a biological way of responding to life. The experimenting period. But let your visit from the legitimate side to the illegitimate side last only for a day and don’t ever attempt to stay back overnight. For you may never have the urge or the same determination to cross over to the legitimate side the next day.
Tell me how do you really get accustomed to a new place? You normally will not grow fond of a place by staying there for a day or two. But once you stay over for a period of time, you find it difficult to adjust anywhere else.
Similarly, let me remind you not to get too comfortable on the illegitimate side of the divide. For if this happens, you would find it rather difficult to adjust, when you actually decide to move over to the legitimate side.
It is indeed sad to find that the illegitimate side of the divide is spilling over with people these days. So much so that there is literally no more place to stand on the illegitimate side of the divide. While on the legitimate side of the divide, we find people more relaxed. They may have to forgo the pleasures and joys for the moment, but they certainly have a bigger hope, brighter future and eternal peace in body, spirit and mind.
There may never be a better opportunity to cross over to the legitimate side of this divide. Make it today, while there is time, or perhaps, the bridge may cease to be there, when you decide to get across at all.
noelmanuel@rediffmail.com
The writer is the Bureau Chief (Nagaland) of Eastern Panorama (News Magazine of the Northeast), Coordinator of the Northeast Region (Poetry Society of India) and Life Member of the Poetry Society of India, Phonetics Trainer.
