“Our problem today is that we have allowed the internal to become lost in the external. We have allowed the means by which we live to outdistance the ends for which we live…”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Every person lives in two realms, the internal and the external. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. teaches that the internal realm is that realm of cultural ends expressed in art, literature, poetry, dance, rituals, morals. The external realm: That realm of the complex of devices, techniques, mechanisms and instruments by means of which we live.
Our internal realm gives us the power to control our ego, to cooperate. It is the realm from within which we develop our purpose or end in life. The “reason for your living” is defined in your internal realm. Our external realm gives us the money and the methods, the shelter and transportation that make up the means by which we live.
For most of us, our internal realm has become lost in our external realm. Discover yourself by discovering ways to have your internal realm in control of your life. Today, most people live dominated by the external realm; we live lives catering to the means for which we live. We define ourselves by what we wear, drive and buy. This way-of-life has led to a reality that Dr. King defines as a life where our technical power is controlling our analytical, creative and cultural power. Self-discovery calls for the development of our critical thinking, analysis, and creativity — living within our internal realm.
By: Roy D. Wilson, Ed.D., from Making Public Service Meaningful ©2012