The Savior Syndrome

I'm not anybody. I'm just who I grew up to be. I'm no doctor, psychologist, superhero, or miracle worker. I am a playwright or at least I pose as one. I write what I see and what I see is a strange phenomenon taking over in America. I have seen it more than once and maybe you can relate to what I have seen. Since the Middle Ages, people in the Christian western world have become increasingly focused on individuality instead of being part of the masses and giving it up to God. This trend has been exponentially growing since the Renaissance, and therefore, people are more aware of their needs and wants and careless about spirituality. Humankind has become a bunch of selfish bastards. They waste, they use, they destroy everything in their paths. When will it end? I predict it will end in the self-destruction of our people, unless some serious mental attitudes change and quickly. But I did not want to rant about the self-destructive nature of humans, I wanted to talk about something simpler -known as the Savior Syndrome.

Having always loved word games my whole life, this syndrome is a pun and actually divides into two personal dilemmas as listed below:

The Savior Syndrome

(Two Definitions):

1.) The Egregious Ego Expansion of certain individuals to think they have become the new "Savior." (aka the new Jesus)

2.) People who lack a direction in life and latch onto one they think is their "Savior."

1.)
In this type of individual for whatever reason, they think they are the greatest thing since, well, pardon the cliche, sliced bread. I know one individual who was imprisoned in a psychiatric ward and happens to think that for those 7 months that he was enlightened with -what he calls- creative intelligence. He then had me read a lot of his poetry and although I thought it was good, I did not think that he had the makings of a star-writer. But who am I to judge? I'm not Christ either. He was not the next Walt Whitman who I believe perhaps was the first who suffered from this syndrome. This person who shall remain unnamed did everything short of telling me that he was Jesus Christ himself. In every sentence he uttered, he reinforced how amazing he was. I perceived this person's babbling -although coherent with a string of logic- nothing more than one recovering from a mental disease who was on the brink of psychizophrenia. He had no tact in his discussion of his creative gift. This said individual is a male in his early twenties which is a prime target for this brain disease. We need discipline in order to realize that we do not inhabit this earth alone and that although it's nice that we think we are Jesus reborn, we should probably refrain from saying so in public unless God speaks to us directly. I know I do and will.

2.)
This second dilemma begins when someone has fallen victim to societal indoctrination. They know what they must do in life, but for whatever reason, they fail to do it. They themselves are victims of the instant gratification disease: Do whatever makes you happy and forget about the responsibilities at hand. But the disease sets in when they find someone who is their savior. Person one, who is the victim of this disorder, may not know that they classify someone as their savior, but the behavior shows it. They grow infatuated with person two (the savior), the person who makes them happy. Person one envelopes person two's time and affections. Person two may or may not be in a romantic relationship with person one, but person one is so blinded that their sole goal is to be content with person two and be with them all of the time. I am aware of several people in my own life that this has happened to and I feel that I have been a victim of this disease as well. I think it leads into a deep depression and can be deadly. It's the same mindset that is connected to alcoholism and drug abuse, I think. There is a void in one's life and to fill that void one uses another person. People cannot save other people from their societal duty. I know that when I felt this way that every thought I had was connected to person two. Person two, if a true friend, must help or refer Person one to help. The best thing that Person two can do is to leave person one so one can realize that there is no such thing as an earthly savior. The strongest thing one can do is find what makes them happy on their own. Happiness should stem from the self and then spread. Do not depend on your happiness in other people or you will surely be sad the rest of your days.

So realize who you are and then with moderation share yourself with the world. Figure out what makes you happy on your own and then build yourself a foundation. Once you have that foundation of goals and hobbies, you will not need to become Jesus to prove yourself to other people, you will only need to explore the world with your own tools and interests. I know who I am now. I am certainly not Jesus. No, I am not Jesus Christ at all. At least I will never tell anyone that.