ACCOUNTABILITY / EMOTIONAL VOCABULARY

This is a difficult one to discuss. There are many dimensions to this topic so I will limit my attention to the underlying theme and its application to our everyday culture. A child doesn't feel accountable to anyone, and in fact, is really not accountable to anyone until socialization begins. Generally this is after the toddler phase as the cognitive process broadens to include a greater world than mothers' breast or bottle, and dads' smell. Slowly the individual learns how to socially negotiate the bumps and scrapes of interaction with similar beasts. Finally life unfolds and we begin to "civilize" and become responsive to others' needs as well as our own finding a middle ground that works for all parties concerned. This is the beginning of accountability for the social human. Again this process appears in early adolescence after puberty begins. It is as though the child is again no longer accountable to anyone but themselves. They seem to be learning social skills all over again, and questioning all previous ideas. Most of this is not conscious, and thus the danger. This is the time when we develop what I call our "Emotional Vocabulary". If trauma occurs the individual can become "frozen" emotionally at any given stage in this process. Here I am not speaking only about extreme trauma. Even subtle unconscious attacks to the central nervous system can create a profound impact to the ability to communicate emotions. This is where the subject of this entry "ACCOUNTABILITY" became apparent to me. We live in our moment of crisis(es) most of our lives. That is, the various points in our emergence from adolescence where we became stuck. This can be caused by strong influences like anger,fear,sex,physical abuse,attack, substances of all kinds in a toxic amount, diet, etc. In order to move on we need to develop an "Emotional Vocabulary" and an ability to be accountable to others in society both intimately and collectively. Fortunately or unfortunately we always are accountable to others, seen and unseen, in this journey of life. Be strong and courageous and begin to write and practice your Emotional Vocabulary so that you can fearlessly be accountable to all in your path. Great things will begin to happen.