The Great Abdication: How We Outsourced Our Power and Forgot to Ask for a Refund

The Great Abdication: How We Outsourced Our Power and Forgot to Ask for a Refund

In a world where the phrase "adulting" has become both a meme and a legitimate life skill, it's no wonder we've collectively decided to hand over the reins of our lives to anyone with a title, a badge, or a fancy hat.

The Chronicles of the External Locus of Control

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, people believed they had the power to shape their own destinies. Then came the era of the external locus of control, a psychological term that sounds like a sci-fi plot device but is actually our tendency to blame external forces for everything. Missed the bus? Clearly, it's Mercury in retrograde. Didn't get the promotion? Must be the alignment of the stars. Stubbed your toe? Obviously, the universe conspiring against you.

According to the wise sages at Verywell Mind, an external locus of control means you believe that external variables are to blame for the outcomes in your life. In other words, it's not you; it's everything else.

Authority Figures: Our Modern-Day Fairy Godmothers

With our newfound commitment to blaming everything but ourselves, we've elevated authority figures to the status of fairy godmothers. These are the people we expect to wave their magic wands and fix our problems while we binge-watch the latest season of whatever show everyone's talking about.

But here's the plot twist: these authority figures are just as human as we are (shocking, I know). They don't have all the answers, and sometimes, they're just as clueless. Yet, we continue to place them on pedestals, hoping they'll save us from ourselves.

The Inconvenient Truth About Self-Reliance

Ralph Waldo Emerson, a man with three names (so he must be important), wrote an essay titled "Self-Reliance" back in 1841. In it, he championed the idea of trusting oneself and avoiding conformity. But who has time for that when there's a new dance challenge to learn on TikTok?

Emerson's call for individualism seems almost quaint in today's world, where thinking for oneself is often overshadowed by the latest influencer's opinion. After all, why form your own thoughts when someone else can do it for you in a 30-second video?

The Rise of the Blame Game

In our quest to avoid responsibility, we've become masters of the blame game. Didn't finish that project? Blame it on your cat for looking too cute. Ate an entire pizza by yourself? Blame the pizza delivery guy for bringing it to your door. It's a never-ending cycle of deflection and denial.

But here's the kicker: while we're busy pointing fingers, nothing changes. The problems remain, and we're left wondering why our fairy godmothers haven't fixed everything yet.

Taking Back the Reins

Maybe it's time for a plot twist of our own. Instead of waiting for someone else to save us, perhaps we should dust off our metaphorical capes and become the heroes of our own stories.

Embracing an internal locus of control means acknowledging that, while we can't control everything, we do have power over our actions and reactions. It's not as glamorous as blaming the stars, but it's a lot more effective.

In Conclusion

We've spent so much time outsourcing our power that we've forgotten we had it in the first place. By reclaiming our ability to influence our own lives, we can stop waiting for fairy godmothers and start making our own magic. And who knows? Maybe one day, we'll look back and laugh at the time we thought Mercury in retrograde was responsible for our bad hair day.