Many people associate being
subversive with bad intentions and activities. It usually means you are a
terrorist or a destructive person intent on changing the way of life. Yet being
a subversive can merely mean being different or having divergent ideas from the
rest of society. This becomes evil only when it finds expression in malicious
destruction or forcible insistence that others share that view or belief. In
itself, subversion is spirit of change, and a propensity to self-subversion is
the willingness to think beyond the boundaries of self-imposed limits.
Change can be a scary thing,
especially if it is unexpected and radical. For effective self-subversion, the
mind expands gradually, taking in small conversions of thoughts and behavior
that can be absorbed and examined, accepted or rejected as the will decides. A
self-subverted person can control change within the self in baby or giant steps
as dictated by the inclination. In cultivating self-subversion, a person must
first be willing to accept that everything and anything that has been
previously accepted as the status quo can change. This could be any aspect of a
person’s life, from physical appearance, to work preference, even to social
relationships. Self-subversion demands acceptance of what turning over a rock
may reveal. The newly discovered path should not be rejected out of hand. It
needs to be explored and examined, perhaps followed to the very end.
It is important to consider the state
of mind when one attempts self-subversion. Many mistakes and suicides happen
when self-subversion occurs under severe emotional or physical stress. Often
this leads to radical changes one is ill prepared to meet and disaster may
result. Once a path is chosen for exploration, be prepared for any and all
consequence that may result from the choice. One may decide one’s job is a dead-end
one and decide to leave. The consequence would be a loss of livelihood, perhaps
the inability to get back into a productive occupation for some time. Before
such a decision, preparations must be made in advance, such as a savings
account or a support system. One should try to prepare for each eventuality and
not jump in both feet first without learning first to swim, or at least have a
lifesaver.
Even when in the throes of change,
other shifts in thinking may occur due to a blinding flash of insight perhaps
or a hitherto unsuspected element that may reveal itself. Examine this as well
with an open mind, prepare to accept or reject as part of self-exploration.
Self-subversion may seem to be a long and arduous process, disruptive and more
trouble than it is worth. This may well be. Self-subversion is not suitable for
everyone. It needs an open mind and an untrammeled spirit. It also requires
some courage and a certain amount of humor. An egoist or a social creature may
find it difficult to divest themselves of preconceived notions of what is
acceptable and right. It may not also be easy to accept the criticisms and
ridicule of peers and society.
The self-subversive person must come
to terms with the self outside the norms and conventions of the society in
which one was brought up with, even discard the beliefs instilled by parents
and elders if the need arises. However, self-subversion does not necessarily
require all this disruption. In fact, if this is not the right path for a
person, than pursuing it is a false self-subversion, and will not lead to a
true development of the self. It will only mean the loss of control from yet
another preconceived idea, that self-discovery is the destruction of the self.
Examining the fashion model can help us understand self-subversion.
