Attention

Blog post #24 of 365

I have been thinking about attention. Humans, most humans, seek attention. There are the few who try very hard to avoid attention and those are the ones I can figure out.

We are born helpless. Our parents spend most of the first few years keeping us alive. They feed us, bathe us, and keep us warm and dry. At some point they begin teaching us to take care of ourselves. It is a natural progression. When we a little we are the center of our parent's world.

People beyond our parents pay attention to us when we are little too. For proof check out any of my photo albums online or on the shelf and you will see the majority of the photos have kids in them. Little people with big smiles and lots of people playing with them. The truth is little people are the best entertainment for big people. It doesn't get any more wholesome than that.

Add siblings and the attention seeking goes into hyper speed. Having an interloper stealing some of the spotlight you have been the center of all that time is tough on a kid. Sometimes kids find they only get attention if they do something bad or wrong. Bad attention being better than no attention.

After all of these observations I can see why kids seek attention. Can you tell I am a parent?

There are those though who never grow out of that desire to be the center of attention. They sometimes hurt others in their desire for the spotlight. It is those people who get to me. Last night I had a family member get on me for "making" her sister come to a party. So I told the sister if she didn't want to come she didn't have to come. She claimed she didn't say what her sister claimed she said. Complaining about not having a ride and having to take public transportation got her the attention she craves. Then blamed me saying I would get mad if she didn't go gets her more attention. In truth I believe she wants to go but she gets more attention complaining and I become the bad guy because I won't pick her up and "insist" she come. Ugh.

This kind of attention seeker is one I don't understand. If you want attention seek a career that gets you attention or go do good deeds or something but complaining, I just don't understand. Oh wait I'm complaining (a little) here maybe I am seeking attention too.

My career was teaching so there you have it I must be still seeking attention.

I also blog. Another attention seeking device? Probably not but if you're reading this then I guess maybe it is.