I can not begin to do Donald Miller's book justice. "Searching For God Know's What" is a deep exploration of a personal relationship with God. In this book, Miller outlines his theory about humanity, which he entitles The Lifeboat Theory. It goes something like this. Picture a lifeboat after a shipwreck. Everyone is crammed inside a tiny boat and dependent on one another in order to survive. But rather than everyone getting along equally with each other - after all, we've all got just as much right to survive as the next guy, right - heirarchies of importance begin to develop. Who's got more right to live becomes an unwritten contest and people in the lifeboat begin to side with the most important people because group concensus decides who stays and who goes. Applied to real life, we find ourselves constantly competing for everything from one another - from love to respect to money to power - all trying to be the head of the lifeboat. Our opinions are shaped more by who we know than what we know. We all want to be the cool kid. Ultimately, that's what it most reminded me of - Junior High School. And that was why I had a huge problem with the theory. While it sounded good, I knew that the world wasn't a giant overgrown recreation of Jr. High School - that our social development was far more complex and dynamic than who was cool and popular.
It reminded me of what I'd learned in Anthropology. Studies of emerging people (tribes that had little or no contact with modern people) suggest that all conflict is waged over a limited or dwindling resource. Amongst the Yanamamo Indian tribe of Venezuela (if I remember right... this was more than 10 years ago) there was little sign of conflict with anyone until another people started encroaching on their hunting grounds and food became scarce. Suddenly, the Yanamamo engaged in open warfare with other tribes and with one another for the dwindling resource of food. Throughout history and pre-history, again and again, any time warfare was found to exist, there was usually a resource that was also missing. This, of course, lends credence to the notion of War for Oil, but I'm just as inclined to think that sometimes bigger countries can just be bullies for no apparent reason.
However, yesterday I figured out that there might just be a kernel of truth behind both of these theories. I was driving home and, as usual, I got stuck behind someone who wanted to go 50 in a 65 zone on the freeway. I was patient. I waited until we got off the freeway and then I changed lanes to go around this guy so that I could proceed on my way. Well, no sooner did I change lanes than the guy sped up to like 65 in a 50 zone to try and get in front of me again. No way was I going to let this slow jerk get in front of me. So we ended up racing down the street at 65 - just to keep either one of us from getting the upper-hand.
There are rules to driving that have nothing to do with the Driver's Handbook. Never cut anyone off. Never let yourself be cut off. Always go around the slower drivers, cause if they're slow now, they'll be even slower later on. Never get behind a Volvo. Never throw a turn signal until you're just about to change lanes because if you do, someone will speed up to keep you from changing lanes. Always speed up when someone throws their turn signal because someone coming into your lane is bound to be slower than you. You're only as fast as the car in front of you. Slow kills - not speed. Be aggressive at all times - unless there's a cop around.Some of you follow these rules. Some of you follow only some of them. Some of you don't seem to have a clue that the rules exist. The rules vary from place to place and from state to state - but they all have one thing in common. Bad drivers should just get out of my darn way!
Okay, I may exaggerate a little - though I know anyone who's been in my car might argue about how little I exaggerate. The point I'm trying to make is that Miller was right. My lane, my way, my, my, my... get out of MY LIFEBOAT! I have turned the highways into my own little example of Lifeboat Theory. But, at the same time, Anthropology is also right. I never act this way when there are few people on the highway. The rules are suspended when there aren't enough people to play the game. Competition disappears when there are no competitors, nothing to compete for, and we can all just relax and go about our business. What, ultimately, am I competing for on the highway - time? I want to get home in a hurry so that I can relax more? Quality of life? Superiority? Some sort of unwritten obligation? Do I think that the world owes me a smooth ride home?
Miller points out that the problem with a Lifeboat Mentality is that it does not recognize our most important relationship - our relationship with God. If we were all in a lifeboat with God, and He had this mentalitly, we'd all be swimming. But through the grace and mercy of God, and because He's not like us, none of us are going swimming today. In fact, to lighten the lifeboat's load, Jesus volunteered to get in the water and be eaten by sharks. He died for our sins. Other than Leonardo DiCaprio, I know of no other person that would willing leave the raft to rescue others (that was a Titanic reference, in case you missed it ;)
When I drive, then, I am too concerned with other drivers taking something from me that I don't own. I am too concerned with losing my precious commodity - whatever it might be. I am too concerned with not being the best driver or not being the fastest driver - that I don't seem to recall God at all. Call it the Enemy throwing cars in front of me. Call it God trying to get me to slow down. Ultimately, it comes down to my own attitudes and how they affect the way I drive. If I love God, I'll drive differently.
As soon as I can, I'm switching to a bicycle... this lifeboat's getting too crowded for my soul.
4 comments:
Given that Miller is one of us - a Westerner brought up in Westernized Christianity - the Lifeboat theory clearly applies. I find that there is clear relevance to the lifeboat theory when applied to our capitalistic society. We have a "me" first culture, brought about by an economic system that values the efforts of the individual to get ahead.
The great equalizer of course, is God. Love God, then love each other as Christ said.
It is interesting that you discuss this today, as I am having difficulty here reconciling my own ethics versus the capitalistic nature of the job I've had over the years (such is the price to pay as an accountant). For me, this is the beginning of a new journey that I may be undertaking, praying to God to help me find out what His purpose is for me longer term. (I think I know what it is in the short term - you all know I've blogged about it enough).
Good thoughts for a hump day.
nice post will (yes, even the titanic pun). concerning the "lifeboat" theme, have you ever seen hitchcock's movie called "lifeboat"? there are definite connections to the point miller is making.
secretly (and somewhat ashamedly), i have to admit i would probably enjoy the image of you cutting off some gramma on your new schwinn and then cursing her out under your breath.
here is a review i clipped from the web:
Lifeboat' must be extremely high on the list of THE most underrated Alfred Hitchcock movies! I very rarely hear anyone talk about this little gem, which is a damn shame as it is as good as many of Hitch's better known films. The plot is simple but the film makes the most of it with inventive direction, a strong script, and an interesting ensemble cast, most of whom are very good.... Anybody who likes Hitchcock who hasn't seen 'Lifeboat' is in for a treat. Don't overlook this one. It's dated in some ways sure, but still much more entertaining than 90% of today's so-called thrillers. I strongly recommend it.
I've seen a similar movie, so I'm not sure if its the same one, but it starred Tyrone Power.
The only Lifeboat movie I'm interested in seeing in Jean Jeunot's adaption of The Life of Pi - a wonderfully deep and powerful book about a boy who finds himself trapped in a lifeboat with a bengal tiger. Absolutely riveting!
Tyrone. Isn't that one of Andy's alter egos?
I loved the Life of Pi.
I remember reading about a behavioral study of how people acted in parking lots. I can't remember the details, but it was something like: people spend a fairly consitent time exiting a parking space until there's someone waiting for that space. Then they take much longer to back out. It certainly is true in my experience. Your reference to competing for something we don't own reminded me of it.
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