CuppingEars

What is CuppingEars?

Now this, even for myself, is very difficult to define. With so much in plan for the movement, I fear giving it any guidelines now, will later, turn into lies as the idea matures.

CuppingEars originated as my brother and I lay in two twin beds, which have been parked in my grandparent's basement long before I was born. This basement, in Shell, Wyoming, has been the birthplace of a lot of significant conversations between my brother and I for the entirety of our conscious and educated lives. In this basement, we have planted the seeds for our success on a personal and global scale.

As we kill the conversation and the lights; I flip onto my stomach to attempt to fall asleep, but my mind starts to sprint. Although my mother always taught me to stay in the present, my father always taught me to be thoughtful of the future: a perfect balance. So I let my mind run for a while longer, before I take a breath to re-ground myself where I lay. And moments before I pull oxygen out of the stale basement air, it hits me: CuppingEars.

And that is all that really hits me at the moment. Just a cool name I could maybe give to something one day. I usually receive a large amount of aimless thoughts before I pass out, as does everyone; and I always tell myself , "if it's that important, I'll remember it in the morning." And what was odd, is I didn't remember it come morning. It was on the 6 hour drive home listening to some old SOBxRBE that the idea re-entered my consciousness once again. And this is when I started constructing ideas.

It is important to note that "CuppingEars" didn't necessarily come out of thin air. It came from my want and need to listen more. For anyone who knows me personally, they know my comfortability in a room, directly correlates with the octave and quantity of my speech. In other words, I am a talker when alongside my friends and family. When I grew self-aware of my tendency to talk more than I listen, I actively began to close my mouth and open my ears as often as I could.

This new habit originated during the time my brother and I spent living in Oakland, CA. We would argue constantly; each argument ending with a feeling of loss and anger, on both sides. Neither of us would grant the other an open ear. It was succeeding these arguments I would run back through the scenario mentally; imagining what I should and could have done differently when in argument. And each time, I wished I had listened and understood more; I was so caught up in being right, I often lost track of what I was even arguing.

This is human: no individual wants to be wrong, although inevitable; impossible to avoid. The inability to listen has become an epidemic; one which is never spoken on. This inability has become the foundation of hate and inhumanity. It has grown so obese and forceful that those who adopt or create an opinion seldom change it or are open to others. So by building a way of communication, which hopefully intrigues and attracts various individuals, groups, and communities; those who were previously plugging their ears, will begin to cup them.

The idea is very young, and has a lot of years ahead of it; so hopefully in the coming lifetimes, CuppingEars will have a real impact; forcing consumers to listen, fueled by their curiosity in life.