When I turned on my television set and watched the horrific events unfold in Japan, my first thought was, “What is this movie” then reality set in that this was a real event unfolding live for the entire world to witness. It was strange to still see other non trivial, but deadly events unfold around the globe, such as Gadhafi killing his countrymen and I had a thought. When we really look into the human mind and the behavior we display as a collective species around the globe, the view from the outside really isn’t that awe inspiring at times.
I would like to state that I would personally like to see more charity from everyday people, possibly the events of this last week will awaken in people the kindness and the pleasantries that exist in everyone. Our society over the last forty years has become much to self centered and closed minded. We live in a me-me era and it is not getting better anytime soon.
I remember as a teenager in school being told that technology was going to make our lives better, easier and more relaxed, because we would have more time to do and experience things that were meaningful. To a certain extent the people who stated this, to all of us thirty some years ago were partially right. Technology has made our work easier however technology has also increased the speed that all we move. We are able to produce more, which gives us the ability to want and have more, but the wants and haves are all things.
These are inanimate objects that we fill our lives with and we are diluted to believe that we think these items will give us happiness. The things that mean the most are people and the experiences that each one provides the other. Learning lessons from others trials and tribulations is really what this life is all about, “personal development, growth and a commitment to help in a time of need”.
Technology has also enabled us to become much more complacent and alone within our own zone. We just don’t interact with people as much as our parents or grandparents did on a personal level. That face-to-face connection has receded and continues to fade away for the most part induced by the power of technology. We are all connected via Facebook, twitter and all of the other social networks yet we lack the ability to have a personal coherent conversation built upon self respect and respect for others because we have zoned out.
I have witnessed people having an argument at a shopping mall over the most ridiculous things. These people have no sense of proper interaction whatsoever. They become hostile and expose everyone around them to their violent language and perverse body and hand gestures. This is not what society was predicted to become! Yet unfortunately, here we are.
A recent study shows that text messaging has increased exponentially over the last two years and it has almost overtaken the spoken word. Have you taken the time to watch people interact with one another at a shopping mall, train station, restaurant or an airport? People who don’t really know one another really want to keep to themselves. Most times they couldn’t care less about you, your issues or your small talk. They want to be left alone. In a sense, this is a sad state of affairs we have gotten ourselves into. Don’t get me wrong, I love my I phone and all the other technological gadgets that we own, yet they are creating the ability for all of us to be impersonal with each other.
We saw what happened in Japan and yet the uprising and the killing still exists in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe. It is great to see that countries around the world are stepping up to the plate and helping the Japanese people in one of the worst recorded disasters in history. If only we all had that same sense of charity within our own communities, places of work and our own countries.
If only people could really see how fragile life is, not just for someone else, but for us all. Maybe that would be the day that everyone would cry out in one voice that we need change, positive change and fast. Collectively, as a world we have been doing the same thing over and over again and we always expect different results, isn’t that the definition of insanity?
People need to start showing more respect to one another, use proper etiquette and exude pleasantries towards one another. I liken our society to a sports team in disrepair. You cannot win games if there is constant infighting. Teams that share together, pray together, eat together and speak about positive things together, yes these are the teams that succeed and win the day. This is what we as a society needs to be doing now to get back on the right track. Again this starts at home and needs to flow through the workplace and into our communities to make a verifiable difference.
Technology has given us some great advances such as the ability to have early warning monitors to warn people of impending disaster as well as the ability to know that something as devastating as this is happening instantaneously somewhere on the earth. Just think, five-hundred years ago nobody would be at the aid of Japan if this disaster would have occurred, they would be on their own. Nobody would know and therefore nobody would care!
We could all benefit as a private citizen, a community, a workplace, a state or a country if people could be charitable, giving, kind, receptive and pleasant to everyone they come into contact with, do unto others what you would want done unto you. Use technology for all of its benefits but don’t be caught up in the stigma that is starting to permeate our society of being along, ultimately that could spell disaster for each and every one of us!
David
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