I’ll preface by saying that I’m not the type of person who gets really riled up over things. If my friends, family, and acquaintances were asked to describe me, I’m sure adjectives such as: angry, mean, and pissed wouldn’t even show up on the list. When it comes to confrontations I tend to avoid them. Part of this is due to the fact that the majority of them are petty and I don’t see the expenditure of time, energy, or potential friendships worthwhile. Another reason is that I understand my views are just my own, singular perspective mostly formed from my own experiences and that rarely are topics black and white. A person or group could have a radically different opinion on a matter and I’d realize that I can’t pass judgment on them since I haven’t walked in their shoes.
With that being said, I do have my own set of beliefs and paradigms of how the world is or should be and I’ll share a couple of them in this post. I also acknowledge that I am by no means perfect and the items I’ve listed below don’t exclude me. I’m also on a journey and continually working to get better – my hope is that more people will do the same. So here are a couple of angry things about the world that come to mind:
- The adverse effects of modern society and social conditioning
We live in a great time – arguably one of the most peaceful and prosperous periods of human history. Technology, medicine, and social change are just a few of the things that have made this day and age great. Sure, the world isn’t perfect (and it will never be depending on your definition of “perfect”) and while the 24/7 news might make you think otherwise, we should all be appreciative to be living in such a time.
However, despite the obvious benefits, our current ways of living have created severe, unintended consequences for how people think, feel, act, and perceive the world around them. Very few people are aware of how their minds have been affected by influences such as: other people, media, culture, and technology and to be honest this is to be expected. The adverse effects of society and social conditioning are so pervasive and integrated with how we’re brought up that they’re practically invisible.
Examples include:
- Misconceptions of how reality works such as what it takes to accomplish goals or dreams (i.e. focusing on the end result and not seeing and appreciating the journey it takes to get there)
- A lack of sustained focus
- False, ego-based notions on how to achieve happiness (i.e. money, material possessions, fame, recreation) which has led to more depression
- Clinging to comfort and a desire for instant gratification
I’d also like to state that I’m not angry at people here. I don’t immediately judge people to be intentionally blind nor do I believe there is a nefarious plot conducted by some New World Order. What I’m angry about is that the system we have built for ourselves, while positive in many ways, has unintended consequences and people aren’t able to see or be aware of it.
We have less wars, famines, and physical slavery, but we’ve replaced them with more depression, inattention, instant gratification, and mental slavery. I’m certainly not alone on these opinions and I’ve built some of this perspective by learning from others. What I’d like to see is more conscious awareness of this and then have us all collectively improve each other and the world with this knowledge.
- A lack of mainstream education on truth, life, and consciousness
This ties to to the previous point above and I believe is not given anywhere near the priority and importance it deserves. Technology has allowed people from all over the world to connect and share great ideas on topics such as these, but these instances are few and far between.
Ideas such as: presence, consciousness, enlightenment, purpose, and self-actualization have been relegated to private hobbies, niche interests, or labeled as BS. If people could take a step back and begin to realize the big picture of their lives, so many of today’s ailments and issues would go away. People would see how petty and insignificant a lot of their problems are. They’d have a better understanding of their false perceptions of the self, their ego, and ultimately what it takes to live a life full of meaning, contribution, and happiness.
Imagine if in schools we could teach kids to identify their values, have a better understanding of reality, meditate, and see how interconnected we are with others. As they got older I bet they’d be better equipped for life and not get as caught up in the petty shit we humans tend to fall in. I’d like to think they’d also have a better chance at true, sustainable happiness because they’d have their authentic values and priorities straight.
Conclusion
I’ve listed just a couple of things about the world that make me “angry” and I’m sure I coud go into much more detail. The two points I mentioned are heavy topics and I don’t claim to have all the answers – but these are opinions I’ve developed through much contemplation, research, and direct experience. As I continue on my journey I may modify or enhance them, but I hope concepts such as these will be brought forward and allow people to discuss and form their own perspectives on the subject. I must admit it feels good to get these ideas written down and begin to articulate them in a clearer way. Perhaps I’ll write other posts that elaborate on them further, but for now I’m glad to have just posted something!
– Matt