In today’s world, paying attention means bearing witness to the constant, discordant shrill of so many agendas, those which rise all-too frequently to the level of fanaticism. Social Media bears a large portion of the blame, but it is only a tool. Those who choose to retard common sense and wait for small screens to tell them what they need to know and believe are the true offenders. It is far too easy to sit for minutes, hours, days and weeks, wrapped up in nothing more than what mind-killing drivel you can deliver to your brain from a smart phone.
Beyond the obvious, devices have exposed and enhanced what has always been a dark secret: Most prefer an easier road if it is offered, within relationships, careers, and certainly personal health. These folks aren’t motivated, exhibit very little humanity beyond their own needs, and frequently lack fundamental decency. Shutting down, watching too much television and not paying attention has cultivated into a sought-after lifestyle.
There should be concern, except that would require giving a damn.
Challenging oneself, mentally, physically, or in any other way requires taking stock and accepting hard truths. Flaws will be exposed, but gratification is available. It is in the effort, or the work. 50 thousand likes on Facebook is the new gold standard. Twitter is a chalkboard arena for grammatically challenged, short-attention-span monkeys. Do we really need the community reinforcement of someone tweeting about the “Amazingness” of the latest Lebron James dunk? How much time is wasted on the banality of the obvious, like the sheer lunacy of Kardashian worship?
We’ve lost our ability to observe, form insights, and form critical judgements. Instead, we snap a quick photo and post it on Instagram.
There is no virtue in laziness, or following, just artificial jolts which leave us wanting more without every wondering why.