I heard somebody say that in the next 30 years we are going to go as far inwards inside of people as we had gone outward in the universe in the past 60 years. I hope so.
I hope we will get closer to the core of creativity, inspiration, and the mind, spirit, body connection and use that to make us happy instead of looking for love in all the wrong places. I hope that people will start loving their cells a little more and be proud of what those cells are doing for us every day. I hope that people will treat themselves with love and respect no matter what they have chosen to do with their life or what cards they have on their hands. No matter if they have chosen to float with the sea or to swim against it. I hope, that when we start to stand on our feet after having been knocked down (that happens all the time).
Imitation of life
Because when you think of it: there has never been a better time to be alive. We have, over the last 150 years become so smart as the human race. At the same time one could wish that the world wheren’t always so diplomatic. One could argue that it would be better, in those huge decisions that needs to be taken in our day and time that there was a world dictator that could set out the line for the survival of the species – hello climate change.
So it wouldn’t all be compromises between national leaders. It wouldn’t be giving and taking. The same with inequalities towards minorities- one could argue that we as women should have fair wages by now, and still women are met by so many glass ceilings saying ‘na-ah, you can’t go any further than this’ and sometimes I personally choose to believe that as a woman. I believe that going inwards instead of outwards will make us stand stronger, alone as well as together.
A stream of sameness
In my danish book on involvement in the times of social web from 2009 I used Clay Shirkys essay on “gin television and social surplus” to tell the world that because people are starting to use the internet more, they become more active and creative instead of sitting passively in front of a television. (the link is not for the essay which has been taken down – the link is for one of Clay’s TED talks where he elaborates on it).
It seems like, that even though you have the entrepreneurs and the creators the vast majority of people are still passive. They are still floating in the stream of sameness. They are not watching the television anymore, they are watching their different feeds on social media and netflix and seeing it as reality and they are doing it everytime they have a chance. On the train, in their breaks, before they fall asleep.
They are watching how people that they “follow”, “be-fan” or be-friend” are living. A life consisting of recipes, selfies, fashion, and advertorials – manipulation at it’s best.
A life filled with viral effects, sharability + black and white truths only commented in comment fields. A life filled with being “followed” by the right people is the ultimate success because it turns you into something you’re not. But also a life lacking nearness, handwritten notes, being present, community, phone calls and Christmas cards from friends. Lacking substance, creativity and discovery for the sake of being alive, not for Instagram. Where everything is portraited as huge air castles but when you look closer it’s not a castle at all – it’s an illusion that we’ve build up to survive in this media world where the birds with the most beautiful feathers wins the worm. Not the strongest or the most skilled.
This is the masquerade of the century!
Why do we do this? What about the things that are left out of the media feeds? What about the shadows and the fears and everything that we don’t communicate on media? What happens to personal brands when they crumble? What happens to keynote speakers when they disappear? What happens to people when they can’t relate to their own body, mind and soul? Why am I as a woman supposed to strive for becoming a part of a board as the ultimate goal for my business career? Why do I need to have a business career at all? How do we keep sane ? How can I save the world? Why isn’t anybody signing up for my mailing list? And how can I keep it all these fictionary characters inside of me, that I am supposed to be, in the eyes of the media, together? Do I need to have a butt as big as nicki minaj? And what’s up with reality TV, twerking and the anaconda song? And yes, rockers, I am as hooked as you are.
What about the essentials? Mind, body and spirit together?
What about being alive? Aren’t the things that has been left out of the newsfeeds and off social media the very reasons that we are here? If we are only consumers of technology are we alive at all?
What about doing what we please? What about fighting for what we believe in? What about taking responsibility for our actions?
What about being entrepreneurs and creators? Using our ideas to make money for ourselves, using our skills to be the best we can be in every second of every day showing up for the world and build our own empires.
I want to stand up again.
