Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2019 17:46:47 GMT
(This is where I plan to repost stuff I find that is useful on the nature of culture and society etc.)
embraceyourexperience.com/2019/11/our-distracted-society-and-the-deeper-nature-of-distraction-itself.html
Extract:
On an individual scale, distractions can range from mindless entertainment, to drugs, alcohol and superficial conversation. Nowadays, the idea of individuals being endlessly distracted by completely inane and trivial, at times almost completely pointless pursuits and past-times, is a very common occurrence and is almost seen as something normal.
For a very clear and lucid experience of this one need not go farther than oneself and their own escapism, but if you wish to see this in the world outside you (and you live in a country where technology is at least relatively abundant), simply go on a ride with your local bus or subway. What you will see is people completely engrossed in their smartphones, often times with their ear-plugs in, completely distracted and dissociated from the reality outside of them. People that wish to block themselves out from reality, from the present moment – and ultimately, from themselves.
On the macro level of our society, distractions can often take the form of the mindless production and consumption of unnecessary goods, the advertising and entertainment industry at large, the media and its propaganda, as well as through blatant political distractions, including war and general conflict.
Our society is thus largely a distraction from you knowing yourself and following the path that is derived from such self-understanding. Understanding yourself, knowing yourself, accepting yourself unconditionally all go hand in hand. But what also goes hand in hand with those concepts and contemplations is your ability to be internally fulfilled, happy, at peace. It is your ability to find meaning and purpose in this life and to live a life worth living. As Socrates said – “The unexamined life is not worth living”. A life where you are endlessly distracted away from knowing yourself makes you endlessly tread the waters of superficiality, thus making you lose any form of depth. And only through depth will you find a sense of meaning, purpose, peace and fulfillment.
embraceyourexperience.com/2019/11/our-distracted-society-and-the-deeper-nature-of-distraction-itself.html
Extract:
On an individual scale, distractions can range from mindless entertainment, to drugs, alcohol and superficial conversation. Nowadays, the idea of individuals being endlessly distracted by completely inane and trivial, at times almost completely pointless pursuits and past-times, is a very common occurrence and is almost seen as something normal.
For a very clear and lucid experience of this one need not go farther than oneself and their own escapism, but if you wish to see this in the world outside you (and you live in a country where technology is at least relatively abundant), simply go on a ride with your local bus or subway. What you will see is people completely engrossed in their smartphones, often times with their ear-plugs in, completely distracted and dissociated from the reality outside of them. People that wish to block themselves out from reality, from the present moment – and ultimately, from themselves.
On the macro level of our society, distractions can often take the form of the mindless production and consumption of unnecessary goods, the advertising and entertainment industry at large, the media and its propaganda, as well as through blatant political distractions, including war and general conflict.
Our society is thus largely a distraction from you knowing yourself and following the path that is derived from such self-understanding. Understanding yourself, knowing yourself, accepting yourself unconditionally all go hand in hand. But what also goes hand in hand with those concepts and contemplations is your ability to be internally fulfilled, happy, at peace. It is your ability to find meaning and purpose in this life and to live a life worth living. As Socrates said – “The unexamined life is not worth living”. A life where you are endlessly distracted away from knowing yourself makes you endlessly tread the waters of superficiality, thus making you lose any form of depth. And only through depth will you find a sense of meaning, purpose, peace and fulfillment.