Being positive is something I endorse heartily. And usually it's easy to see the bright side of things. This weekend's shootings of a US Congressmember and the senseless loss of innocent lives in Arizona got the best of me, though. I drove south of town this afternoon, radio off, just trying to figure out what's up with our civilization these days. Hopefully, this'll make some sense.
There's something about the world we live in compared to even a half century ago. World population has exploded. That's not news. Resources are being consumed at unsustainable levels all over the globe. Tempers run short in our tiny vehicles as we drive to and from work, look at someone in another car a fraction of a second too long, or make a mistake while driving. There seems to be a general decrease in civility among all people these days, whether there's a reason or not.
I notice when I'm out for a roll how people gather but rarely talk. The proliferation of electronic devices with which we can claim to communicate better has really had the opposite effect. The loss of face - to - face contact has emboldened and desensitized us - interpersonal communication is quickly becoming an emotionless, cliche ridden choice for increasing numbers of people. I've watched tables at my favorite coffee shop with 4 or 5 people sitting silently, sending text messages or blogging or using social networking at the expense of looking another human being in the eye, expressing their feelings (along with the emotion which comes with a voice), maybe holding a hand or saying "I love you" to someone who might really need to hear that. Reading a text may be OK for some, but there is no feeling, no soul involved - no real emotion expended, no real connection....and therein lies the rub.
We're losing out on our ability to connect with each other. For the suspect in the Tucson shooting, well, what if a friend had spoken with him, talked to him, not simply seen video or read a rant on a social site? Could something have been said, face to face, so 13 lives wouldn't have had to been either lost or forever changed yesterday? I don't know the answer; I wish I did. But part of who I am is that I enjoy talking to people, in person, as often as I can. The incredible anger, frustration, misguided hostility toward people that's exhibited on virtually every social media channel must be dealt with. No, I'm not talking about censorship, or government intrusion into our use of the internet. It's much simpler than that.
What if we said "hello" to people we pass on the street instead of looking away, avoiding the eyes of another? What if we chose to leave the internet for more hours each day than we are on it, instead making that choice to meet for coffee or a meal or just to come over and play "Monopoly"? What if we took the time to listen to our friends, and lend a shoulder on which to comfort or a hand to hold when we feel we're hearing a cry for our attention? I could go on, as you, hopefully, are doing right now.
A Member of Congress critically woulded, her life never to be the same. The families of those who lost their lives in a state of absolute innocence forever changed. Our nation shaken, once more, by gun violence because, perhaps, there was no one there to listen, to notice, to share a moment...
I wonder if the shooter's on line posts were met with "LOL" or derisive comments by people who didn't know him? I wonder at what point he lost touch with reality and no one was there to check him? I wonder what video games he played to encourage him that it was OK to kill a 9 year old girl? I wondered a lot this weekend. And I've come to no conclusions, solutions or ideas.
I'll humbly make this suggestion, though. Let's shut off the electronic conveniences that seem tethered to our consciousness. Let's listen to each other instead of being afraid to see the look in the eyes of another. We don't have to agree all the time, or rarely, or never. But without an enhanced version of The Human Experience, Early 21st Century - style we may lose touch en masse with those very traits that make us human. Call or meet a friend. Tell them you're thinking of them. Tell them you love them. But for the sake of everyone, don't put them on "Ignore" and leap back into Digi - World for a laugh at a video of someone falling off a roof or something. We need each other. Maybe if we have the capacity to care for one another, this proliferation of inhumane, vile attacks on each other will cease.
It's that hope to which I cling. Share it with me, and with me work toward a more loving world. Thank you!
Thanks Bob, that was interesting and insightful. I agree that we all need each other and should work toward a more loving world.
ReplyDelete-Raj