Navigating the Digital Age: A Quest for Meaning
These are unpredictable times that we live in; we seem to have made huge advancements in technology and lifestyle but we have diminished in security and safety. Today, despite interconnectedness like never before, we live in fear of war and violence. We may have cars and airplanes that get us to choicest of locations within hours and minutes but we live with scarcity of attention and time. We have prolonged our life span but we have jeopardised the earth we live in. We have answers and algorithms to everything at our fingertips but we have lost the art of survival. So, what did we really gain? What is this cycle of evolution in human life really telling us?
When you reflect on the state of the world with an open, honest mind, you know you did not do enough. With the climate and ecological emergency deepening, and natural disasters at our door steps, it is important that every human reflects and looks at how they are using their time and within it, their resources.
Change is the only constant. This is a truth that is both terrifying and freeing. Human life has only a finite amount of time and what we do with it is very important. You only understand that it is running out when you are older.
What are we striving for? What are the goals we have set out to achieve? What are the measures of success we have set up? Is it a bigger home, a larger bank balance, another car, another holiday, more clothes? What is the impact of our decisions on the environment? The speed and scale of our actions is what will directly impact the earth and life chances of the future generations, as well as that of every other creature on this planet.
As countries we now speak of environment performance index, we talk about carbon emission ratings, water quality index, global climate risk index and so forth, we bargain over fuel and water and food and forests. But we do not talk about intention. We do not talk about trust. We do not talk about doing the right thing not just for ourselves but for others. We do not talk about leaving the world better than we found it. On the barometer of leadership, we talk about focus, resilience, grit and power but we rarely speak about compassion, kindness, forethought, patience and generosity.
Maybe, just as renowned author Yuval Noah Harari has pointed out, we are chasing powers that we do not know how to handle. The next time you look at your smartphone, look hard. Next time, you buy something, think if you really need it. Next time, someone tells you what success looks like, look again. Next time you cast your vote, do it with real intention; the future depends on it.
