Lifestyle

Marvel At The World And Understand Your Place In It: How We Have The Power To Do Virtually Anything

by Dav Giuliano

Occasionally, I stop my schedule of studying, working, driving, socializing and reflect on things that seem so "normal" throughout my day. I look at how some of the mundane details of my life could not be conceived by people who lived just a few generations ago.

Think about it; we are able to attend institutions that fill us with enormous amounts of knowledge in a highly organized and systematic fashion. If we lived 200 years ago, it was possible that you never left a 20-mile radius from your home and didn't learn in a lifetime what an individual now learns in 4-5 years.

The idea of “upward mobility,” that is, the opportunity to grow professionally, is a novel idea. This has only become accessible in the last hundred years. The United States is in the business of producing competent and obedient people and cleverly convincing them that this is what they wanted out of life.

The amount of people we can contact at a moments notice-- via a device that we may have deemed a "super computer" 40 years ago--most likely exceeds the amount of people any human ever exchanged words with a few generations ago. Oh yeah, that device fits comfortably inside your pocket.

In the not so distant past, people did not communicate with each other even remotely as often as is possible today. They never had the opportunity share the intimate details of their lives on social media, or send angry, passive aggressive texts.

Today, we live in a wildly different world. There is endless information that is constantly consumed, built upon and rethought. We are changing the very fabric of our existence before we have time to fully absorb it.

And while it’s easy to be cynical about our “hyper connected” world of meta-information, it’s actually something we should marvel at. The human species has evolved into insanely intelligent beings that innovate, create and change our reality. We have taken control.

“Thoughts spill over into the world in the form of technology..."  – Jason Silva

There are so many brilliant people collaborating with one another and creating amazing projects that better humanity. There are businesses joining forces to pool intellectual, monetary and human resources to create a whole that is infinitely more powerful than the sum total of its parts. It's freakin' inspiring.

So, what does this all mean?

We have to stop and ponder these modern luxuries once in a while. We can't be completely immersed in this stuff without thinking about what it actually means for the development of our society.

We have to remember our place in this chaotic universe before we get lost in it. While the world seems to be spinning in front of our eyes, we have to slow down, get out of our head and feel our way back into our hearts.

I have to remind myself, from time to time, to check in with my real, human side--the side without the present-day conveniences or obligations. It's a perspective adjustment, no different than aligning your tires to ensure that your vehicle steers straight.

We have to let go and remember that wherever we are in this world is exactly where we need to be, regardless of the struggle. The human experience is to struggle, learn and create better ways of living. Don’t forget your place.

So, do yourself a favor and think of your existence in this exhilarating universe. Is your life headed in the direction you want it to go in, or is it time for a change? It may appear there is so much randomness, chance, or luck of the draw, but maybe it's all perfectly in place for you to experience the life you are meant to live.

Something beneath all of the busyness exists. There is a true calmness that we can tap into; an intelligence that keeps you alive and curious. Look past the dizzying interruptions and allow yourself to be amazed with the progress of mankind.  With this understood, it's impossible to complain, worry or feel down. Being alive becomes amazing in itself.

So every now and again I ask myself: Is there air in my lungs? Are the synapses in my brain firing? Is there blood pumping through my heart?

If the answer is yes, I am happy and life is wonderful.

Top Photo Courtesy: I Am Blessed Tumblr