People used to look up at the stars and they were connected to the universe. They knew the cycles of the moon and they were aware of each constellation. Now we don’t look up at the stars every night or even at all anymore; all we seem to do is stare at our smartphones. There is a gap between our connectivity now and our connectivity then.
Big cities and light pollution are a contributing factor to this obliviousness. I think the reason why people in big cities such as Los Angeles are so disconnected and crazy is because they don’t look up at the stars anymore. They can’t see any. Aside from when there’s a full moon that is so obvious to warrant a, “hey, look at the moon, it’s full” kind of comment, there is little or no mention of anything going on in the sky. The stars reminded us of our obvious connectivity in a way that technology today doesn’t always do. Ancient civilizations even used to build monuments for stargazing; Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt are prime examples of structures that were built with the stars in mind.
Technology is a double edged sword and in some ways it can be described as a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it makes our lives uber-convenient in that we’re always all connected to each other and we can all reap the benefits of information overload. How do we sort out the essential from the inconsequential? On the other hand, that same connectivity can seem too close for comfort for some and what we gain in convenience we often give up in privacy. You know what I’m talking about, when you Google search something and then leave Google no matter what site you go to from there you’re bombarded by ads for whatever it is you just searched. Creepy, huh? How did the ad know I wanted to buy a new bike? Lol. Welcome to the digital age. I love the dissemination of information.
What is going on now with the 1% vs. 99% is nothing new. Those in the top tier of the income bracket have been calling the shots since, well, forever. What makes now any different? Well, for one thing it’s the obviousness of how many people are having to make sacrifices while those at the top reap all the benefits in a lopsided society. A lot going on today is analogous to what happened right before the United States was formed in 1776. The founding fathers were sick and tired of the great wealth of mother England kicking the colonies around and calling all the shots. The powers that be were taxing the shit out of the colonies and were giving very little in return. Sound familiar? History has a strange way of repeating itself. Mother England no longer controls America but we all now part of a globalized economy. The corporations are now the ones calling the shots and controlling the show. These entities are run by humans but they themselves are not human. They can lay off people in droves and turn to some obscure balance sheets to justify it.
The ever-shrinking middle class is a sleeping giant. We still have creature comforts so we’re fine for now, don’t bother us with any of that “let’s change the world for the better” bullshit, it’s out of my hands. One of these days, though, we will all wake up and smell the Starbucks Coffee. We’re all connected to each other and if we look out for one another with caring compassion, then all of our best interests are served. Perhaps it is human nature to be selfish and arrogant but we humans also have many virtuous qualities as well. Let us rise above petty materialism and greed and let us do what is right not only for ourselves but for our posterity as well. Let’s look out for each other as they did in times past and let’s get over this seemingly insurmountable hump with dignity, love, compassion and a sense of healing. This country deserves nothing less. God bless America.
VIDEO VERSION:
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQlrOe02r_Y’]
Check out this powerful article. This is pretty much everything in a nutshell. Or crab shell. Click on the crabs to check out Jessica Murray’s article on what’s going on in the world and specifically, in the United States:
