The World & What We Are Doing With It

by Jim Cathcart

Situation: most people don't seem to live very much.
They work, they survive, they amuse themselves, but they die without having ever fully lived. Current statistics on heart disease, obesity, hours of TV watched daily and weekly, lack of exercise, etc. are quite distressing.

Likewise there has been a decline in intellectual growth. Schools have de-emphasized excellence in academic achievement and focused too much on social "comfort", trying to assure that nobody is offended or caused to feel inadequate. In doing so they have assured that many will in fact become inadequate when it comes to being able to direct and control their own lives.

Spiritually there has been a relaxation of standards as well. Character, once the cornerstone of education, is now relegated to a catch-all category that places more emphasis on "honoring diversity" than it does on doing the right thing. Integrity has given way to conformity and non-offensiveness. We have come to view the mere mention of religion or God to be an intrusion on the sensibilities of the nonbelievers.

Our connection with nature seems to still be there but between speed tourism and X games sports there isn't much sense of presence in the setting or quiet enjoyment of nature. "Nice river, I wonder if it has any number 5 rapids. Let's kayak it!" Naturally there is a place for bungee jumping and skydiving in life, but it's place number two or three, not the first place.

Socially we seem to be comparatively better off. We do, as a society, get together a lot. Unfortunately, much of it centers around watching TV or movies more than interacting. The social protocols of greeting cards, thank you notes, hostess gifts, and the like have been relegated to the more sophisticated and older segments of society.
As we urbanize more we also desensitize too. We often fear our fellow citizens as potential criminals and rage against them for the slightest misstep, as in "road rage."
We have become a society of people who often live near each other without ever becoming "neighbors." Many of us cannot name the families that live on either side of us or across the street. More "community" or "communing" is needed among us.
Electronically we seem addicted to staying connected. We disassociate from our surroundings while talking on the cell phone or sending instant messages. And those we are talking with are often the same people we just left a few minutes before. We now consider cell phones a necessity and a vital safety tool instead of a new convenience.

Financially we seem to be split between the entrepreneurs and the employees. The latter often focus on entitlements and use the legal system as a way to "get even" for perceived injustice or sometimes even mere inconveniences. Instead of finding meaning in their work and resolving problems as a part of life, they look for big rewards to pay for minor setbacks.

Nor are we a particularly emotionally mature society. We see frequent examples of our leaders behaving as rude, spoiled children. The press shows our leaders defaming our president and other top officials. City council and school board meetings often disintegrate into verbal slugfests. Insults and accusations of depravity, dishonesty, etc. are commonplace.

The media is at the core of our dilemma. We have permitted it to become a source of indignation rather than information and inspiration. The people who drive the media seem addicted to a degenerate view of life. They assume that sexual predators are all around us, and that everyone who makes a mistake or a bad decision deserves to be fired or put in prison. They take stories that are sensational (usually about a media personality) and fill the airways with minute by minute updates as if it mattered to the rest of us. They insist on our right to know, even on things we have no desire or need to know. And they lie. Many big stories that are believed by many yet today, were disproven completely many years ago.

On the positive side: we know more and have access to more than ever in human history. We CAN live more fully and effectively, we just haven't done so very often.

Healthcare is the best ever. And more people have access to it than ever. Government programs and insurance coverage provides access to amazing scientific technology never before seen by middle income people.
Health information is the best ever too. More doctors are now treating patients instead of diseases. One doctor in Oklahoma had a "shingle" that read "Dr. Jane Doe, Women's Diseases". Wouldn't you prefer to go to one who focused on "Women's Health"? Wellness, fitness, nutrition, studies by the Heart Assn, Cancer Society, and others have informed us as never before. There are wellness centers, resorts, fitness centers, personal trainers, American Council on Exercise, walks and marathons for charity, climbing walls, pilates classes, spinning, jazzercize, stretching classes, and dance exercise. On TV Dancing With The Stars has made us aware of the fun and beauty of performance dancing, and shown how much fitness it requires.

Learning is the best in history. Learning Annex, Phoenix University, Online Education, and other forms of adult learning abound. Video Professor shows us how to easily master the use of our computers. There are step by step self directed courses on Outlook, Excel, Word, Windows, etc.

The internet has become the neighborhood for many of us. It is the new main street of our village and the Mom & Pop stores of the past are now browsed via our computer 24x7. Our society is changing dramatically.

We can start a dialogue online today and be connected with people of similar interests in India, China, Europe and Canada within 24 hours.
And the information is FREE!

We can learn how to solve a problem by going online while the problem is still occurring! Emergency needs are met instantly in many cases.
People can get good guidance financially, interpersonally, psychologically, and scientifically in no time.
The answers are there for us, all of us. The internet doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care.
Anyone can find a way to connect with anyone else in the world in a short period of time.

We have appliances and conveniences never before known to mankind. Our interstates have live updates posted on huge signs. GPS systems show us where to go and when. Satellites send us hourly weather photos and we can Mapquest our way to anything, and even see an aerial photo of someone's home or office. Our homes are intelligent now as are our cars and offices. Our laptops and hand held computers and phones give us possibilities never before seen or even suspected by most of us.

And every human record has been and continues to be broken by someone new.
Grocery stores are filled with fresh foods from all over the world. And health standards assure the safety of the foods. Exceptions are corrected rapidly. Yet still many people have diets consisting of 90% of the same foods they always ate. The abundance around them goes unnoticed by many.
Bookstores are filled with answers, solutions, stories, facts, and fun for all ages. Affordably.
TV provides a gateway to the world for all of us. We can electronically visit any place on earth. And we can often go there too. Travel companies have made global travel affordable to many. Yet there are still people who have never boarded an airplane or left the city they live in. Potential is immense for all of us.

So, why should someone learn how to live more fully? Because that is their genetic assignment.
The goal of all living things is to live more fully. To be fruitful and multiply, to thrive, to grow, to expand, and to do.
Emerson said, "Desire...is possibility, seeking expression."
Christ said, "I am come that they would have life. And have it more abundantly."

Happiness is best found, not in momentary amusements, but in meaningful achievement. It's not the sugar that gives us joy, but the protein.
When we do things that have meaning, when we love, live, serve and savor, we experience joy.
That can never come from a bottle or a pill or a stolen reward. It only comes from Really Living!