While we were busy scanning Facebook headlines and playing
Pokémon Go catching dragonites, our country caught a rare case of the
"we're fucked" virus. Let's hope it's not fatal. And instead of
focusing so much attention on evolving voltorps to electrodes, let's de-evolve
OURSELVES into the caring, empathetic human beings we once were. Start a devolution
back to rational analysis and decision making....Based on knowledge, truth and
intellectual thought.
Yes, my dear friends, it’s a sorry state of affairs in the
“divided” states of America. Together, we have elected a dishonest, racist,
bigoted, sexist (and quite possibly rapist) sociopath to the leader of the
“free” world. And are feeling…well, confused…bewildered…embarrassed…nauseous.
Trying to pick up the pieces and figure out where it all went wrong. Trying to
make sense of it all and forge a new way forward. Well, to our surprise, the
way forward may very well be the way BACK. To the way we were. Pre social
media’s (and “traditional” media’s) hijack of our collective independent
thought. Where we think for ourselves, based on analysis of the real issues at
hand. A truly devolutionary idea, indeed.
DEvolution, (modern day revolution) is essential for us to come
to an eventual solution…To our current crisis state. Remember when news
used to be more than a sound bite, a headline devoid of logic, fact or reason?
Remember when media outlets used to be embarrassed when reporting false
information and fact-checked sources before reporting? Remember the days when
social media didn’t spoon-feed you news based on a fancy algorithm designed to
keep you “liking” every piece of information across your feed? Remember when
conversations and debates were through the mediums of actual spoken word and
physical interaction, not texting each other from across the dinner table? I
wonder if you can…
Our distinct lack of empathy and respect for differing points of
view and one another is a direct result of social media replacing real
interactions and human contact. From cyber bullying to presidential election
votes, technology has reshaped the landscape in which we interact and
understand one another. And not for the better. From being fed false
information that social media thinks we “like”, not having time to analyze (or
even read) content, to the ease of unfriending anyone who offends our sensitive
nature or thinly researched opinions, we have essentially evolved into cyber
“group think”. If everyone on our social feed agrees with us, we must be right.
RIGHT??
WRONG (in the best Trump voice I can muster). You’re wrong. We’re
wrong. And soon we’ll be fired. From the stewards of our country that we were
supposed to be. And our myopic view of the world will be shattered through
black swan events like president-elect Trump as the new leader of the free
world. And the consequences will be UGE. For you, for me, for future generations
and other nations.
Yes, my friends, it’s time we turn toward credible sources of
information and truth. To allow us to analyze the issues and reach rational
decisions. Not to be led like sheep to the slaughter by social media,
traditional media or anyone else who attempts to control the masses. It’s time
we bring compromise back into our collective vocabulary and strive to
understand the other side, HOWEVER much we may disagree with their point of
view initially. It’s time to TALK with one another. In person. Not virtually,
to understand their individual point of view, where they’re coming from. Their
personal struggles and challenges, their values and ideals, their personal pain
points. Because guess what? Saying it in person is WAY harder than online.
Putting your name behind your ideals is WAY more challenging than an anonymous
post or vote. And understanding and tolerance is ONLY possible through human
interaction and investigation into the needs, goals and pain points of the
constituents of this democracy. When one’s needs or voice does not feel heard,
one is more likely to be forced to make radical choices and decisions.
Affectiving everyone involved.
It’s time to burst our collective social bubbles of likes and
agreement and get back to reality. Devolutionize ourselves back to the members
of society able to meet in the middle on issues to come to a solution best for
the collective as a whole. STOP using social media as our PRIMARY source of
news and analysis. Verify the sources of media we are consuming and the people
who are making statements that may or may not be accurate. Police ourselves and
our behavior towards one another as stringently as we do our Facebook privacy
settings. And get back to where we once belong. Back to caring and thoughtful
political races, uniting a divided country around real issues and values (not
the reality TV show the media and our political offices have evolved into).
Because while we’re too busy playing Pokemon, scanning headlines, unfriending
people who don’t agree with us, and not paying attention to the state of
current affiars, or one another, we are unwittingly contributing to the profit
and ratings of these “independent” news agencies and social media machines,
designed for clicks, not truth, for reaction, not humanity, regardless of the
social cost and destruction that ensues.
Its time to wake up and devolve… back to before we allowed
ourselves to be subtly controlled through a stream of dis-information. When we
speak, see, feel, touch and have a sensory experience with the plight of the
common man. Whether black, white, blue, red, male, female or fluorescent pink.
Unplug from technology to free up time for real, concerted thought and action.
Because the stakes are too high… Because old school America was
a melting pot of diversity, mutual understanding and respect. Because the
global and political climate is quickly deteriorating to the point of mass
extinction. Because we need to protect our basic human rights, sense of decency,
our safety…and after January 20th, our pussies.
Because idoicracy is not a reality ANYONE wants to see in this
or subsequent lifetimes. Let’s stop outsourcing analysis and decision-making to
potentially biased sources of information, claiming not enough time in the day.
If our world implodes at the hands of Donald Tupee Trump, while we were too
busy playing Pokemon or updating our Facebook status to care, NO one will LIKE
it. Not even on Facebook.
