This society I live in and its unhealthy habits confuses me , it seems to be one of unrealistic expectations and standards that cannot be met and to be about self, self, self. The term “dog eat dog world” seems appropriate here. I may sound judgemental here but most people are just selfish, I know that I can be at times but at least I try not to be. The majority don't like to help others, their reason: “I have no time“. That’s it, we have no time for each other, time is such a precious commodity to us but we don’t use it to its full potential. We justify wasting time on playing computer games, being glued to the TV set, and surfing the net on fast food websites which deliver a big, fat, time waster burger but when we are needed by others we simply say, “Sorry, this isn’t the right time, maybe later”. Later will never come or will arrive when it is not wanted. Humans, or modern humans are excuse generating machines.
I take the bus three times a week to make a 45 minute trip to college, I try to use this time effectively by reading a subject handout or a novel but that’s almost mission impossible with crying babies, ill people sniffing and coughing and teenagers loudly chatting away, this makes people sound like an inconvenience to me and to be honest they are. I shouldn’t feel like this and I cannot help thinking that it’s the dog eat dog attitude making its mark (or bark) again, its easy to get wrapped up in thinking that the world is revolving around you and that others shouldn’t be in the way of you getting what you want. This attitude is not healthy, as humans we are designed to work together, that’s how our ancestors survived, life is like a game of football, you won’t succeed unless you are a team player, so why exactly are we doing the opposite? When did this individualistic mindset arrive? I wonder if it rode on the back of advanced technology in the form of laptops, game consoles, TVs and personal music players, when we spend our valuable time on these material goods we are spending less time socialising and being in the real world, this could be why neighbours are no longer on friendly terms, I myself have not said anything more than a greeting to mine, sometimes I don’t even manage that, its appalling really. In the heat wave experienced in the British summer of 2006 vulnerable, elderly people died of heat exhaustion and dehydration, some were not found till weeks after because no one missed them, they were completely alone. Loneliness is one of many side effects of this drug called Technology has produced and more of us are starting to experience it. I do realise that this is very hypocritical of me since I am a user of this drug, its dangerously addictive and I have found myself overdosing on it far too often.
William Blake hit it on the nail, his message although not an entirely unique one is an accurate observation, society has bound us in chains - “Striving against my swaddling bands” (Infant Sorrow) and “Mind forged manacles” (London).My life was laid out before I was even born, society had made the plans already, - birth, education, 9 to 5 job, marriage, 2.4 children, retirement, then death. That’s the standard life for everyone but people are different shapes and sizes, we don’t all fit into the same box that bears the label “conformity”. Its absolutely fine and great that certain people desire this path and know that it will be fulfilling for them, I applaud them but the reality is that some do feel the pressure of the weighty hand that society crushes down on us, that box becomes all too small and the oxygen supply is running low.
I take the bus three times a week to make a 45 minute trip to college, I try to use this time effectively by reading a subject handout or a novel but that’s almost mission impossible with crying babies, ill people sniffing and coughing and teenagers loudly chatting away, this makes people sound like an inconvenience to me and to be honest they are. I shouldn’t feel like this and I cannot help thinking that it’s the dog eat dog attitude making its mark (or bark) again, its easy to get wrapped up in thinking that the world is revolving around you and that others shouldn’t be in the way of you getting what you want. This attitude is not healthy, as humans we are designed to work together, that’s how our ancestors survived, life is like a game of football, you won’t succeed unless you are a team player, so why exactly are we doing the opposite? When did this individualistic mindset arrive? I wonder if it rode on the back of advanced technology in the form of laptops, game consoles, TVs and personal music players, when we spend our valuable time on these material goods we are spending less time socialising and being in the real world, this could be why neighbours are no longer on friendly terms, I myself have not said anything more than a greeting to mine, sometimes I don’t even manage that, its appalling really. In the heat wave experienced in the British summer of 2006 vulnerable, elderly people died of heat exhaustion and dehydration, some were not found till weeks after because no one missed them, they were completely alone. Loneliness is one of many side effects of this drug called Technology has produced and more of us are starting to experience it. I do realise that this is very hypocritical of me since I am a user of this drug, its dangerously addictive and I have found myself overdosing on it far too often.
William Blake hit it on the nail, his message although not an entirely unique one is an accurate observation, society has bound us in chains - “Striving against my swaddling bands” (Infant Sorrow) and “Mind forged manacles” (London).My life was laid out before I was even born, society had made the plans already, - birth, education, 9 to 5 job, marriage, 2.4 children, retirement, then death. That’s the standard life for everyone but people are different shapes and sizes, we don’t all fit into the same box that bears the label “conformity”. Its absolutely fine and great that certain people desire this path and know that it will be fulfilling for them, I applaud them but the reality is that some do feel the pressure of the weighty hand that society crushes down on us, that box becomes all too small and the oxygen supply is running low.
