Trust in technology?

Placing trust in someone or something is surely a sense of putting a thing of value in their hands, with the expectation they’ll treat it with the care and respect it deserves. Whether that’s time, information, vulnerability, or one of countless other ways we might share our truest selves and thereby give others the power to know or wound us deeply.

As humans, we have this space which is ours: our history, identity, feelings, words, interests. That space where “we” live and have our being. It’s the space of life, of influence we have on others, of how we’re expressing ourselves and what we’re bringing into life through our own unique existence (Notes One).

It seems to me that each person’s this powerful centerpoint of presence and activity. Our lives – our words, feelings, choices – are what spill out into the world around us to make up the realities we share. Everything we do matters somewhere, to someone. All these chains of causality, these near-invisible trends and accumulated consequences that ripple out and create the tides or storms of our lives.

Which seems to beg the question of what’s guiding or regulating that flow. In the past, perhaps, common social conventions held people? Also, limitation: you could create waves around you, but there wasn’t much opportunity to create larger impacts as we see today. These things seemed to hold people, keeping life in check somehow (Notes Two).

Now though, almost all barriers are gone. Each individual steps directly into the online world, often, it seems, learning how to be through the examples and practices most evident in that space. It is, in a way, lawless with standards shifting quickly, fluidly evolving around the new realities of life (Notes Three).

It’s startling how fast humans adopt new ways of being; forgetting – or, never knowing – things were done quite differently and deliberately in the not-so-distant past. Modern ways clearly arose from such foundations, from a background of bitterly fought battles around core principles of progress and human worth. There was substance, idealism, deep belief in the project of Western society.

So, despite this convoluted path, what I suppose I’m trying to say is that we’re placing a great deal of trust in modern technology. Our personal space, our social realities, the forces shaping our lives individually and collectively, all this now runs through this essentially external system that’s seeking to organise those lives.

At times it seems we’ve simply handed everything over: communication, relationships, social infrastructure, economic realities, this whole cloud of information now inhabits that space and interacts with us as it sees fit. Language, human nature, social bonds, mutual cooperation, all this has never been easy but tech can make them seem perilously so with its finely tuned ideas for restructuring our lives.

It’s fascinating really, this externalised world that’s effectively governing modern life. But maybe it’s wise to consider the importance of what we’re handing over? Be it trust, personal space, peace of mind, or the idea of society itself.

Notes and References:

Note 1: Working through mind & society
Note 1: What really matters
Note 1: What we bring to life
Note 2: How important is real life?
Note 2: Value in visible impacts
Note 2: What holds it all together
Note 3: Can we manage all-inclusive honesty?
Note 3: In the deep end…
Note 3: Things change, over time

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Invisible ties

In all of life, there are ties that bind us. All these contracts, commitments or relationships that remind us how we’re connected with other beings or organisations. Any form of agreement, though, is effectively just a legal solidification of intentions; setting out obligations and expectations more clearly for both sides.

There are those relationships we’re born into, such as family, country or generation. Then, the sense of agreement that often runs alongside those things: ideas of duty, respect, responsibility; of forging ties and developing those relationships, simply by way of our existing within them. Society itself can traditionally be seen as such a contract, a set of rights and obligations we benefit from but essentially didn’t ask for or actively agree to.

Every area of life’s conceivably made up of these invisible agreements that sustain, enrich, support or, perhaps, aggravate us. Theoretically, we stand in relationship to everything else (see Notes One). Some things stand ‘below’ us, offering warmth, food, shelter, and other natural resources. Some approach, to stand closer alongside us as companions, friends; or seek to place themselves ahead, as leaders.

We might look at that in terms of nature, with all its systems, interactions, and bi-products so essential to our existence; or, we could look to society and all the ways our lives and activities intersect to build up or strain apart shared realities (Notes Two). It just seems all of life’s comprised of such connections, everything touching in on everything else and sparking these long chains of causality among us all.

What does that mean? Is there value in seeing life as being, in every direction, connected? In taking time to explore how each of our words, attitudes and choices filters out through reality that way, leading to countless repercussions, impacts and related consequences? If we’re these points of understanding, reflection and decision, then surely, in some way, everything passes through us?

It’s something so vast to think about: how each of us is the centre of our own personal ‘web’ of understanding and action. That we all stand within these relationships to others and the world, our choices actively shaping those realities as we let some things go but insist on keeping hold of others (Notes Three). There’s a lot of responsibility there, quite a burden to the idea that that’s where we stand.

Even just looking to human relationships, there’s this sense in which all our communications directly impact those around us. Careless words or attitudes, hasty judgements or reactions all fire off into the lives of others; perhaps becoming their view of themselves, their worth through your eyes, the reflection the world in general offers them as a human being (Notes Four). It’s powerful stuff, when you think about it too deeply.

And it seems like a reality that’s ‘true’ whether or not we’re aware of it: we might create such impacts through ignorance, disregard, or an imperfect understanding of what’s going on. Where we go from that point is an interesting question.

Notes and References:

Note 1: Interdependency
Note 1: Ideas that tie things together
Note 1: Some thoughts about ‘life’
Note 2: If society’s straining apart, what do we do?
Note 2: How important is real life?
Note 3: The philosopher stance
Note 3: What we bring to life
Note 3: The need for discernment
Note 4: The dignity & power of a human life
Note 4: Conversation as revelation

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The journey that’s EbbSpark

Still, with this writing project, I find myself wondering what it is. At times, like now, I step back and see it as this strangely self-assured questioning of the things that make up our lives, and wonder “who I am” to be writing it all. But then, who’s to say I’m “not” to ask such questions? Is it not the human place to question, review, integrate, evaluate, and attempt to synthesise the meaning of their choices into a reasonably coherent whole?

There may not be an answer to that. Who’s to say what our role is in life? We’re thinking beings, self-aware and able to see meaning behind what surrounds us, but the right use of that intelligence isn’t entirely clear. Are we better off deferring the thinking to those “in charge” – specialists in their fields – or might we expect their guidance be presented in ways we can decide upon as mere citizens, consumers, members of humanity?

So then, I suppose this project is simply me asking about things and seeking to consolidate my own thoughts on life. It’s really a personal journey of attempting to find my own bearings in relation to all I’ve been told, experienced, and see happening around me. It’s trying to pull those threads together, dig at the roots of our thinking, and understand what modern life might mean.

But that’s not to say it’s intended to be cold, distant, aloof in its deconstruction of life; hopefully it comes across that I care deeply for individuals, their experiences, and how society and human relationships impact us all. My concern, beneath the at times philosophical or simplistic pondering, is perhaps about what life makes of us and we, in turn, make of it. We might look at trends, at the forces playing out within our lives, but nestled within it all are people and that fact surely matters.

Of course, it’s hard to look at systemic realities or challenges while bearing in mind it’s all made up of and for the sake of humanity. The “bigger picture” of society’s statistics and projections can sometimes drown out the everyday reality of our existence. We can plan on that level, proposing solutions or passing judgements, but all those things “pass through” human lives and convey messages as to the perceived worth of those lives.

Modern life is seeming this strange test of all it means to be human. The accumulated insight, understanding and ingenuity of past generations having been placed in our hands, we can now rework “life on earth” to this unprecedented degree. We can remove many age-old limitations of time, space, capacity, and develop these global, automated solutions that rapidly impact their human, natural and social surroundings. It’s quite amazing, but surely can’t – or maybe, shouldn’t – be undertaken without a high sense of ethics and responsibility.

Human existence is this incredible opportunity, but what we make of it and the attitude with which we approach life and one another seem, now, perhaps more important than ever.

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And, how much can we care?

Building on the train of thought within What really matters, how should we feel about life? Thinking about what matters is arguably a cerebral activity, but the meaning of it all clearly touches into the area of emotion. Caring about what we hear – going beyond the words to imagine, and feel, the reality of it all – seems this daunting but important step.

Humans, undoubtedly, are thinking creatures. That’s effectively what defines us: processing life at the level of thought; seeing and understanding events through the eyes of the mind; deciding our course of action based on that logic (Notes One). But then we’re also social creatures, seeing through the heart as we empathise with the experiences of others and let that have its influence on us as well.

That life of emotion, whether it’s social empathy or our own personal responses, is a powerful reality. Logic might compel us at times, but feelings also exert an equally if not more potent force in our lives. Which is why I’ve found myself asking before whether there might be limits to how much we can care; limits being sorely tested by modern ways of being (Notes Two).

With this new level of awareness the internet’s creating, questions of human capacity are being pushed to the fore in a number of ways. What is it to be human? Is it that we see the meaning behind pure logic, operating on that level as well? Modern technology might place the world in our pocket, but can we bring that knowledge to life in meaningful ways?

Is meaning then perhaps tied into feeling, to caring how other beings experience life? And, is the insight offered by technology even capable of being imbued with heartfelt understanding or is that too overwhelming a picture? I would’ve thought we ‘have’ to care, otherwise life risks making us less than human – careless about what we know.

That’s not saying it’s in any way easy to care. It’s not. It risks depression, anxiety, apathy, confusion, anger, resignation. But what are we without it? To me, humans aren’t truly cold, calculating beings who take what they can and give no thought to the bigger picture. We’re delightfully complex, social creatures who tend to seek the best for ourselves and others, as long as circumstances allow it.

In that light, is it wise to lend out our emotions to anyone who wishes to play a tune on them? Be it one of fear, hatred, or even misguided optimism. If emotions are powerful, how we make use of them seems crucial (Notes Three).

This idea of human capacity just intrigues me. Knowledge, insight and connection have, in many ways, been sparked by recent technological advancements. We now ‘have’ that level of awareness. But what we do with it – whether we can rise to the challenge of caring about everything that’s going on, realising the parts we play in it all, bringing our humanity to bear in that space – seems so open to question.

Notes and References:

Note 1: Strange arrogance of thought
Note 1: What are we thinking?
Note 1: Convergence and divergence
Note 2: Testing times
Note 2: Does anything exist in isolation?
Note 2: Value in visible impacts
Note 3: Fear or coercion as motivators
Note 3: It resonates, but should it be amplified
Note 3: Working through mind & society

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What really matters

In life there’s so much we could care about, all these causes people are rightfully crying out over and pushing forward onto local, national and global agendas. All the things people give voice to are important, they all matter, but how it all fits together and what the best overall response might be seem these almost impossible questions.

Perhaps it’s a case of needing the bigger picture? Being able to hold all those concerns within a larger, more comprehensive understanding of what’s going on (see Notes One). All the words, opinions and solutions constantly unfolding within our giant, worldwide conversation seem to be grappling with exactly that: trying to make sense of it all, to find the right perspective from which to chart manageable, inclusive ways forward.

But then, when everything matters it can also seem as if nothing does: how can we do anything about it? All these disparate, competing, and sometimes contradictory problems almost create this stalemate of paralysis and conflict. It’s disheartening to feel powerless and overwhelmed. It’s stressful to think everything’s an argument and human interactions must be ‘won’. It’s exhausting being so aware of things.

The awareness brought by the internet is absolutely astounding: knowledge and connection are at our fingertips; timeless ways of being can be altered by well-thought-out ‘solutions’. And, of course, the ease of that could lead to us undervaluing those very functions. Living a life of constant updates or emotive personal insights into distant realities could quite easily desensitise and distract us from the stuff of everyday existence (Notes Two).

All these things matter. Our attitudes toward others and the relationships we have with them hold great meaning about the significance and value of human life. The choices we make shape the world around us, informing economic, social, environmental, and political realities. All the aspects of our lives are rippling out into this shared environment, impacting all they find there.

We’re really sharing this one space; especially now tech is bringing everything so closely into our own personal spaces. There’s this strange contradiction of things seeming so personal yet also being so remote: events are announced directly to us without much social mediation, echoing within our psyche as we process them, alone, disconnected. The paradoxes of technology are fascinating, if mildly terrifying, to consider.

Holding our own within it all, keeping a firm sense of what matters and how much, is daunting. Everything about life is seemingly being tested by this relatively new global perspective and all the ways we’re trying to master it on the personal level (Notes Three). And, of course, I’m not entirely sure what the answers are here either.

Ultimately though, it does matter – anything impacting human life and all that sustains it matters, both individually and systemically. In every area, our lives intersect with the interests of others; how we negotiate all those competing priorities seems a powerful opportunity. If we influence the world through all we do, then power, almost undeniably, rests in our hands.

Notes and References:

Note 1: Ideas that tie things together
Note 1: Who should we trust?
Note 1: Can we manage all-inclusive honesty?
Note 2: All that’s going on around us
Note 2: Desensitised to all we’re told?
Note 2: How important is real life?
Note 3: Values on which we stand firm?
Note 3: Making adjustments
Note 3: In the deep end…

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Some thoughts about ‘life’

In quite a childlike way, I find it amazing to think that pretty much everything on earth is alive. It’s fairly easy to get swept up in things and start to take that simple fact as a given but, really, it’s incredible to realise all that goes into sustaining life here in all its forms.

Taking time to imagine all the varied interconnections that maintain the ecosystems, relationships and processes on which our own lives depend seems a valuable choice in terms of how we employ our minds. Sometimes I wonder if modern carelessness isn’t perhaps a consequence of not having the opportunity or inclination to contemplate, appreciate and fully understand the wonder of it all.

We have enough going on, but the volume of activity that’s also going on ‘behind the scenes’ to keep life ticking over must be absolutely staggering to comprehend. The hierarchical, interdependent synergy of the animal kingdom building, as it does, upon the sustenance of plant life and mineral richness surrounding it all. The shelter, nourishment and stimulation of the environment and passing seasons.

It’s just so impressive how it all works together seamlessly, almost casually, while we have such difficulties coordinating ourselves. Life just gets on with it ‘out there’, while we throw problem after problem in its direction: pollution, urban encroachment, farming innovation, tourism, waste. The ways humans interact with nature seems so bizarre, so out of step with the calm industrious wisdom it’s demonstrating to us (Notes One).

Humans certainly present quite a challenge. To ourselves, in countless ways, but also to our very environment. The question of what right we have to impact the world as we do seems as old as life itself: woven into the foundations of various belief systems as this fundamental sense of where we stand, what our roles are, and the purpose or responsibility of our existence.

Surely, we only exist because we have somewhere to live? Some environment able to sustain life. This sense in which Earth makes human life possible. Not only physically, but also by way of history and civilisation, the pathways of thought and innovation over the years that’ve led to where we now stand. Everything building on everything else, coexisting more or less harmoniously so life can go on.

Quite often, I find myself asking what exactly we think we’re doing here (Notes Two). And while, at times, I can be hesitantly critical of attempts at change, I’m honestly not sure how much of a future we have without it. There’s this almost fatalistic sense in which we’re ‘living for the now’, for ourselves, rather than maintaining those things that’ll preserve life into the future.

But then, we’re clearly both intelligent and creative. We have the capacity to reflect on what’s around us – the harmonious integration of nature, the fundamental ways it sustains and enriches existence, the fragility of it all – and realise the magnitude of the problems we’re pushing onto those who follow us. Hopefully, somehow, we’ll figure it out.

Notes and References:

Note 1: Intrinsic value of nature
Note 1: Limits having a purpose
Note 1: Tuning out from environment
Note 1: Nature speaks in many ways, do we listen?
Note 1: Aesthetic value of nature
Note 2: Does anything exist in isolation?
Note 2: Can we reinvigorate how we’re living?
Note 2: The power of understanding
Note 2: Smart to play the system?

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Creative vision in finding solutions

In looking for answers we often turn to logic, thinking solutions are to be reached by way of convincing or compelling arguments. And maybe they are. There’s definitely a need to make our plans reasonable, and, thought being the crown of our existence, it certainly seems foolish not to call on it. But, equally, there’s this sense in which we’re motivated by what we’d like to create in life.

I’m thinking of things like visualisation and vision boards – practices whereby we imagine a future, building up these inspirational pictures of how we want our lives to be. Logic might compel us in a certain sense, but having a vision we truly believe in also seems a deeply motivating and powerful approach to change.

As a train of thought, it touches into a lot of fundamental questions around whether we ‘need’ to be convinced by argument, social pressure or the promise of reward in order to change all those aspects of life that are genuinely in need of improvement (Notes One). It’s circling in on the question of what it is to be human: to what extent we’re ruled by logic or habit or belief in what we’re creating here.

What is life? It’s honestly quite delighting to find that a couple of questions can lead down to that bedrock of “what is it to be human”. What are we doing here? What do we make of all that we find around us? How do we interact with reality, and what are we bringing through our presence and engagement with the process of living?

Life’s clearly a creative process: we take what we find and add something to it, based on reason or habit or compassionate understanding. As humans, it seems we generally respond in one of those ways. At the extreme, we’re capable of literally recreating human life; but, every step we take, we can either nurture or neglect that which sustains life personally, socially, environmentally, etc.

In that light, are we acting purely on logic or also on vision? Everything seemingly has its own logic, but I’m not sure where that leads us – whether it’s capable of reaching a coherent picture we’d truly like to be living within. Alternatively, is there another way of seeing and understanding how things fit together? A way of imagining where things might lead while also staying engaged in the process of shaping that reality.

It’s my convoluted path back round to the question of art: whether it’s an option, a luxury, or perhaps a powerful way of cutting through to the essentials and seeing life with greater clarity (Notes Two). Whether it might be capable of penetrating to the heart of things, shining a light of awareness and understanding into areas of unquestionable darkness.

Because life’s not perfect and we’re clearly in need of realistic, practical, inspiring solutions (Notes Three). Finding ways to grasp reality based around deep understanding, motivating vision, and empowering engagement seems, at times, something art’s truly capable of offering.

Notes and References:

Note 1: Pick a side, any side
Note 1: Fear or coercion as motivators
Note 1: Attempts to influence
Note 2: What does art have to say about life?
Note 2: The creativity of living
Note 3: Starting over in life
Note 3: Seeing, knowing and loving
Note 3: Codes of behaviour
Note 3: Finding flaws

Unintentionally, this very much seems to follow on from the thoughts within Culture as reflection.

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Culture as reflection

Culture could perhaps be viewed as this giant looking-glass; a complex reflection of meaning, values and practices that helps sustain society in big and little ways.

It’s that place where inner meets outer, where our inner lives find recognition and where we encounter the ways of the world. As if culture stands at that line where we touch the world and attempt to make sense of it all. Like a world running alongside ours that’s sometimes working symbolically, sometimes reflecting on social realities, and often mixing both as it plants its seeds for the future (see Notes One).

Within that world, we might find or lose ourselves. It’s presumably a picture that can validate, affirm and uplift or destroy through its representations of our lives? Dealing, as it does, with both the forms of our reality and the more metaphorical exploration of themes and qualities, it’s surely walking lines that are wisest to tread carefully.

I mean, in life there’s always that question of what we perceive then what it means. If culture’s the place we assign and explore meaning, it seems important to exercise caution. Drawing parallels between external qualities and inner ones – that visual code of art – can have serious social impacts; linking looks with goodness or age with relevance could spill over into ‘real world’ attitudes.

It’s interesting, because arguably culture is where we get our ideas for living: social meanings are brought to us through stories we’re told and conversations we’re having about them, informing our thoughts and the paths we choose to walk in life (Notes Two). It’s shaping us all through the journeys it’s taking us on, the preoccupations and characters that are filling our lives this way.

Often, it might be taking the forms of modern life – the problems, realities and choices we face – and using them as its ‘language’, but it’s also doing something different. So, it might seem like a mirror, but at a certain point that reflection merges into the world of ideas and plays with them in ways that might bear little relationship to reality or be particularly helpful when applied to it.

Of course, that raises the question of whether culture ‘should’ be a mirror – if that’s actually its function. Is it offering us the opportunity to reflect upon our lives, understand our values, find ourselves within it? Or does it represent a more subtle relationship between thought and reality, which then works into our personal and social realities?

It’s undoubtedly a wonderful tool for broadening horizons: bringing different times and places to life; exploring ways of being human; peopling our worlds with ideas and images. Universal personal experiences of life, identity, relationship, choice, action can be delved into; potentially uniting us by way of insight into our shared humanity, beyond life’s many divisions. These days, becoming a veritable tidal wave of awareness (Notes Three).

These are perhaps questions too large to do justice to here, but they do seem important ones to get to grips with somehow.

Notes and References:

Note 1: What does art have to say about life?
Note 1: Reference points for how we’re living
Note 1: Playing with fire?
Note 2: Mirrors we offer one another
Note 2: Working through mind & society
Note 2: How we feel about society
Note 3: All that’s going on around us
Note 3: Can we manage all-inclusive honesty?
Note 3: Who should we trust?
Note 3: In the deep end…

On a similar note, The power of understanding looked at the importance of what we keep in mind.

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What would life be if we could trust?

What might our lives be like if we could trust? Trust in others, in information we receive, in organisations around us and their intentions for our lives? Before, I’ve talked about the need, above all, to trust ourselves; in that it’s hard to see what others have in mind for us (Notes One). Beyond that pragmatic response though, what’s the picture of a trusting life?

I mean, if we could trust that all our interactions were based on concern for our best interests as well as the interests of society. Instead of this ‘dog eat dog’ approach of taking what you can, looking out for you and yours, and battling it out over self-interest. There’s a social, systemic interpretation of that but – as ever – I’m thinking theoretically here.

Really, it’s a question about motivation and values and the sentiment behind collective endeavours (Notes Two). Is community a battleground of conflicting ideas and priorities, or a place of commonality, togetherness and mutual concern? Do we have to fight, to cling, to defend, to shout, or is society already listening? It’s not listening. Everywhere there are agendas at play, very specific ideas of how to treat people ‘for the best’.

Unfortunately, modern life in the West seems to be that battleground: we’ve taken ideas of social engineering and essentially thrown everything at the feet of market forces. Culture, beauty, self-worth, environment, education, communication, infrastructure, all this is effectively on sale to the highest bidders and most strategic thinkers. It’s perhaps foolish to trust in that reality.

But, if we could? If those operating in all areas of our lives held each individual in the highest regard? If the scenarios about to play out were firmly and compassionately held in the hearts of those pulling the strings? If injustices and difficulties were sympathetically understood, with life-affirming solutions being offered? If society were fed with nurturing rather than destabilising forces? If paths were chosen out of constructive optimism, not cold calculation.

Writing that, I see it’s actually a deeply depressing train of thought. Because it highlights the disgusting ways companies are profiting off our lives: friendships, uncertainty, knowledge, democracy, all these fundamental human realities seemingly being sold off, plundered, exacerbated rather than relieved or encouraged in healthy directions.

I’d not anticipated ‘imagining a trustworthy world’ would be almost too naïve yet depressing to write about. What does that say? Surely, as humans, we’re entrusting ourselves to the community surrounding us, to the forethought contained there. Isn’t life built around a degree of trust? As opposed to worrying we’re in the hands of those who pretty much couldn’t care less.

It’s sad to think we can only trust ourselves, but also empowering: this call to know our minds, our wounds or weaknesses; to trust your judgement and understanding, viewing life against that backdrop; to base choices around the best wisdom we can find, leaning only on the certainty of our convictions. Hopefully then, such qualities might find their way into the fabric of society itself.

Notes and References:

For the Tibetan Buddhist perspective on managing the realities of human existence and establishing principles of trust and compassion, there’s: “Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change” by Pema Chödrön, (Shambhala, Boston), 2012.

Note 1: Who should we trust?
Note 1: Freedom, what to lean on & who to believe
Note 1: Need to stand alone & think for ourselves
Note 2: Community as an answer
Note 2: Concerns over how we’re living
Note 2: What holds it all together

Building on this, ideas around the bigger picture behind social realities made up a large part of The power of understanding.

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Gifts, needs & being in want

It seems gifts once came at times of need or as the occasional fulfilment of wishes. Life between those moments generally lived economically, frugally, sensibly, these were presumably moments for celebration, provision, and the recognition of social ties.

Relatively few and far between, you’d weigh things up to use the opportunity wisely rather than waste it on something you’d regret. Arguably, the constriction of limitation creates focus and discernment as we discard frivolous desires in favour of what we know we’d truly value (Notes One).

And, at times of natural need – setting up home, raising children, big life-changes – gifts must’ve been valuable. The thoughtful generosity of receiving what you’re wanting seems a precious social interaction almost akin to empathy: putting yourself in the others shoes, imagining something they might appreciate, giving what we can.

It seems traditions originally held great purpose and meaning. This sense in which gifts stemmed from something genuine; from sentiment, intention, requirement, and gratitude around the contribution others felt inspired and able to make to our lives.

But things change. These days, the clamour of consumerism’s pretty hard to ignore as we’re inundated with reminders to ‘show others how much we love them’ by spending more money on more things. That idea of expressing consideration and affection now seems quite commodified; this daunting, transactional shadow of what it conceivably once was.

Showing you care has morphed into all this endless innovation and marketing pressure: if you’re not buying the next thing, you just don’t love enough. Gifts became love – a strange contortion of original thinking, perhaps.

Then there’s this sense in which choices now define us. It’s difficult to surprise someone if buying slightly the wrong thing risks offense by revealing you don’t truly know them, or if anything but cash is seen as an imposition or disappointment. We’re so trained now to craft a self out of what we own; belongings don’t just meet needs, they’re affirmations of identity. Imaginative, thoughtful empathy became socially inadvisable.

So, it can often become a simply financial interaction. The joy of giving wrapped in consumer pragmatism as the voices shouting loudest say that identity and worth are tied to these things. Human relationship can easily be drowned out, our feelings for one another pushed about by those claiming it doesn’t count if we’re not spending enough on the right things.

That commercial agenda’s powerful. It’s considered, and designed around insights into our psychology: the need for love and recognition; the desire to feel valued and secure. Fundamental human realities seem a potentially limitless source of market demands (Notes Two). But can our genuine needs be met this way? Is there much substance beneath these things compared to the socio-economic burdens they’re creating?

Love? Human worth? Those aren’t tied to what we buy. They might get buried by talk of needing more and showing someone’s value through commercial channels but, essentially, they’re free. Priceless, even. Appreciating others, cutting through to what really matters, isn’t that the heart of all this?

Notes and References:

Note 1: “Paradox of Choice”
Note 1: The need for discernment
Note 2: Cycles of mind & matter
Note 2: Business defining human life
Note 2: Will novelty ever wear off?
Note 2: Worthless, or priceless?

In terms of traditions and the value of intention, the ideas of Things change, over time also tie in here.

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