I was talking a few days ago with some friends about people’s difficulty of adapting to current technological complexities. The question that arose during the discussion was – What do we do: do we stop development for the sake of social harmony or do we continue?
I think that the debate is very broad and, like any good moral question, without a concrete answer. Man seeks happiness, evolution does not care about it. The fight between my good versus the good of the community/ the environment has been a recurrent theme in the evolution of humanity. But I think nature has its own mechanism for settling accounts. And when it does, the impact on man is dramatic. Mankind has longtime stretched the natural balance for the sake of scientific evolution and well-being. The pace of scientific evolution has not taken into account the natural system’s capacity to support it. Yes, we live more as individuals (thanks to medical advances, the products of civilization), but I wonder if it’s on the expense of the entire human race’s longevity.
I do believe in the science’s ability to bring innovative solutions to the current social and environmental problems. The challenging aspect of it is that the leaps (progress) are now so huge (the unknown so unknown) that it is even harder to align the masses to the new complexities. Those who have practiced their adaptability to the new over time, have chances, those who haven’t are lost. The dilemma of whether to go forward without looking back, or go slower and wait for the community to adjust is not new. Only the problems and complexities have changed, not the relationship between them and the ecosystem. The world is progressing due to the constant tensions between these forces.
My son is heading towards the future, I will continue to fight for my present. Somewhere, in between, we will find the ideal pace for innovation.
line from the korean drama start-up
The question that arises is: knowing the game, do you get involved, aware that you may not notice fundamental transformations during your lifetime or do you watch the game from the sidelines, living your life peacefully? And in the last case, how outside of the loop can you actually live?
For me the only viable way is that of the personal example. I don’t think people will be educated if they are told they need to, but by adopting from others those practices they want for themselves. The most effective change is the one that comes from within, from the inner desire to adapt to current realities. It may sound cliché, but I really believe in “be the change you want to see in the world.” And I don’t think it should be about radical actions, but rather about living with integrity on a daily basis. We plant small seeds of change with every interaction. Interaction is the basic form of education. So the only way forward is by being mindful of that responsibility that we all carry.
Adina Grigoroiu 