Though it makes lives faster and smoother. it also fuels anxiety, impatience and stress
Technology is not only connecting people but also establishing and binding them to timelines, time limits, and time-oriented duties and responsibilities. Even today’s relationships are becoming time-constrained, leading to the emergence of concepts like 'situationships.'
Our lives have become fast but short. In the past, letters took months to reach their destinations, but now our messages take nanoseconds. However, late replies still make us uneasy, contributing to our growing impatience. We're all in a hurry, wanting to learn, grow, and earn quickly. Due to this, we may easily see, hear, or experience many things at a young age, thanks to the availability of resources compared to our prior generations.
However, we have fewer memories to cherish. We have platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and other social media to share media and showcase our lifestyles to others, yet we lack the time to sit calmly and reminisce about our old memories. Consequently, we live unexamined lives, often driven by subconscious desires or unwholesome latent tendencies. We may harbour ambitions beyond our domain and capabilities, leading to feelings of inferiority. This makes us ignorant and indulgent, lacking mindfulness. Haste often results in ignorance, reinforcing latent cravings.
To practice mindfulness, one must cultivate skilful thinking. Without it, being mindful in every situation becomes challenging. Mindfulness involves avoiding the influence of prejudice or latent desires. Understanding thoughts profoundly is crucial, as sometimes restraint without complete comprehension may suffice, while other situations demand clarification, perspective, understanding root causes, or recognizing characteristics for overcoming challenges. It's essential to exercise caution in discerning which thoughts to restrain, abandon, control, or accept, and which ones not to. Not every situation merits acceptance; rebellion is necessary at times.
Sometimes, even delving too deeply into certain thoughts or seeking clarification and understanding the root causes can be more harmful, highlighting that mindfulness goes beyond merely “living in the present moment” or adopting an attitude of "let it go" or "let it be, it happens." Rather, it's a way of skillfully dealing with unhealthy situations.
In the relentless march of technology, our lives have become not only fast-paced but also paradoxically short-lived. The instant connectivity that defines our era has led to relationships characterized by time constraints, giving rise to the novel term 'situationships.' While we can communicate at the speed of light, the impatience fostered by this instantaneity persists. The drive for quick learning, growth, and earnings accelerates our pace, allowing us to encounter a myriad of experiences at a young age, yet robbing us of the time to savor and reminisce about our own memories. Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer us the means to showcase our lives, but the frenetic pace of existence often leaves little room for quiet reflection on our past. Consequently, we risk living unexamined lives, propelled by subconscious desires and unchecked tendencies. The pursuit of ambitions beyond our capacities can breed feelings of inferiority, fostering ignorance and a lack of mindfulness.
To navigate this whirlwind, cultivating skillful thinking is imperative for mindfulness. It involves a nuanced understanding of thoughts, knowing when to restrain, abandon, control, or accept them. Mindfulness transcends the clichés of "living in the present moment" or adopting an attitude of "let it go." Instead, it's a strategic approach to skillfully navigate life's complexities and challenges. In a world hurtling towards the future, mindfulness becomes our anchor, grounding us in the art of wise decision-making amidst the chaos of modern existence.
(The writer is a Buddhist monk; views are personal)
