Create a colorful life -other- Don't be a Wage Slave

The pandemic has seriously limited our opportunity to interact with others. Life has lost its color! The interplay provided by the computer screen is simply not enough. I have often heard this complaint touted. An endless cycle in human history: intense periods of joy and excitement — or, perhaps, pain and suffering — and then nothing, a type of societal fatigue. It is a concomitant period after wars, plagues, or environmental catastrophes. (1) The danger is that a type of human cancer can creep into this pause — this lack of direction in history — as we saw in Germany after World War One and in Russia after the Russian Revolution. (2)

These were external factors, however, to the average individual. “I was swept up in the tide of history,” to paraphrase Brutus. (3) This is no longer the case. Now, that we have the ultimate in human connectivity, the Internet, we can no longer blame our boredom on elements outside our authority. “My reality is my fault” rings hollow, but it is the truth. We experience ennui because the collective we, as individuals, cannot naturally stimulate our consciousness into a state of joy. This requires effort and thought — prayer and mindfulness. It demands critical thinking.

Many do not want to undertake this self-study, unfortunately. To avoid this introspective work, we are altering our perception of reality with more drugs and alcohol than ever before. (4) We cannot take the stress — poor babies! The healthiest and wealthiest population in human history, living in the best of times, and we are bored. (5) It would be funny and ironic if it wasn’t tragic. An over abundance of data has brought us to a state of mental overload. I can, for example, have hundreds of channels on my television. (6)

So, what can I do to return color to my life? I must get to work! Initially, I must stop and truly believe that I am in control of my reality, the world that I occupy. It is not mentally further than my jurisdiction. In turn, becoming more observant of the physical world is a requirement: its flora, fauna and human beings. Life is extremely interesting. We just need to stand back and use our curiosity. It begins with a quiet walk in a park or a stroll in the mountains. Many venerable sages suggest taking our shoes off if possible and feeling the ground or the grass. When we do this, two things come to the forefront: connectivity, my appreciation of time and my place in it; and secondly, the realization that I am in charge of my gift of imagination — I am only limited by my own power to dream. Then, color will flood into my life. The philosopher, writer and conservationist, Ralph Waldo Emerson,(7) leaves us with a thought : Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.

A closing thought: We are subjected to so much noise that it is hard to find peace and the time to reflect. But to grow, we have no choice. Jim Kwik (8) tells us to not look at our phone for the first two hours of every day. Use this time to exercise, meditate and write in your notebook: increase the connectivity with your self. The alternative is the blankness you see emanating from most people. I am sure this is not want you want. But sadly, only I can start my journey. I must begin individually if I want to help the people that I love collectively.

To sum up: This week, we spoke about adding color to our life and encouraging others to be positive, as well.

To be noted: From Edvard Munch (9) — To be a painter, one must work with rays of light

Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypJDXayM5FM

For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jremlZvNDuk&ab_channel=BigThink

This week, on your reflective walk, please ponder how you can bring color into your life.

Every day look for something magical and beautiful.

Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!

Quote: I am a novel only needing to be opened and read.

Footnotes:

1) Rebuilding the world after the second world war

2) Chaos In The Aftermath Of World War One: The German Revolution: 1918-1919

3) Julius Caesar RSC Theatre Production [FULL PLAY]