one creature
treads the hairy edge
of another
We live, we breathe, and we feed off of the living products of this incredible planet. We host life that hosts life in turn, while we are ourselves hosted. We walk the edges and cross boundaries, going from being one person to another, and we strive; but for what? For our own benefit, or that of others?
The answer to that may raise even more questions. Are we okay? Are we quite satisfied? Can we live with the reality that we exist in a world where increasingly everything and everyone we interact with on more than a casual basis is eyeing us with parasitic intent? I fear one day even the walls will collect information about us as the heat of our touch fades.
But is this a bad thing — as bad as it might sound — or is it just more progression into the hyper-connected world that has us craving to disconnect because it’s just too much, too fast? Even as we rail against it we grow more complacent; this battle falls by the wayside as that issue is raised and calls for attention, and before we know it both are a fact of life.
It’s when I reflect upon this very idea that I always realize that you cannot fight a world on fire if you’re not willing to live in darkness. The only solution may be to let go, and let the mother burn.
Take some time to live and breathe, already.
🙂
Rob's Surf Report 
I’ve largely gone to screen-free weekends for this very reason.
Yeah, I’ve been doing that lately, and while my blog reading suffers I feel like the quality of my life is improving somewhat.
You’ve just told a chronic worrier that someone is eyeing her with parasitic intent. Well thats put a new spin on my day lol
Lol do me a favor and play some GTA before reading the next one then! 😉
Actually, it’s not surprising you feel this way.
I suspect it’s because you realize that we spend far too much time searching and reading and blah blah blah … rather than actually living.
Sure, being connected has its advantages – but when more and more time is being eaten up by the things we think we should be doing, instead of, well – actually doing them – then, we know it’s time to step back.
It’s about quality – not quantity — and that means making tough choices, or so they seem at the time, but after a few days of “selective” blog post reading, or – having slashed the numbers significantly etc., you begin to realize that “hey, I actually have time to do things — like write or read books or play or whatever.
I sometimes think the cyber world and being super connected is some delightful conspiracy to keep us stupidly disengaged. And it’s a great means of procrastination right?
Great post 🙂
Thank you Pat. I think you get how I feel.
You are not alone in how you feel — I feel quite the same way about most of it too.
There are probably more of “us” than we realize, it’s just that not many are speaking openly about it, generally.
I think it’s partially a hypocrisy factor — one day we hate the phone and the next day it won’t let us go and to outsiders it looks like we’re in love with the thing when the whole time we’re cursing at it, saying “why won’t you connect, damn you!!”
roflmao —- yup, in some ways, we are hypocrites — but that’s more due to circumstances —- because unless you decide to live completely off the grid, these gadgets have become “necessities” —- although in my case, I don’t even have a cell – no service where I live, so yeah, bugger it. How’s that for keeping up with the Jones?
But – there is a key difference – and it lies in attitude. If you have become slaves to the technology and it rules your life – then, hell, rant as much as you want, but then, in my books, you are a true hypocrite. But if we are honest in our efforts and try to be “realistic” and more grounded, then the hypocrisy has less meaning.
I wonder if there are social services for technology addicts — you know, 12-step programs and all that?! Can you imagine the scene? 😉
Ha, yeah, and the social security payments for those who can’t hold a job because if it.
Yeah — but then wouldn’t the entire system fail — cause most would be in programs —- so maybe this is “The revolution” —- where the “middle classes” and “poor” get back — because it would all fall to the absurdly wealthy to keep everything going ….
Shhh … I had better wander off and be quite — I suspect my Marxist/Leninist qualities are about to rear 😉
I don’t think the system would fail — too few people would be willing to endure the stigma in exchange for what constitutes a fraction of a living wage. I once knew a girl who was on social security for being addicted to the internet, but IMHO it’s a frivolous scheme.
Well, it *might* fail, if it became such a problem that the Big Brother had to step in because they realized that they had over-capitalized ….er ….
Sorry, here I go again 😉
Lol— actually, all seriousness aside, apart from some of the real various internet addictions and people that truly do need help, the entire idea is frivolous and scandalous and just plain *silly*
That is beautiful, Rob… =)
Thank you Tish. 🙂
See, I am behaving here, great job, right ?! =) =)
What a great Haiku. And I really enjoyed your comentary following. I often think about how humans are so addicted to information now. It’s like information overload.
“take some time to live and breathe”
Yes, yes and yes again. So difficult to do, yet so necessary. I’ve written about this before even. About drinking in our days and noticing our moments.
Staci
:-).
Drinking them in, absolutely — like a refreshingly cold beverage on a hot day, which is something I could use right now! Thanks for stopping by and commenting, come back any time!