A recurring theme of this blog is the wide-reaching idealist nature of the issues I talk about. Some of them may not be problems for the majority, such is the improbability of change or the incomprehensibility of radical action, but to me they are vital. Here I want to discuss human potential and what's holding it back, combined with more about my own mental illness. Both of these contribute to what many would say is my overriding pessimism, and I feel like elaborating on this. If not for your sake, for my own.
The only reason you're reading this right now, through either a direct link to the blog or a social media platform, is because I want to enact change. I believe that creating a better world is the only purpose of social media, and if not for me continually theorising a world in which there is more equality of opportunity, freedom of expression and less violence and hatred, I would not be on social media.
Social media depresses me, plain and simply. I have spent countless hours of my life on platforms looking at mindless information, sending robotic messages to people I'd rather see in person, and seeing things that anger, sadden and dismay me. It is a cycle we have all become accustomed to. Who really cares if someone else is on a walk? What do I get out of seeing a bowl of vibrant fruity cereal? Nothing. To that end, I don't expect people to be enriched by some of the useless tripe I leave on my own feed.
I don't think we really accomplish anything out of these issues. I have always maintained, despite my hatred of it, that social media can be a powerful tool for good. But that good is often hidden, drowned at the bottom of a murky lake of needless rubbish, and obscured from view. Yes, it has helped combat loneliness in the absurd situation we find ourselves in right now, but that is not really enough.
You may have seen over the last year, I have consciously vocalised my dismay at problems in the world. Or not, as I alluded to earlier, I would expect you don't care about my posts, which is totally in keeping with human nature. The problems I focus on are often national, global or systemic, and can only be solved by mass action. They are intangible, which makes them hard to support.
I always have concern that it gets repetitive, just another depressing stain on the already negative news cycle that we see everyday. My intention is rather to highlight how many problems there actually are, which in itself may lend heavily to my own view on the world.
It may be a cynical, angry view, but these problems to me are indicative of the unfulfilled human potential. There is a lot to be said for embracing the imperfection of humans, but when those many imperfections have created a system where people can be oppressed by skin colour or religion, where a concept of borders has prohibited movement for those who most need it, and where many are suffering mentally as a result of social pressures and norms, sometimes I'd rather lose them.
All of these problems are created by humans. Not as individuals but as a collective, we have made so many mistakes and are so flawed that society is harmed as a result. Perhaps that is not wholly a bad thing, we are constantly evolving and cannot be expected to be perfect.
But for me, when I feel like I can see how much we can improve, the deficiencies of humans are mindbogglingly irritating. I'm not saying I have all the answers, or am some kind of enlightened being, but I can see so much better than what we have now. I don't want a robotic humanity, but I want a caring one. There is so much needless hatred propelled by people who want the same thing, individual happiness. At our cores, the majority of us are good.
I am beginning to recognise my own flaws day by day, and trying to learn from them. Controlling my actions and emotions within me is really the only thing I can do. I can learn to recognise the shortcomings of others, but if they are to change, they need to recognise them themselves. That is not always something for me to tell them to do, but for them to find out as they go through life.
Essentially then, I am powerless. Powerless to change the intangible issues with those around me. Powerless to change the hatred and vitriol that is endemic in this world. Powerless to alter the systems that cause these human issues and fuel the arguments and debates.
Sometimes, I just have to laugh to myself when I see blatant hypocrisy, whether around me, or in the wider world. Everyone wants to make themselves believe they've done right, convince themselves they knew what would happen, that they are a good person. Our actions reflect this, and we will often back our opinions to the hilt. I'm part of this. You're reading something written by a bloke who just said social media is pointless, but will post a mindless picture with friends in a few months. Empty words eh?
The recognition of our flaws, I think, is important. Many like to bury their heads in the sand and spuriously try to defend their actions. What I think is better, is to remember that we are all acting with what we think are good intentions, yet they will not always prove to be beneficial.
And so mentally these points challenge me. For on one hand, I am understanding of human nature and imperfections both around me and throughout the world, and I want to support our continued recognition that we can do better as a species. But equally, I am exasperated at the implausibility of that ideal. My voice is almost minute, and whilst all these things frustrate me every day, the full extent of change I want to see will never become plausible in my lifetime.
I think this view is propagated by my experience of mental illness. Living with something as unavoidable and yet inevitable as my anxiety and depression has some stark parallels to living with the problems in this world.
I recognise that creating my perfect mental state is impossible, but that doesn't stop me from idealising it; I recognise that creating the perfect world is impossible, but I will idealise it.
Just because I know I can't reach a perfect mental state, that doesn't mean I don't feel bad about the state of my emotions at times. Equally, I know that perfection in humans is impossible, but I am constantly angered by the consistent flare-ups of human imperfection.
I can picture my perfect mental state, just like I can picture what I perceive as a near-perfect world. But I will never be able to reach either. It's almost as if I am shackled by a chain so heavy that it is impossible for me to do it alone.
Perhaps others could help create that reality, but I always find few people are as bothered about the wide-scale impact of life. For them it is the day-to-day issues that are the focus, and always will be. For this view, I must credit this article on existential depression which I have never related to anything more. I have always been 'gifted' in the academic sense of the word, and perhaps that enables me to see things in a wider, more long-term perspective than others. But I will never know.
My primary motivation in this world is to create a more living, fair, empathetic space for all to live in. To me, activism is a part of doing that. It takes a toll on my mental health and sometimes I wonder whether I'm projecting anything useful, and I have my doubts on what of the intangible human problems I can change. When others don't get on board, it can seem like you're shouting furiously to an empty room. That is frustrating, but perhaps it is the embodiment of human imperfection.
There should be no denying that our species and world needs widespread change. No-one can create it alone. It's on us as a collective to recognise our and others' deficiencies, and help to change them for the better.
If we're all shouting in that room, perhaps it won't feel as empty anymore.
I don't think we really accomplish anything out of these issues. I have always maintained, despite my hatred of it, that social media can be a powerful tool for good. But that good is often hidden, drowned at the bottom of a murky lake of needless rubbish, and obscured from view. Yes, it has helped combat loneliness in the absurd situation we find ourselves in right now, but that is not really enough.
You may have seen over the last year, I have consciously vocalised my dismay at problems in the world. Or not, as I alluded to earlier, I would expect you don't care about my posts, which is totally in keeping with human nature. The problems I focus on are often national, global or systemic, and can only be solved by mass action. They are intangible, which makes them hard to support.
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| Been nervous of copyright, so here's a beach picture from San Sebastian |
I always have concern that it gets repetitive, just another depressing stain on the already negative news cycle that we see everyday. My intention is rather to highlight how many problems there actually are, which in itself may lend heavily to my own view on the world.
It may be a cynical, angry view, but these problems to me are indicative of the unfulfilled human potential. There is a lot to be said for embracing the imperfection of humans, but when those many imperfections have created a system where people can be oppressed by skin colour or religion, where a concept of borders has prohibited movement for those who most need it, and where many are suffering mentally as a result of social pressures and norms, sometimes I'd rather lose them.
All of these problems are created by humans. Not as individuals but as a collective, we have made so many mistakes and are so flawed that society is harmed as a result. Perhaps that is not wholly a bad thing, we are constantly evolving and cannot be expected to be perfect.
But for me, when I feel like I can see how much we can improve, the deficiencies of humans are mindbogglingly irritating. I'm not saying I have all the answers, or am some kind of enlightened being, but I can see so much better than what we have now. I don't want a robotic humanity, but I want a caring one. There is so much needless hatred propelled by people who want the same thing, individual happiness. At our cores, the majority of us are good.
I am beginning to recognise my own flaws day by day, and trying to learn from them. Controlling my actions and emotions within me is really the only thing I can do. I can learn to recognise the shortcomings of others, but if they are to change, they need to recognise them themselves. That is not always something for me to tell them to do, but for them to find out as they go through life.
Essentially then, I am powerless. Powerless to change the intangible issues with those around me. Powerless to change the hatred and vitriol that is endemic in this world. Powerless to alter the systems that cause these human issues and fuel the arguments and debates.
Sometimes, I just have to laugh to myself when I see blatant hypocrisy, whether around me, or in the wider world. Everyone wants to make themselves believe they've done right, convince themselves they knew what would happen, that they are a good person. Our actions reflect this, and we will often back our opinions to the hilt. I'm part of this. You're reading something written by a bloke who just said social media is pointless, but will post a mindless picture with friends in a few months. Empty words eh?
The recognition of our flaws, I think, is important. Many like to bury their heads in the sand and spuriously try to defend their actions. What I think is better, is to remember that we are all acting with what we think are good intentions, yet they will not always prove to be beneficial.
And so mentally these points challenge me. For on one hand, I am understanding of human nature and imperfections both around me and throughout the world, and I want to support our continued recognition that we can do better as a species. But equally, I am exasperated at the implausibility of that ideal. My voice is almost minute, and whilst all these things frustrate me every day, the full extent of change I want to see will never become plausible in my lifetime.
I think this view is propagated by my experience of mental illness. Living with something as unavoidable and yet inevitable as my anxiety and depression has some stark parallels to living with the problems in this world.
I recognise that creating my perfect mental state is impossible, but that doesn't stop me from idealising it; I recognise that creating the perfect world is impossible, but I will idealise it.
Just because I know I can't reach a perfect mental state, that doesn't mean I don't feel bad about the state of my emotions at times. Equally, I know that perfection in humans is impossible, but I am constantly angered by the consistent flare-ups of human imperfection.
I can picture my perfect mental state, just like I can picture what I perceive as a near-perfect world. But I will never be able to reach either. It's almost as if I am shackled by a chain so heavy that it is impossible for me to do it alone.
Perhaps others could help create that reality, but I always find few people are as bothered about the wide-scale impact of life. For them it is the day-to-day issues that are the focus, and always will be. For this view, I must credit this article on existential depression which I have never related to anything more. I have always been 'gifted' in the academic sense of the word, and perhaps that enables me to see things in a wider, more long-term perspective than others. But I will never know.
My primary motivation in this world is to create a more living, fair, empathetic space for all to live in. To me, activism is a part of doing that. It takes a toll on my mental health and sometimes I wonder whether I'm projecting anything useful, and I have my doubts on what of the intangible human problems I can change. When others don't get on board, it can seem like you're shouting furiously to an empty room. That is frustrating, but perhaps it is the embodiment of human imperfection.
There should be no denying that our species and world needs widespread change. No-one can create it alone. It's on us as a collective to recognise our and others' deficiencies, and help to change them for the better.
If we're all shouting in that room, perhaps it won't feel as empty anymore.
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