Do we live in a post-apocalypse world? The obvious answer is “no”. The actual answer is “yes”. If we take a moment to think about the world as it is today, compared to how it used to be 200 years ago, we will indeed notice the big technological revolution, which has brought unimaginable convenience to our daily lives.
However, what lies behind this innovative image of the new world? The “chaos”. Isolated people, busy on their screens, digital smiles and digital hugs. Widely spread news, which seem to provide us with million sources of information, but what they really do is hypnotize and manipulate our minds, which are already tired enough from the screen. Now, that we have digital access to any kind of information, that we could not even imagine some years ago, in fact, there is no time to look for it and evaluate it. No time for critical thought at all. Because everything in our daily lives is becoming more and more demanding. Western world majority consists of middle class people, financially speaking, in comparison with the poor conditions under which people used to live during the World Wars or earlier. However, people of today are not happier. The fact that we have a chance to work and live free, does not mean that we have learnt how to grab and enjoy the little moments of happiness. Actually, we are far more distant from happiness, than we used to be in the past.
They teach us that we should feel grateful for having a job, although it may pay low salary and consume more time and effort than it should. And we cannot disobey to anyone. Because they give us what feeds this world: “money”. In the distant past, you could consider someone living happily without earning too much money. Nowadays, this is not possible anymore. The only thing we can still do without money is breath.
In addition to money, we need fame and digital power to achieve anything great. Whoever decides to withdraw from social media and digital life, cannot stand among the crowd anymore. What I am doing right now, is a good example of that! I am promoting my article through my favourite digital platform.
Virtual image and virtual words, however, would be a great step for humanity, were they being used as a spiritual weapon. Do we use the power of new technology to spread virtues like love, compassion, ethics? No. Instead, we use it to promote our impermanent selves and ambitions and at the same time are not able to think that we are being manipulated by the ones who know how to play the game. They feed us with trends and virtual happiness, in order to abstract our minds from the actual cruel reality. Think about it! How much time do you enjoy with the people you love during the week? Which would be the last word you have shared with them, if something happened to you or to them today? Have you really discovered your talents and inclinations? Or does your digital life absorb most of your time? If you really have embraced your skills and talents and you use technology to share them with the world, then you are walking the good path. If you are one of those who have not forgotten to smile, to help, to read books, to think, to create, I could definetely be your most dedicated “follower”.
K. D.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/most-severe-universal-crisis-katerina-dimopoulou/
Katerina Dimopoulou 
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