Evaluating what is 'real' requires various forms of extrasensory perception these days. One event after another occurs where I can't help but think to myself... was that REAL? Cutting through the bullshit in life used to be accomplished with a trusted machete, but nowadays you need multiple chainsaws. The compounded lies and deceit billowing out from the media now funnels down through society like a downpour of deception unlike anything we have ever witnessed. As much as everyone seems to be 'aware' of this phenomena, there are few people actually doing anything about it.
I'm not sure if it's because people have lost hope, or they're completely overwhelmed with information, or they have simply become complacent out of fear? Regardless, to be ruled by doubt and to not have any concept of reality is hardly the way for a healthy society to survive and thrive. Not many instances bring this to light as well as this scene below from Mr. Robot, Season One (Episode 10) where Mr. Robot himself lays it all out for Elliot to ponder...
Is any of it real? I mean, look at this, look at it!
A world built on fantasy!
Synthetic emotions in the form of pills!
Psychological warfare in the form of advertising!
Mind altering chemicals in the form of food!
Brainwashing seminars in the form of media!
Controlled isolated bubbles in the form of social networks.
Real? You want to talk about reality?
We haven't lived in anything remotely close to it since the turn of the century!
We turned it off, took out the batteries, snacked on a bag of GMOs, while we tossed the remnants into the ever expanding dumpster of the human condition.
We live in branded houses, trademarked by corporations, built on bipolar numbers, jumping up and down on digital displays, hypnotizing us into the biggest slumber mankind has ever seen.
You'd have to dig pretty deep, kiddo, before you can find anything real.
We live in a kingdom of bullshit, that even you have lived in for far too long.
So don't tell me about not being real: I'm no less real than the fucking beef patty in your big mac.
So, how do we repair the "ever expanding dumpster of the human condition?" There needs to be a new form of TRUST available to the public at large and we need new tools to be able to assess truth from fiction, good from bad. Honesty must become a commodity that everyone aspires to possess. The corrupt must become accountable and atone for their betrayals. But how do we make that happen? You used to be able to look somebody in the eye to assess whether they were telling the truth and you could almost feel their discomfort while they blatantly fed you lies. But it's hard to look into the eye of the internet for example, therefore we need to create a new 'reality roadmap' moving forward as well as some common sense modalities to follow on a daily basis.
For starters, I would recommend turning OFF all forms of mass media and occasionally indulge in trusted forms of news coverage that are known for their fact checking and integrity. I would refrain from watching any television shows as well which are created solely to distract your attention. Any form of distracting yourself from reality should no longer be how you spend your spare time... that is a luxury both you and society can ill afford. We must all begin to actively engage with life, meet conflict head-on and cease hiding in the shadows while the world crumbles around us. I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to avoiding the idiocracy of society, but I am making conscious efforts to voice my opinions where they matter, to call bullshit as I see it, and to decapitate corruption when it rears it's ugly head. That is not to say that anyone should waste their time trying to 'save the blind and ignorant'... some people are so entrenched in mass deception that they are a hopeless cause and should therefore be left alone to their false fantasies.
We must also take a serious look at everything we consume throughout our day and throughout our lives. Whether we are 'medicating' ourselves, eating foods that make us sluggish, drinking water that is contaminated, or breathing air that is full of particulates, we must become fully AWARE of everything that is going into our bodies. As I get older, this task has become increasingly important. I find myself looking at the labels of everything, I placed filters on all my water taps, and I am learning as much as possible about sustainable organic agriculture.
What you consume into your body is one thing, but to truly make a difference in society, we must take stock in EVERYTHING consumed because let's face it, everything we consume comes at the expense of something (or someone) else. I have talked before about the evils of materialism and there is no doubt in my mind that many of the worlds injustices come at the expense of our addiction to material goods. For those of you bitching about an unjust world, stop and think about what good it is that YOU yourself are creating AND compare that to what you are consuming/annihilating. Maybe set some goals for yourself in regards to your consumption and do your research before buying ANYTHING. Complaining about poverty in Africa while wearing a giant Blood Diamond on your finger is the kind of behavior that demands a reality check.
More than anything though, we must DIG DEEP inside ourselves and take stock in what we stand for and how much integrity we have as individuals. Am I a trustworthy person? Am I fair and just? Do I care about anything other than myself? Do I have the ability to dream? Do people love me? If you answered NO to most of these questions, you may as well just fade-the-fuck-out right now...
