Distractions

There are just so many things in life that are competing for our attention these days...and perhaps maybe not just "these days", but that there have always been a myriad of voices crying out but only those with enough time on their hands have been able to hear them.

It is interesting to note that in third world nations where life is the toughest the suicide rates are very low. People struggling just to survive haven't the time to consider whether or not their quality of life is worthy of "continuing the battle". They're happy just to survive and despite their struggles they find moments of great joy, reasons to celebrate, reasons to encourage one another, while those of affluence are willing to surrender themselves to the grave if that GPA fails to get them into the right school, or the perceived "soul mate" just doesn't feel the same way about "Neverending Love".

It's really all a matter of expectations. And the voices that speak expectation to us are relentless in their quest to motivate us towards glut and indulgence (having only the best things all the time).

Art, fashion, sport...entertainment in general, good stuff to be sure, but we have elevated these things to a place that would allow us to exploit people and cultures, nations and children, building up and breaking down all to the sound of the currency flow...no one is safe from the monster this has all become.

It really is a beast.

And the noise has only gotten louder with the growth of our interconnectedness. Our ability to see into the world of everyone, often without enough filters I'm afraid, is actually breaking down the cohesiveness of societies because everything becomes about the individual.

We have developed the craft of playing on expectations and emotion so well that we are able to tap into some of humanity's most basic longings and needs and manipulate the vulnerable indiscriminately, generally with very little consideration of the cost.

In places with a limited dating pool and uncertain resources people tend to get over the whole "soul mate" thing rather quickly. And while its wonderful to have choices the problem here is the notion that amidst all those choices resides lasting solutions for what are ultimately periphery issues actually blocking the path to fulfilling what the really needs are, love, peace, joy, hope...

Those deeper inner needs all stem from a situation that we are unable to purchase, engineer or argue our way past. A condition that we all suffer from universally; that we were created as the objects of God's affection, to love and be loved by and through Him, and to demonstrate this love in our honest and sincere affection for one another.