I've always been told to be careful of what I wish for.
Recently, I've been dreaming that the world ended. I don't mean a nightmare that one wakes up to drenched in cold sweat. I've caught myself daydreaming about an apocalypse. A time when humans (those that survived) returned to more simpler but more difficult time.
It really could be anything -- zombies, World War III, plague... As long as the result is the disappearance of 99.9% of the earth's population. People struggling to find resources, turning on each other and finally coming together to build a better community.
I'm not writing an adventure story, sorry. What I'm trying to figure out is why I started to long for such a disaster. Despite the chronology, the following should be treated more like a memoir than anything.
My first memory of wishing for an apocalypse was in high school. I was often made fun of for being a bit too outdoorsy and having different hobbies like fishing and mushroom picking. During those days, I hoped for a disaster so that they could all suffer and I could be all right. Of course, that was merely the angst of an unconventional teenager. I didn't take those wishes seriously, and in that context, I still don't. I wouldn't want anyone to suffer, a quick death for all those losers (did you really think Part of the Plague wouldn't be beastly for once?).
The real reason for my dream is much more frightening. Look around our modern society. What do you see? I'll tell you what I see.
I see masses of connected people. Everyone has a smart phone these days. I see people waking up and grabbing their phones to see if there are any new notification. I see people craving notifications, so much they will imagine their phone vibrated in class. I see people picking up their phones during a date. I see people sitting alone in class; they are not alone, they have their phones.
I see companies fervently competing for a little portion of our attention. I see annoying ads that nobody seems to notice anymore. They are simply there. In places you thought you'd never see them. There are now ads embedded in the start menu of your personal computer. There are ads on Duolingo, a free service that used to pride itself on being totally free. It still does, but looking at ads is a cost. Dear Duolingo, you are no longer free. I see a 30 second advertisement before watching a minute long video.
I see people stuffing their faces with pseudo-food. I see people choosing McDonald's instead of bringing a lunch to school to save a few minutes (I can only wonder what they do with all of that free time). I see grown people unable to cook. I see people not willing to try new food because it looks too exotic. I see students drinking 5 cups of coffee because they were up all night doing God knows what.
I see people enrolled in classes they don't like, studying for a career they don't want that society definitely doesn't need. I see people with a desire for money and free time, but that don't know what to do of them. I see people without any hobbies or interests. I see people watching television instead than spending time with their loved ones. I see people studying or working so hard they forget the biggest joys in life come from leisure and relaxation.
I see people that no longer think. I see non-curious people. I see people preferring the bright light of their phones at night to the beauty of stars. I see mentally and physically weak humans. I see people uncomfortable at the idea of camping. I see people that would rather spend 200$ on a hotel than sleep in a tent for free.
I see technology that becomes obsolete after 3 years, with a repair that costs more than a new device. I see plastic packaging that saves costs to the companies but obliterates the environment we live in. I see the selfishness of capitalism...
The real reason I dream of a horrible end to mankind is because I see myself.
Now back to my dream. After the wave of disaster, a new order settles in.
People no longer have phones. They have ridden themselves of this disease. Only important long distance communication is made by radio. After struggling for survival long enough people have learned the value of communication, friendship and cooperation. The attention spawn of a human being is now one of a human being, not a goldfish.
Advertisements and corporations no longer exist. Those that are selfish have not survived the disaster. Cooperation and friendship is taught to children. Services are shared, according to needs.
People eat what they can find, grow or kill. No prepackaged foods. Everyone knows how to cook. Food knowledge is shared among the various newly formed communities.
People are doing what they have to in order to ensure their survival and the survival of their loved ones. People are picking up hobbies. People that care about each other communicate and spend time together.
Humans are curious once again. They look at the stars and wonder about death, life and their place in the universe. People are strengthened by the losses. They do not fear the wilderness for they have become once again the apex predators.
People invent things that last. There are no ideologies other than that in which we are one with nature.
A man can dream, or a man can act...
...to be continued.
Recently, I've been dreaming that the world ended. I don't mean a nightmare that one wakes up to drenched in cold sweat. I've caught myself daydreaming about an apocalypse. A time when humans (those that survived) returned to more simpler but more difficult time.
It really could be anything -- zombies, World War III, plague... As long as the result is the disappearance of 99.9% of the earth's population. People struggling to find resources, turning on each other and finally coming together to build a better community.
I'm not writing an adventure story, sorry. What I'm trying to figure out is why I started to long for such a disaster. Despite the chronology, the following should be treated more like a memoir than anything.
My first memory of wishing for an apocalypse was in high school. I was often made fun of for being a bit too outdoorsy and having different hobbies like fishing and mushroom picking. During those days, I hoped for a disaster so that they could all suffer and I could be all right. Of course, that was merely the angst of an unconventional teenager. I didn't take those wishes seriously, and in that context, I still don't. I wouldn't want anyone to suffer, a quick death for all those losers (did you really think Part of the Plague wouldn't be beastly for once?).
The real reason for my dream is much more frightening. Look around our modern society. What do you see? I'll tell you what I see.
I see masses of connected people. Everyone has a smart phone these days. I see people waking up and grabbing their phones to see if there are any new notification. I see people craving notifications, so much they will imagine their phone vibrated in class. I see people picking up their phones during a date. I see people sitting alone in class; they are not alone, they have their phones.
I see companies fervently competing for a little portion of our attention. I see annoying ads that nobody seems to notice anymore. They are simply there. In places you thought you'd never see them. There are now ads embedded in the start menu of your personal computer. There are ads on Duolingo, a free service that used to pride itself on being totally free. It still does, but looking at ads is a cost. Dear Duolingo, you are no longer free. I see a 30 second advertisement before watching a minute long video.
I see people stuffing their faces with pseudo-food. I see people choosing McDonald's instead of bringing a lunch to school to save a few minutes (I can only wonder what they do with all of that free time). I see grown people unable to cook. I see people not willing to try new food because it looks too exotic. I see students drinking 5 cups of coffee because they were up all night doing God knows what.
I see people enrolled in classes they don't like, studying for a career they don't want that society definitely doesn't need. I see people with a desire for money and free time, but that don't know what to do of them. I see people without any hobbies or interests. I see people watching television instead than spending time with their loved ones. I see people studying or working so hard they forget the biggest joys in life come from leisure and relaxation.
I see people that no longer think. I see non-curious people. I see people preferring the bright light of their phones at night to the beauty of stars. I see mentally and physically weak humans. I see people uncomfortable at the idea of camping. I see people that would rather spend 200$ on a hotel than sleep in a tent for free.
I see technology that becomes obsolete after 3 years, with a repair that costs more than a new device. I see plastic packaging that saves costs to the companies but obliterates the environment we live in. I see the selfishness of capitalism...
The real reason I dream of a horrible end to mankind is because I see myself.
Now back to my dream. After the wave of disaster, a new order settles in.
People no longer have phones. They have ridden themselves of this disease. Only important long distance communication is made by radio. After struggling for survival long enough people have learned the value of communication, friendship and cooperation. The attention spawn of a human being is now one of a human being, not a goldfish.
Advertisements and corporations no longer exist. Those that are selfish have not survived the disaster. Cooperation and friendship is taught to children. Services are shared, according to needs.
People eat what they can find, grow or kill. No prepackaged foods. Everyone knows how to cook. Food knowledge is shared among the various newly formed communities.
People are doing what they have to in order to ensure their survival and the survival of their loved ones. People are picking up hobbies. People that care about each other communicate and spend time together.
Humans are curious once again. They look at the stars and wonder about death, life and their place in the universe. People are strengthened by the losses. They do not fear the wilderness for they have become once again the apex predators.
People invent things that last. There are no ideologies other than that in which we are one with nature.
A man can dream, or a man can act...
...to be continued.
