The largest lesson I’ve learned over these past few years is the importance of self-care. The fact of the matter is that we live in a very stressful, and demanding society. The tremendous workloads, the extensive time, and the energy that we must consistently sacrifice is truly momentous. Humanity is progressing to the point where people do not suffer physically, but mentally. Especially here in the United States, where we possess solidified infrastructure, and extensive trade networks, the simple things in life are mostly taken care of. We have water in our showers, water in our taps, and access to widespread varieties of food.
Of course, there are still people who do not have access to consistent food or shelter here. And there are even countries that are considerably worse off; however, humanity is entering its next phase of evolution. We are no longer foragers, but complex societies with global connectivity. Between the global and local market, we have everything we need to survive. We do not have to strap up with a lithic spear, and projectile point to hunt for our food. We walk into the market and select what we would like to have. With this level of access, our concerns are elsewhere.
The digital age and the era of technology domination only started within the past decade. And now technology controls the landscape. Technology is so prevalent that almost every moment of our day is facilitated, or occupied through the use of tech. People are consistently waiting for the next text message, the next snap, the next new song, the next TV show, the next email, the next Instagram photo opportunity, or whatever else it is. People must realize that everything in life comes presented with a cost attached. The rise of the digital age has been facilitated by our accessibility to basic resources, and although convenient to have such widespread technological access, humanity now suffers from a new set of problems.
Growing up my goal was simply to be to survive in this cutthroat capitalistic economy. The upkeep of digital technology, and the progress of society has no room for meandering. In order to go anywhere, people want to see a college degree, extensive work histories, and a plethora of skills. The upkeep of technology requires such precision, and high levels of education, that the mass of society has to undergo extensive training in order to reach the most basic entry level positions. I graduated high school and found my way to USC.
I knew being at a good college would provide me with a platform to succeed. However, I did not realize how hard, and rigorous my education would be on myself. My first year of college was a rough stage in my life. I felt like I was trapped in a pressure cooker, waiting to blow, with the stress of endless amounts of mentally exhausting work. I became very unhealthy, I became entranced by vices, and spent so much time trying to keep up in school that I forgot to care for myself. The way I envisioned my college experience was nothing like it was turning out to be.
Even in the haze, I was able to do well professionally, and in school, but I was still not healthy. I spent the summer unwinding in a state of deep reminiscence while I performed field work on Catalina Island. I realized I had let the pressure crack me. I may not have suffered physically, like our ancestors who crossed the Bering Strait, but I was facing a new form of sickness in the human psyche. Our society is so demanding, and technological advanced that we often forget the most fundamental pieces of our human experience. Half the stuff we even invest our time into does not even matter.
The digital world is just a blur to the real human experience. Humanity is caught in a digital trance, torn between the pressure of societal expectations, and the lure of technology. The rise in social media is a direct culprit in the misdirection of the human species. People garner for likes, and online social interactions instead of living directly in the present. The generation below me is practically entrapped in the virtual realm. Almost every family I see now is all on their phones. Phones are tools, technologies are tools, but we let them become more than just that.
The repercussions of our highly stressed, and technological run society, is evident in the actions of the people. Mass murder rates are reaching exceptional rates. I receive crime alerts almost every day on campus here at USC. The past week there has seen a potential bomb threat, an on campus stabbing, and other crimes. It is not only crime that is so rampant, but rates of abusive drug, and alcohol usage that are skyrocketing. People cannot cope with the amount that society demands from them, and the introduction of technology had provided an inadequate outlet, and has subconsciously disturbed our species more than people realize. Only time will tell is we are really evolving or just living completely destructive lifestyles.
Humanity faces yet another obstacle in its evolutionary cycle, and it’s up to the people to either continue living this way or to change. That is why we are here after all, to learn, to grown, and to change. Things this semester have been much better for me, I’ve found ways to mitigate the stress, and have started to take care of myself once again. I now live in the present, and not in the screen of a phone or a computer. I care about my work, but do not let school possess and overwhelm me. We have so many things to do now that it is easy to become lost in the workload. Continue to grow, and to take care of yourself, and hey if you are taking finals as I am, don’t let them get the best of you.
