Smartphone! - Apps! - SocialMedia! - Mortgage! - Car! - NewCar! - Credit! - Gadgets! - Connections! - Banks! - Stuff! - Downloads! - Taxes! - Friending! - Prestige! - Insurance! - Shopping! - LookAtMe! - Numbers! - GrandeMochaSkinnyNoWhip! - RealityTV! - Rules! - MoreStuff! - Pedicures! - Diets! - Membership! - MassMedia! - Brainwashed! - Individuality! - Time! - Affiliations! - Insurance! - WorkEthic! - Workout! - ImportantPeople! - MoreConnections! - MoreStuff! - Politics! - NewSmartphone! - Entitlement! - NewerGadgets! - Restaurants! - FastFood! - NoTime! - Elections! - Fees! - SuperMegaEverythingStores! - Superficiality! - Food! - DecisionMakers! - Crowds! - Lemmings! - MoreInsurance! - Gloss! - Events! - HighFructoseCornSyrup! - MoreStuff! - TaxesAndFees! - Shackles!
From a perspective on high we must look like Brad Pitt at his most frenetic in the 1996 film "Twelve Monkeys", bouncing and scurrying and jumping through artificial hoops. This week I am tired and discouraged and embarrassed by this trained poodle persona I have been forced to play. But, I have gained a slightly different perspective (once again) on that ever-changing concept of reality. I am calm (at the moment) and recognize the peace gained through acceptance. I am realistic in that I am unhappy (small 'h') about the current situation, but I am at peace knowing I have contributed mostly 'good and positive' to the situation, and the 'unhappy' circumstances are beyond my control. With open eyes I recognize the current reality, and because I do, I feel closer to Happiness (big 'H'). I did not search for Happiness, yet it is nearby.
When I say 'the insanity of happiness' (small 'h') I am not referring to the circumstantial necessity of 'happathy' (see the previous post on happathy) or the legitimate 'joy' of life; I am referring to chronic, long-term impaired contact with reality; (which unsurprisingly also serves as a definition for psychosis). I think on an individual person-by-person basis it would be difficult to pinpoint specific symptoms, but looking at society as a single, massive organism, it is very easy to observe the insanity.
My newfound perspective (which is already influencing decisions) involves a two-pronged initiative - simplify and disconnect. I am finding a synergistic relationship between the two, especially when the focus is first on 'disconnect'.
To simplify one must reduce unnecessary complications; the key word is unnecessary. This may seem to contradict 'Recipe for Happiness' which encourages complexity, but for our purposes 'complexity' adds meaning whereas 'complications' detract from meaning and/or add confusion.
To disconnect one must eliminate unnecessary communications. The challenge is determining 'unnecessary'. Many of us think that every one of the hundreds of daily communications we receive, in all their incarnations, are absolutely necessary. I am finding I can live without a large majority of them.
Some would say the system is broken beyond repair; others would say the system works just fine; still others would vacillate and dissect; and some would say "what system?"
From my current, unbiased, even-handed, open-minded, impartial, fair, clinically objective perch, I would say insanity prevails.
Ask me again next week.