The Treadmill Of Life
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on
So I really started to exercise this week. I mean I started a few weeks ago, but now I'm really doing it a lot more consistently. I used to hate the treadmill because think about it: if a person from two hundred years ago saw that we were running and walking and going nowhere, they would think we were ridiculous.
The entire premise of the treadmill is that you are moving as fast as you can but getting nowhere. It really is a metaphor for modern life these days. We are moving on a machine that isn't taking us anywhere.
Yet, I would much rather walk outside in the woods. However, it is also freezing in winter and I can't handle that much cold. But I am rather sick of living my entire life with machines. How many machines am I living my life on? I am currently on a machine, writing this very piece, and I have a watch that connects with my phone, that is another two machines.
Most of the day I spend either on the computer, on my phone, on the treadmill, driving a car, or watching T.V. I have a more intimate relationship with these machines than any person in my life. Yet, let's admit it, without the convenience of these machines, our lives would not be so cushiony.
I can write on a machine that automatically corrects my spelling and grammar, and it only takes me minutes to get my thoughts down in clear writing. I can use my phone to communicate with anyone around the entire world. I use my treadmill to keep myself healthy without having to endure the cold weather. I drive a car so I don't have to walk everywhere. And to entertain myself I sit in front of my smart T.V.
But the real question is, what kind of person are these machines turning me into? Two friends of mine recently told me that they cannot concentrate enough to sit through a movie anymore. I think the reason for this is because they are constantly on their phones and their attention span is now as long as a text message.
That scares me, people are not reading anything longer than a text as well. The phone provides the mind with dopamine every time it dings. We get addicted to this high, much like a drug. Then it translates into us desiring a ding, a reward, every few minutes of our lives.
A long movie or book does not give you that reward every five minutes. You have to invest time in these things to eventually get the reward. The reward is in the process of watching or reading. But now our life seems like it is dictated by this notion that every few minutes, we must be entertained with something different and new.
Photo by
on
A new text from a friend, an email, etc. Our life has turned into mini-moments of pleasure where we are chasing after fulfillment on machines that in the end cannot give meaning to our lives. Life has literally become a treadmill where we are pretending to go somewhere, moving really fast, but staying in the exact same place.
We have lost touch with nature, the beauty of trees and the sun. We rarely even look out the window and stare into space anymore. We would rather stare at a machine. Even though these machines make life a lot easier, we need to evaluate our dependence on them.
Yes it's great to text with a friend and even talk on the phone with them, or video chat with them. However, nothing compares to taking a walk with a friend and having a really good, long conversation. How many minutes, or how many hours in a day can you go without having a direct relationship with some machine or another? How long can you disconnect for?
I'm challenging myself here as well. I am just as much a victim of this as anyone else. The only time I truly disconnect from machines is when I'm meditating, and I only do that for half an hour every morning. However, I will admit there is a freedom and pleasure in that half an hour that I would like to translate into my entire day.
I am not doing anything for those thirty minutes except breathing and trying to connect with my soul and the soul of the universe. It has become more and more sacred to do something that does not require a password and a login name.
We need to connect more with nature, with other people, even with animals. Petting an animal can make your blood pressure go down significantly. Typing on a technical device is probably increasing our blood pressure and our heart troubles daily. The world wide web has made it easier to connect with more people, it's true. The entire world has a place where it can connect and communicate.
However, you cannot actually communicate with billions of people in one sitting. Communication is usually the best one on one, or with a few people in a room. Let's get back to sitting on the dock of the bay. We don't need to be on this treadmill all the time. Sometimes it is beneficial to sit it out.
Sometimes the treadmill of life is soul sucking and needs to be replaced with good old living in reality. Touch something, touch someone. Paint something, sing a song, dance, hug a tree. Do anything for a little while that does not involve technology. As much as this new stuff is cool and is the wave of the future. Think about what life was like before all these gadgets.
Take a break from all this noise for a few moments every day. Try to take longer breaks if you can. Life is about living. Are you living, or are you letting a machine live for you?
nina