Decluttering the Human Mind of 21st Century

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The Happiness Paradox in Mind

In today’s modern world, life is fast, fascinating and fabulous. However, the last part of living a fabulous life comes with a warning.

People today succumb to the vices of this rapid and engaging life. Dominated by materialism, success measured in monetary achievements, a rapacious social life and wrongs associated with such lifestyle, the notions of success and happiness seems lost.

Nobody stops you from earning, buying fast cars, even booking a space flight, or having a great figure (bank balance and body).

This conundrum is forcing the people today, making them strive to realize the concept of success. The success that we genuinely seek or the success that has been cultivated in the Human Mind. And to be honest, the reality is the more we work towards it, the more these concepts become tricky. 

The Illusory World of Social Media and its impact on Human mind

To make matters worse, the virtual social space is leading people into this illusory land of happiness. Social media has crafted its ugly definition of happiness and success, surprisingly well-accepted as norms of society, especially among the youth. 

Success and happiness nowadays literally translates into something which was previously absent from our daily life. A perfectly carved body, an ever-expanding social circle, trips to the beaches, electrifying dance reels, to name just a few, that everyone miserably aspires for.

For instance, earlier, a good physique symbolized a healthy life. Today having an ideal waist, abs have become the norm for being socially accepted in society. Any other figure that is far from perfect attract body shaming and contempt. 

Engrossed with the trend and standards of today, people tend to forget that beauty is only skin deep, and true mysticism lies in the heart. Everyone is pretty in their own way. It just needs a keen eye of a person to appreciate them.

The Myth of Multitasking

Similarly, digital age work styles like multitasking, having a complete to-do list, being busy all day are becoming more and more desirable. Engaged in the rat race to be better than the other, people tend to forget what it meant to live to reach the zenith of success.

For example, employees are expected to complete multiple tasks quickly, such as answering customer emails and preparing a group presentation for their boss. On top of that, imagine someone who regularly invests in the share market would be juggling between these three tasks.

Sadly, this social phenomenon has started to affect our physical and mental health. In the recent past, many groundbreaking research studies have shown that multitasking depletes enormous energy reserves without forming solid and effective neural pathways.

The Evidence!

Evidence also suggests contrary to the widely accepted notion regarding the benefits of multitasking. Constant preoccupation with one task or another, regardless of its relevance to your goals and objectives, has become so common that doing nothing and consciously observing your thoughts is often considered a social aberration.

These neural channels play an essential role when you memorize a new concept or develop a new skill. Additionally, the corporate world has changed, or possibly compromised, the way they work and the workplaces to pave the way for multitasking.

I believe that while dramatic advances in the technology landscape, especially in the last decade, have allowed us to push the boundaries of science, they have left us surprisingly impatient. For comparison, the Internet’s evolution from 2G to 5G has certainly changed communication. Still, it has reinforced our desire to have almost everything available without waiting.

Obscured Human Mind- the Fog of illusion

Researchers have shown that the average number of hours exposed to e-screens is constantly increasing in a person’s life and skyrocketed in the recent past. Not only the adults, but you could even see young children scrolling down their smartphone screens and endlessly staring at endless “Insta-Reels.”

To explain this by live example, I have seen 1.5 years old kids who can scroll the smartphone, take pictures, watch youtube, make a video call.

However, in the age of computers, all of these children have forgotten to play hide and seek or tag outside, explore insects, watch the sky, and make friends. Instead, they are mature so fast, with parents pushing their kids into competition at such a tender age. It makes me saddened to see their lost childhood.

When was the last time you were outdoors, consciously observing nature? Walking without your wireless companions, eating at your favourite restaurant without creating a Snapchat for your artificial social support system?

Moreover, relaxing and straightforward leisure activities, like aimlessly staring at the sky or the stars, peeking through the window hearing the chirping of birds, are looked down upon in the technological age.

Being Busy the new Trend

Being busy almost every moment is the new normal and a sign of successful life. But, unfortunately, this illusory virtual world has resulted in constant frustration caused by the non-fulfilment of the aspirations, which has created a kind of mental fog.

This mental Fog prevents us from appreciating the everyday gifts that we abysmally take for granted. Realize their significance and value only when deprived of them, with the overall well-being topping the list.

Medical science has demonstrated that when constantly subjected to stress for years, our bodies undergo considerable biological changes in hormonal imbalance, impaired immune system, unusual blood flow rate, increased weight, and many more.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it would be erroneous to demonize the innovations of the 21st century and attribute all undesirable changes to them. Instead, it is all about how we have been connecting through technological tools. It is high time we regain the freedoms and control of our lives that we have unintentionally renounced over these years.

Lots of self-care activities in meditation, regular rest, healthy eating can make a big difference in decluttering the mind. It is time we teach ourselves, our children and the people around us what is illusory and what is real.

By- Kunal Kumar.

Kunal Kumar is the Co-Founder of the international prism. He was previously associated as content curator for lawviapods & is now the editor in chief of the column on Exploring Life in the international prism.
He did his graduation from Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow. In addition to being a fitness fanatic, he is also passionate about swimming, trading in Index options, Futures& Equity Derivatives.

He can be reached at kunal@theinternationalprism.com

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Kunal Kumar

kunal@theinternationalprism.com

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