It's a Good Day to Be Alive

Crazy things are happening around the world. We browse the internet and check our phones, and our feeds are flooded with headlines of seemingly incomprehensible conflicts, disasters, and disagreements. But if we can't relate to those in harms way, or are not being directly affected ourselves, then it's easy to turn our heads and think about other things. We'll simply choose to read about something more entertaining, explainable, and shareable. 

There's no harm in doing this; we consume media for many different reasons, some of which are good for our health. The silliest of content stimulates our creativity, makes us laugh, and even helps us live longer lives. Binge watching six second Vines isn't what's hurting us. The problem is the reason why some of us do this. 

Thinking sociologically

It can be daunting to read about a foreign crisis or governmental policy. We don't have enough time in the day to analyze everything that takes place around the world. Analysis is left to the experts, often for reasons of efficiency and accuracy. But if we don't even listen to what people are discussing, theorizing, and debating, we can fall into the "because" trap.

We've all heard that line: "Things just are the way they are, 'because'". But this is an insufficient answer for social phenomena- a lousy excuse for shutting down our critical, empathetic, and intellectual thinking capacities. If we haven't already, I hope that our generation can consciously begin approaching the news from a sociological perspective- considering the historical, environmental, political, and economic contexts of things in an effort to better understand our world. But perhaps what is even more important is that we place ourselves in other's shoes, and exercise empathy for the people and communities we read about every day.

Live every day like it's your last

Imagine yourself caught in the midst of a civil war. Your house has been obliterated by explosives, your siblings have disappeared, and you've lost your parents to illness and starvation. Or your hometown has been destroyed by a horrific tornado and your life has literally been turned upside down. You're alive, but others are gone. You have more days in your future, but your loved ones aren't so lucky.

It's gut-wrenching to think about tragedy, whether you've already experienced something like it or not. It gives one no pleasure to think about it, but practicing empathy gives us a reference point for evaluating our own lives, and contemplating the future for ourselves and others around us.

If we can live everyday like it's our last, then we can begin to appreciate our lives of ourselves and others on a more meaningful level. Of course, we can't spend every day lounging in paradise, chilling with friends, or eating our favorite food. So by living everyday like it's your last I don't mean YOLO- saying "screw it, nothing matters". What I'm trying to emphasize is that we search for the value in our lives- the reasons behind our actions, the importance and functions of the places we spend our time in, the love we have for our friends and family, and the underlying purpose that fuels our desire to live.

Technology as a means, not an end

It’s said that millennials treasure the value in things, but isn't it hard to do this when we’re always absorbed in our phones? We’re addicted to the rapid income of information. Some of it is baseless, and much of it is superficial. Media can easily cloud our ability to think deeply about a subject, or contemplate and discuss the significance of the events that are taking place worldwide.

So here and there, let's take a moment to disconnect from the rapidity of it all. Let's contemplate our own existence on this planet, and try to find the deeper meaning that underlies every single part of our lives: the food, the drink, the company, the friends, the events, the pleasures, the pains, and the good and bad times that we all have.

I challenge you to explore the underlying reasons of events, the origins of your feelings, and the ties of your relationships. Once we do this, we'll be able to authentically craft and articulate our life stories. Let's not live to share our lives on social media, let's live, and then share if we feel we must.

Striking a balance with technology

Despite talk of declining life satisfaction in our country, and abroad, technology has actually made life immensely easier and counteracts many of the economic woes we face. It's enhancing our quality of life beyond monetary and psychological measures. Not everyone has access to these technologies, but companies like Google and SpaceX are bringing them to the masses, and we can predict that the benefits will spread to a greater portion of our globe. Technology can't be shunned altogether, as it also connects us in unprecedented and wonderful ways. But, too much of anything can be bad, and we must make sure it doesn't devalue other aspects of our lives. 

If we realize that today is a good day to be alive, we will be able to strike that balance between technology use and traditional 'real-life' experiences. We’ll be able to not merely just see and hear about things that are happening around the world, but to have the presence of mind to think about their causes, effects, and implications. 

By examining our privileges, our disadvantages, our environment, and the effects we have on our peers, we'll be able to connect with people and ourselves, in deeper, more meaningful ways. Although we experience different emotions and activities and exhibit different cultures on this planet, we're all products of a shared human essence. Let’s tap into that thread that links us all together - that collective human strand - and find the meaning, passion, and importance in everything we do. Today is a good day to be alive.

by Charlie Stephens

Images via Unsplash