Are You Feeling Groovy?

Life in our modern world can be extremely stressful and soul destroying. Economic inflation makes life difficult for the average person; privatization of companies distances the employees from their invisible shareholders and the speed at which we have to process information has grown enormously in comparison to the snail passed communication forms of our forefathers. And these are only the crumbs of the giant cookie constantly pecking at the withering nerve ends of an already disillusioned populace.

The bombardment of marketing campaigns encouraging us to express our individuality through mass produced products further isolates us from each other. The friendly smile of the local grocer has been replaced by the sickening grimace of the homogenized plastic packed multinational giants.

Fear has become the power tool used to inhibit social revolution. Fear of being too fat or not getting enough vitamins. Fear of being alone or fear of losing ones possessions. Decisions have to be quick if one is to avoid being swept away with yesterday's popularity.

News decays rapidly and must be constantly replaced with newer news to keep us on our toes. What was crucially important an hour ago has lost all relevance. We are not allowed to digest this meal before being force fed the latest episode of an ever changing chaotic buffet. Advertising billboards change like a deck of shuffling playing cards further adding to the confusion. Printed media splurges out headlines at an atomic rate and our children are like obese zombified cyborgs springing from internet to mobile phone to ipod plug-in appendages.

Basic survival skills such as cooking or woodwork are no longer of interest to our youth. Teen role models take drugs, escape justice and make fortunes selling their stories to sleazy tabloids. Hardly surprising, when they see their parents slave for a minimal wage and retire as withered wrecks.

Our living planet has become a dying cancerous hollowed hole as we observe powerless against the wealthy corporate machine of destruction. Indifference protects us from hellish guilt and ego justifies our pretend wannabe lifestyles.

Creating diversions can lead to a false sense of security but real hope and constructive peaceful objection on a mass scale is the only thing that will lead to change. Hope and appreciation of what we really have can bring true inner peace.

Change of perspective from achieving media manipulated desires to appreciating our loved ones is a giant step towards change. Like the humble butterfly we must flap our small wings and create a powerful tsunami of events to occur. Nothing comes of nothing. Giving up through despair is not the answer. There is always a solution. Nature is living proof of this. Our misguided knowledge that we control the Earth and can buy security is naive.

Our universe has existed long before us and will continue to exist with or without us. It is NEVER too late to change and sharing something positive or trusting each other can open our lives to new hope and regeneration. Say hello to a stranger or smile at someone you don't know. We create our own barriers but maybe it's time to start breaking them down. You WILL be astounded at the responses you will receive. People are good. All children are LOVE. It's society that makes some of them into monsters. Let's unlearn the bad habits used to control us and start to reverse the wave of destruction caused by the wrong turn we took as a civilization.

Nigel Nix has been living and working in Germany for 7 years. He is an avid scrabble player. He wants to make a positive change on the planet. You can help him by visiting the link below.

Feeling Groovy