The incomprehensible choice of becoming a passive human being

I am having a lot of difficulty trying to understand why more and more people are choosing to opt out of direct interaction with the environment and with the elements. In order to clarify what I mean , I am providing some examples below.

Excitement at the prospect of the driverless car; driverless ship, etc

This is one example where I find it hard to understand why one would prefer to sit passively rather than take control. For me, it is not just about cars. It is more about the unwillingness to participate directly in the environment/individual interface. It does not stop at the car. I feel that those people who dream of being able to sit at the back of a self-drive car with their iPad will also be those who would not be interested in controlling their surroundings or engaging in sports.

If you drive, ski ,ride, windsurf,walk, run, fly and so on, you are in direct interaction with the surroundings. You steer right , left , up down . This is so crucial to maintain this relationship with the environment. Although I am pleased that many engage in something or other, I believe that there is an overwhelming majority that do not engage in anything; even the short walk to catch a bus or get on the train is despised.

The satnav

People have become so dependent on it that their natural global position system is now redundant. Take away the Sat Nav and they cannot go from A to B.

Individually-sourced ideas have been replaced by Herd mentality and herd thinking processes.

No need to elaborate here. I give you Facebook, Twitter, Reality TV and so on. People are told what to think. Thinking outside the perimeter is taboo for them. In my working environment , it is very sad to see that younger recruits are scared of showing who they are. Instead of having an office consisting of individuals , we have a herd that thinks and talks the same way and have the same collective opinion.

Seeking justifications from outside rather than from within

A look at ATS posts generally indicates that many individuals are being greatly influenced by Youtube clips these clips are so convincing to them that they feel the need need to immediately post what they see as a gem of information.

Whilst I do read books and watch documentaries, it is always with a pinch of salt; only agreeing with what resonates with my inner feeings. But it would appear that it is not so for others.

A recent example is th EU referendum in the UK. I was surprised by the number of "undecided" people who needed to be convinced by one side or another. They did not seem to be capable of making their own decision. Some even suggested that the electorate was incapable of making such a decision; "why is the government asking us, they said"

Avoiding walking at all costs. 5 typical scenarios

1)Ordering groceries to be home-delivered on a regular basis even though the supermarket is only a few minutes away.
2)Using mobility scooters just because you have hit 65 and not because you have difficulty walking.
3)Parking you car in the middle of the road with hazard lights flashing so that you (in your mid twenties) can hop to the shop and back without having to walk too much.
4)Parking in disabled parking space of supermarkets or fast-food joints just because you are too lazy to walk. Alternatively , parking in front of supermarket main front door (in the restricted area) and leaving hubby or mom in the car in case told to move off.

Cooking
Both my wife and I like cooking and we take turns to cook. Nowadays , people opt for easy cookking (such as ready-cooked food that you just put in the oven and heat up). I could never understand why Estate Agents see the open plan kitchen as a benefit. To me, it means no serious cooking. How could anybody do serious cooking in an open plan kitchen/dining room. Even if you were to cook before your guests
come in , the whole place would smell as a kitchen (despite the extractors). For me, kitchens should be a separate room with own door and windows inside. I detect a lack of interest in cooking nowadays. This again is symptomatic to a lack of participation in the living game.

Please do not get me wrong. In my student days , there was limited space to cook in my digs and I am not criticising those who do not cook because of lack of facilities. I am referring to those who deliberately choose the option of an openplan kitchen.

I could go on and on giving examples but I think you should now have the gist of what I am trying to explain.

REASONS WHY WE MUST INTERACT WITH ENVIRONMENT AND WITH THE ELEMENTS.

As a keen adventurer, I have experienced the ecstasy of feeling the force of the wind and taming it (through windsurfing). I have felt the motherly embrace of the ocean when swimming in the sea and diving without equipment to touch the seabed. I have climbed mountains and done bush walks and felt the intimacy with earth; an intimacy which goes a long way to explain the mechanics that stops the rock climber, tight rope walker or urban tower scaler from falling . I have basked in the warmth of a camp fires throughout my younger years when everybody could light one on a beach. I felt the invigorating force of the fire element. I am sure that other adventurers (even modest ones) , just like myself, choose to get directly involved in most things rather than remain passive.

I believe that when you continue to interact with the environment, you are constantly stimulating all the parts within and without (Physical, mental and psychic). The interaction maintains the interface between the microcosm and macrocosm. It also keeps you healthy in mind , spirit and body and reasserts you connection with your surroundings and ability to change it with strong will power

In a nutshell, passivity leads to the loss of influence on the environment. Many may not agree with this but IMHO this is the case.

If the world continues as it is , there will be a tiny percentage who will still be able to steer their lives and achieve a reasonable degree of control over their lives. The rest ( an overwhelming majority ) will just exists ; with very modest,if any, impact on their surroundings. They may carry on clicking the buttons on their gadgets but it will not bring any positive changes to their lives.

Finally, there is a misconception about time. People think that if they do things quicker (by being passive and letting a machine do it instead) they gain time . This is a fallacy. Time moves faster when you move faster. Technology has
in fact made time fly. Time is like a shadow; if you run it runs with you and you do not leave it behind.

a reply to: crowdedskies

Driverless cars may not necessarily affect everyone in a passive manner, for instance, for some "time is money" so freeing oneself from hands-on driving, frees oneself to work via technology.

I agree with you on the hands-off cooking trend, but for some entrepreneurial spirits that offers hands-on cooking business opportunities for the take-out, ready-prepared food crowds. Also, eating raw is fast and easy too.

I still do not see the ski hills nor the walking trails devoid of people at any time in my many decades of observing, There are those that can, and those that can't. This will always be.

a reply to: crowdedskies

Please do not get me wrong. In my student days , there was limited space to cook in my digs and I am not criticising those who do not cook because of lack of facilities. I am referring to those who deliberately choose the option of an openplan kitchen.

Depends how you feel about cooking in the open. It means accepting more visible mess, but the the open plan lets you see what's going on in the living room, whether it's keeping an eye on the kids, the pets, conversing with guests as you're cooking, or to be able to see the tv.
I cook, and I hate being isolated in the kitchen behind walls.
I think people are also starting to realize that avoiding walking means poor health and an early death.
We need to be outdoors lots, I agree with all that. Being indoors too much isn't healthy.

the automat was rolled out in the 1920's

its just another way to sell something for a profit

I believe that when you continue to interact with the environment, you are constantly stimulating all the parts within and without (Physical, mental and psychic). The interaction maintains the interface between the microcosm and macrocosm. It also keeps you healthy in mind , spirit and body and reasserts you connection with your surroundings and ability to change it with strong will power

Well said.


They use the subconscious prepositions to turn humans what they are not - zombies. And they are pretty well doing it, I admit. Divide and Conquer strategy. Divide the soul from the gross matter and you have it - dominion over humanity. Daily interaction with things does exactly the opposite - basic TCM* idea, old as the world itself.



*TCM = Traditional Chinese Medicine

originally posted by: InTheLight

Driverless cars may not necessarily affect everyone in a passive manner, for instance, for some "time is money" so freeing oneself from hands-on driving, frees oneself to work via technology.

Agree with that. When writing the OP, I had already considered that the busy entrepreneur , by virtue of his/her focus in life, would not have fallen into the category of being passive.

I agree with you on the hands-off cooking trend, but for some entrepreneurial spirits that offers hands-on cooking business opportunities for the take-out, ready-prepared food crowds. Also, eating raw is fast and easy too.

But this causes the food chain to be overactive - possibly resulting in waste. Consider the case of flowers that are over-traded (from flower shop to mobile flower sellers on the road and not to forget supermarkets). How many flowers end up never being bought.

I still do not see the ski hills nor the walking trails devoid of people at any time in my many decades of observing, There are those that can, and those that can't. This will always be.

I would also expect the ski hill to remain full. However, you only see the one who are interested which represent a small minority of the population at large. What about the invisible non-skier. You should also take into account people who seek a thrill once every couple of years rather than as a way of life.

originally posted by: snowspirit
a reply to: crowdedskies

Please do not get me wrong. In my student days , there was limited space to cook in my digs and I am not criticising those who do not cook because of lack of facilities. I am referring to those who deliberately choose the option of an openplan kitchen.

Depends how you feel about cooking in the open. It means accepting more visible mess, but the the open plan lets you see what's going on in the living room, whether it's keeping an eye on the kids, the pets, conversing with guests as you're cooking, or to be able to see the tv.
I cook, and I hate being isolated in the kitchen behind walls.
I think people are also starting to realize that avoiding walking means poor health and an early death.
We need to be outdoors lots, I agree with all that. Being indoors too much isn't healthy.

I may have gone too far here. You are right and there are practical reasons for the open plan. I should not have included that as an example just because I like the separate kitchen

a reply to: crowdedskies

Hmmmm.... i dont think you have to look past the example of 'death', to realize that 'becoming' a passive human being is an inevitability not an option!

a reply to: snowspirit

I solved the cook-isolation problem by insisting everyone take on a task in the kitchen to help, so now we all bump into each other, but I'd rather play bumper cars than go on strike and become passive. I seem to be able to find solutions...now to get adjustable stand-up work stations for everyone at work.

Some like to fish and know how, others that don't either learn, steal or find ways to make others fish for them. If someone likes to garden and another likes to fish, neither would have to learn both skills as long as they can maintain that reliance.

The farther people like away from each other, the more dependent on ourselves we must be. The larger and more complex society becomes, the more active roles are created and less of a need to learn all skills necessary to facilitate one's own survival.

It'll be a sad day when the lights go out and all hell breaks loose. Our reliance on a system that exists beyond our control guarantees that we are not in control of ourselves.

a reply to: crowdedskies

Great OP.

I don't understand the consumer's desire for the self-driving automobiles except to say that perhaps its the case that so many now live in these sprawling mega-city type regions where the act of driving has become near pointless because of congestion.

The bad thing about this of course is that TPTB will embrace the technology and soon consumers will be left with no choice except a self-driving automobile.

Hopefully I'll be dead by then.

originally posted by: TonyS


The bad thing about this of course is that TPTB will embrace the technology and soon consumers will be left with no choice except a self-driving automobile.

Hopefully I'll be dead by then.

TPTB will indeed try to impose. Even easier to monitor your moves than with ANPR (Automatic number plate recognition).

And I'll be gone by then too or will be living in some remote location.

a reply to: crowdedskies

Already done the remote location thing.

And the cities, we avoid like the plague.