With the continuing advent of advanced technology and the creation and proliferation of perspectives peddled using specially manufactured imagery and associated messaging it certainly can be a challenge to discern what is real – how do we know what and who we can trust?
To understand the world around us and to move within it with a modicum of skill and certainty we must learn how to be discerning. What is this and how do you be it? To be discerning is to trust your own internal gauge, a sense a feeling a knowing of something that indicates truth for you – whether that be a person, a situation, what is being told to you, a possible threat and more.
It appears to me that every fabric of our lives is seemingly now underpinned with things that aren’t factually true, or real. Look at the advertising and marketing of drinks, foods, art (photography)/design, beauty and more – we see images and words with the intention to sell that lack credibility or even ‘realdom’ (my word!). As individuals we willingly participate in this by giving up our independent thought for interdependent ease. Our mindless entertainment is fraught with it – I recall seeing pictures of pets as part of a montage and visual stimulant about cats that ‘get into difficult spaces’ on Facebook – one cat was inside of a Pringles container – of which had to be ‘staged’…why is it that we need to tell porkies just for a ‘click’.
As a world, I believe we have lost our substance as we continue to allow ourselves to be led into a fake world with a focus on standing out and being seen in the world, as – beautiful, rich, successful. It’s time we disconnected from the mainstream so that we can discern what is most important to us so that we can have the best opportunity for personal, independent success and happiness.