The world today is more advanced, technological, and efficient than in any time in history. In almost every aspect from transportation and communication to medicine, we have witnessed how the world has gotten more safe, convenient, and accessible which is mostly thanks to the rise of scientific thinking.
Since the creation of the scientific method and the rise of movements emphasizing rationality and efficiency, society has turned its focus away from all the incalculable and vague things like religion and virtuosity and instead focused on math, science, and technology.
This type of revolutionary thinking has turned most people into efficient work-centered machines, All of a sudden everyone’s purpose was to be as rational and efficient as possible so that we can do our jobs well and produce as much as possible but with all great reforms and gains we have made there are consequential trade-offs.
Why is it that we live in an era with the most access to technology and information both of which can make us better and nobler than any of our ancestors yet crime is still increasing, racism and hate propaganda is still an issue and that is despite all the new information that we have today.
I am by no means justifying the horrible crimes of people from the past generations but what I am saying is that if they knew what we know right now, they probably wouldn’t have been as hateful and prejudiced as they were.
So what’s the problem? I believe the problem is that people today are too focused and too reliant on data, results, and numbers for solution to problems (all of which are measurable) and we have turned our backs on the things that make us human.
Acts like Love, Compassion, Equanimity, Joy are irrational true but they are what makes us human, these “immeasurable” acts that the Buddhists have been preaching for long have been the reason that we have gotten so far as a species and for us to survive and face the brave new world that’s filled with unknown dangers and threats.
We must come back to our roots, we must relearn the things that make us human and connects us to all the other things in nature.
the immeasurable acts of simple kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity may be the remedy to the surplus of depression and lack of compassion that has plagued the modern age.
I would like to conclude with the very wise words of Jacqueline Novogratz
“Sometimes the most important things that we do are things we cannot measure”
This post was written by: Mario Emmanuel T. Bonleon III
IG: @mebonleon3
FB: Mario Emmanuel T. Bonleon III