I Can’t Believe You Were the Fastest…!

We humans are an amalgam of characters… some might even say we represent the “flotsam and Jetsam” of the unknown zygotic universe.

Harsh thought? Maybe… then again, maybe not. Perhaps today I am being influenced by a bad flu aftermath; my head not wanting to accept much in the way of explanations or of softening elements to what I see and feel.

Earlier today, still feeling a bit sorry for myself and my own personal health state, I was lying down (seems I have done a lot of this lately) and watching one of my favorite channels: Discovery Channel. The show was about some of the tribal civilizations which still inhabit the Nile River Valley, as well as other parts of the desert in Egypt. My attention was fixed totally on this story. Customs and habits which form a culture that has withstood the test of time and which still, other than the occasional motor vehicle, goes on as it has for millennia.  Truly fascinating viewing and learning.

As one sees this unfold, albeit in a documentary, there are moments of sheer lack of understanding… Oh My God! They are still living in the 7^th century… how poor!... how miserable must they be!... imagine… no cars, no air conditioned comfort, no supermarkets, no FaceBook, no Twitter, no…. whatever… Then, little by little, it begins to dawn on this viewer that they don’t miss any of these wonders of modern living. They go on in their universe, living, eating, working and, in general, carrying on with a lot less stress than we carry on within our own universe.

I started to mentally compare the lifestyles of each universe. On the one hand, the one I have come to know and –at times- grudgingly accept. On the other hand, a universe lacking in the aforementioned comforts and modern conveniences, but which provides its denizens with a reliable day to day living, low stress factor, and where family life still is the center of each nuclear grouping.  Who gives up more?

We give up a degree of individuality and privacy; we give up the ability to survive without the constant humming of the electric power grids, the sounds of the car engines which announce they are ready to carry us from here to there and back. We become used to ingesting chemicals which are needed to have the food we buy look good after too long a time since harvest or gathering or, in the case of animals, their butchering. And in doing this, we harbor new and ever more impacting illnesses.

We give up part of our inner core of who we are, so that this can be shared –whether we wish it to be or not- with others within that other universe of our creation, the virtual one. Along with these, we may also be giving up the right to shape our future, since decisions which are incumbent to this are often taken by others and we get to know them after the fact(s).

On the other hand… what do these folk and other groups around the world who have managed to hold on to their ways and who go on with their traditional lifestyle give up? … Well… all of the above complications. Yes, they give up some creature comforts and being part of an ever faster universe of changing cultures but, have you considered that they may not want to be a part of these changes? That their way of life just suits them fine and that “our” way would just not make it with them?

We, as “good Samaritans” insist their ways are long gone and obsolete. That they will not hold up to the new world… that we should do our utmost to bring them into –albeit kicking and complaining- our way of life. Sometimes I wonder if this is a desire born of true good “samaritanism” or of plain envy when we see them go on with their simple lives without the need for all those accoutrements of our modern world like attorneys, cell phones, computer tablets, psychiatrists, and the like… I say let them be and let us try to fix our own issues, without dumping them unto others who are doing just fine, thank you.

As an almost Non-Sequitur… We have enough problems with which to deal right in our own backyard. In our society, we come across some members whose existence’s value could come into question. I know, we are all part of this human kaleidoscope but, every once in a while we are put face to face with some examples which bring to the fore a deep questioning of the concept of human evolution. Yes, these specimens are also people and I guess needed in the overall scheme (for some yet unfathomable reason) but these extreme examples truly do not add much to society at large, except an additional load which the rest of us have to share. And no, I do not refer to those who are physically handicapped or have proven learning disabilities. These last two groups, when given a chance, often perform well beyond expectations.

Are these misfits the result of a society which has little time for those who do not conform to its core beliefs or structures? Perhaps… Are they the result of an unplanned detour by a better spermatozoid, allowing a not so good “cousin” to get ahead in the race to fertilization? Maybe…

The point is, when I come face to face with one such fellow human, the obligated question is… “are you sure your ‘zoid was the fastest one, or did it cheat?”

Be Well … Be Back!!!

Final Notes:

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