Ode To Our Technocratic System

People today seem so concerned with getting more for less that they forget about what really matters.

We constantly pursue more money for less effort, more things for less money, more distance for less time, and so forth.

But are we forgetting to live through these experiences?

I recently asked a basketball player who was working next to me during an event what he valued most.

He answered: money. And the conversation continued as follows:

Me: "Why money?"
Him: "Because the more the merrier!" (laughs)
Me: "Well, what if I offered you 500 dollars for nothing and 500 dollars for a couple of chores?"
Him: "I would take the 500 dollars for nothing, of course."
Me: "And what would you do with that money?"
Him: "Turn it into 1000."

I thought that was such a interesting conversation that was soon interrupted by our jobs, but it sill made me think that he was missing out on the opportunities which that whole process could bring him.

He was more concerned with making money rapidly and easily than with the experiences he could have when earning that money or spending that money.

Our technocratic system is no different.

Technology has provided us with the ability to be more efficient.

People see the media available today as tools to make money, to learn a million things simultaneously, and to be efficient but they forget about the whole experience and the things that will bring them a more real and lasting sense of happiness.

The Frankfurt School would classify this paradigm under their theories of Irrationality of Rationality.

We believe it is rational to embrace the efficiency of technology but it may as well be irrational depending on our goals.

It seems so obvious to us that we should do and get as much as possible for as little as possible (probably because of our capitalistic mentality) that we might be missing out on more meaningful areas of our lives.

What we believe are our ultimate goals might not include the elements that will bring us happiness.

We are so often living with the anxiety of what comes next that we forget to take advantage of where we are now and immediately escape into the virtual worlds of social media.

Yes, we can talk to more people, follow more ideas and connect to more things through social media,

but does more for less, in this case, override the significance of face-to-face and hands-on interactions?

Or are we forgetting about what makes us human?