It all began a thousand years ago – when homo sapiens or humans shifted to planting and herding animals from their usual hunter and gatherer lifestyle, which eventually led to the infamous ‘agricultural revolution’. The search was for a more easier lifestyle, hoping to get an extra hour of leisure. This led to more production of food, resulting in increase in population and communities as a whole. The bare minimum of what was said for basic survival to sustain human life then turned into production for business. Barter system was formed and then things weren’t the same anymore.
Yuval Noah Harari says, ‘Once people get used to a certain luxury, they take it for granted. Then they begin to count on it. Finally they reach a point where they can’t live without it.’
The truth is, the more we humans have tried to simplify life, it has in turn made it more complicated.
Everything revolves around money. It’s true that this element has made it the basic commodity that is a must for survival. Wasn’t it food, air, and water to breathe before? Life has become so monetised that we even have to pay for a bottle of water. We yearn for money and imagine sitting in a pool of it once we grow old. But the truth is, we never know if we may make it that far – leaving our search for nothing, but maybe facing death. The chase for an easier life becomes meaningless.
We start our days with ‘Let me book a cab so that I reach on time’ or ‘Let me schedule a call at 1.00 pm so that I can leave home early. Everything is so fast-paced, we often forget to live. When was the last time you actually saw other people outside the window of your car? When was the last time you actually sat down with your colleagues and spoke to them about their well-being? What’s the hurry when you know there’s an end?
The funny part is, what was basic before is now framed as unique. When you see someone meditate, they become great. People have been doing it since ages, but now they go to classes to get certified. Everything has a tag now. People order food from online and cooking is glorified. ‘Oh, you cook? That’s great! I don’t get the time to do so.’
No – Let me rephrase that for you. You have the time but you chose not to cook. Instead, you chose to order online, because that makes your life easier. Are the easier ways really helpful, or are they making our lives even worse?
Society wants us to be this and that is what people may say. But the real answer lies within our minds on what we want to do. The old antique life is now an old memory. Why did we let this happen? To err is to be human they say, but is there any humanity left? I don’t think so.
Imagine an 18-year old boy getting his schooling done. The next step would be getting his degree, and then getting a job. The search never ends. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if you completed the task at work or bought the car that you always wanted to have. Life has become so materialistic that we have forgotten what it feels like to be alive. That’s just sad.
As Leo Tolstoy says, “A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one’s neighbour — such is my idea of happiness.”
That leaves me with one last question – what’s your real quest of life