The Issues With Modern Society

There are many unsolved issues caused by our lifestyles and worldviews.

Over the last 18 months, I have had a lot going on in my mind. One of them has been how distraught I’ve been about modern life and society. From spending too much time online, to the soul-sucking aspect of homework, to the unrealistic expectations for people, to the increasing difficulty of the job market, to how our food is made there is a lot wrong with the modern lifestyle. I was told by people that going to college, getting a degree, and working my way up the job market while having a good social life would lead to a happy, fulfilled life.

Before I get too far, I will say that I am fortunate to be where I am at right now. I have a supportive family and some very close friends. I have what most people consider to be a pretty nice apartment. I am 4 months away from getting a college degree from the amazing University of Washington. I am blessed with high level intellect about sports, music, food, and many other topics. I’m in an area where I can get around without a car, which is rare for the United States. Most importantly, even though the US has its problems, we have a lot of freedoms that many countries don’t experience.

I had this realization when I went to a women’s basketball game around a week ago . I had a great time at the game. I loved seeing UW Women’s Basketball destroy their opponent. I enjoyed seeing Kelsey Plum get her jersey number retired. It was great meeting up with people I knew. I enjoyed my beautiful walks, both before and after the game. Yet, deep down inside I felt empty once I headed back home. It felt like I was using it as an escape for the problems in my life. Games felt like a same old same old, not anything special. I knew what to expect. And I was burnt out and tired of basketball, as I haven’t watched in a while. Perhaps, this was just me being overly negative for the sake of it. Perspective is everything, and gratitude is an important value for a fulfilled life.

It can be difficult for me to make friends. because people can feel like NPC’s to me. Most people listen to the same 2 or 3 songs on the radio, obsessively talk about their major and job future, eat the Standard American Diet, go to parties because it’s “cool”, and ignore the damage of their future health for current cheap dopamine. Yet, can I blame them. Most people are told to do things a specific way until things break them. I think there are many people who will change throughout their lives. It can takes them getting to that low point to do so.

I also felt this heavily when I went to UW Chabad two days ago. The place has an outstanding atmosphere and great food. I was a huge fan of the rabbi and his uplifting messages. However, I still sometimes feel on the outside looking in. I don’t drink, even for ritual reasons. Most people were still focused on said shallow topics. And even though I loved the food, I know that it isn’t the best for me when it comes to long term health.

Perhaps, this is because I’m on the autism spectrum. I perceive and feel things very differently. I am very curious and think very deeply. I question why people keep doing the way things do. I am very much an overthinker and can become insecure about my own failures. I am very much a black and white thinker, which can lead to me not understanding a lot about the world. My autism has made it difficult to communicate and hold conversations with others. I also struggle with time management to an extreme degree, with this only feeling like it’s getting worse in recent years. Finally, I get easily overstimulated by bright lights, too much on my schedule, and around specific types of music.

However, my challenges have caused me to have an increased awareness of this world. It has caused me to use online as a way of self improvement. My struggles with homework and screen time made me look up the dangers of blue light and EMF’s and make conscientious efforts to improve my screen time. My struggles with gut issues made me aware of the dangers of seed oils and processed foods, cutting them out of my diet. My struggles with sleep and timing have made me aware of how important it is to go to bed with the sunMy experience of being around a lot of modern music like rap and pop has made me aware of how music can program our subconscious. I try to stick to mostly instrumental music at 432 hz, which is what I find the most calming and enjoy. I realized how toxic having zero boundaries with social media are. While social media gives us the ability to connect to so many amazing people, it also causes a ton of comparison and misery. I’m working on reducing my hours there and unfollowing people who I find toxic. Finally, I realized how important and relaxing spending time in nature is. I’ve been working on prioritizing more nature walks, outdoor exercises, and having a goal of 10k steps a day.

Yet, I can’t say spending all of this time online is good. First off, computers/phones are extremely addictive and fry your dopamine receptors. You think that you might be scrolling for 20-30 minutes, but that can easily add up into a few hours. Second of all, watching things online often prevents you from being in the present moment. The eye strain gets to you and makes you feel like a robot. Next up, it is very easy to get overstimulated by the amount of information online. We have more information right at our doorstep than ever before and a lot of it is incorrect or won’t work for you, and that’s okay. Another important thing that I need to say is how chasing internet fame can cause people to do dangerous/stupid things. Finally, there is way too much hateful content on the internet. There is so much hate towards people because of their race, gender, political orientation, opinions on diet, thoughts about the world, and more. Instead of banning things we disagree with, cultivating the content you look at and trying to find diverse perspectives should be the goal.

One other issue I have with our lives is how fast-paced everything is. Too often, we fill up our schedules just for the sake of it. As someone who is on the autism spectrum, I can get easily overwhelmed by my schedule. I take 15 credits, do extracurriculars(AEPi, judo, etc), and have lots of interests outside of school(piano, exploring, writing). I tend to struggle under pressure, which worsens my current stress and anxiety. Sometimes, I just wanna go into the forest and just live there. Perhaps, this is a symptom of a lifestyle that disconnects us from our true environment. It makes me think of ways I can change how I live in the future to become more aligned with nature.

I must also talk about over consumerism. Some people have a habit of buying things just for the sake of it without thinking about how it affects the people and environment around them. I question why we need so much plastic. I question why we wear clothes with polyester instead of natural fibers. I question why people would EVER litter. I question why fossil fuel companies keep pumping toxic gases into our system. This comes to online stuff too, where people just binge watch TV shows on end. I feel like people do this to temporarily distract them. I know I have done this with sports. It might be tough, but you can’t avoid your problems.

I also need to talk about jobs in modern society. It feels like the jobs that are the most important to keeping society upright(like elementary school teachers, farmers, service workers) and construction workers don’t get paid enough while people can get tons of money for posting stupid things on TikTok. I also think that a huge issue with jobs is that many people work in a cubicle looking at a screen for 8 hours a day with very little sunlight or time outside. This is known to be horrible for your body and mind. Finally, I feel like people can chase money over long term satisfaction with their jobs. Part of why that happens is because the cost of rent is increasing and many are struggling. However, I also feel that many people are trying to live beyond their means with chasing worldly possessions. Once you place your priority on friends, family, nature, and relaxation, you will realize that money will only take you so far.

Finally, I must talk about how industrialization has damaged the way we moved. We are more car dependent than ever and that is a huge problem. As someone who does not know how to drive, I’ve experienced this first hand. I’m either dependent on friends, family, or a mediocre public transit system. However, I feel like even that isn’t my main concern related to this topic. Because of our car dependent infrastructure, people are going outside less and less. This is causing increased obesity rates around the US. It also feels like we are losing soul and connection with our transportation. When I went on a train from Seattle to LA, I got to make genuine connections with strangers throughout the trips. Yet on most plane, car, or bus rides, I don’t get that. Most people are too occupied looking at their phone, including myself at times. I think that’s because people can need an escape from their life. Yet, we should be trying to live our own live, not vicariously through anyone else’s.

I’ve suppressed a lot of my true feelings about life for a while. This is because I was afraid that people would think that I’m weird or crazy. People would worry about my well being. But, I’ve finally realized that life’s too short to care about what others think. If I’m not comfortable living authentically, then what are I doing on this planet?

One thing that I have to make clear is that we shouldn’t just go to caveman times for the sake of it. There are plenty of benefits of the modern lifestyle. We have the ability to stay in touch with family and friends like never before. We can go far across the world thanks to planes. We have found many new ways to entertain ourselves. There is improved equality in the world. Instead, we should accept the benefits of the modern lifestyle but also be aware of the pitfalls.

I will say that if you want to see change in your life, you have to be the one who leads it. Go against the grain. Try using your phone less if you can. Spend more time in nature. Journal. Try hobbies that don’t involve electronics. It might be hard at first, but it will be worthwhile in the end.

Thank you for everyone who made it to the end. I am not expecting you to agree with everything I say. But I hope that I helped you challenge your thoughts and expand your horizons. Please stay tuned for more writings like this. I know I came up as a sportswriter, but I feel like I have so much more to share than that.