In recent times, I've been influenced heavily by Kristof, the founder of ThreeFold, a tech company that introduced me to the concept that a lot of our most widely adopted technology—which was meant to simplify and streamline our lives—might be actually hampering societal progress, and even killing us. The idea struck a nerve, prompting me to question the spiraling complexity that governs our society and individual lives.
The internet, originally conceived as a decentralized platform to empower every individual, has now strayed so far from its initial promise. It's been encumbered with layer upon layer of obsolete or imperfect infrastructure, each tier a patchwork solution to the faults of the preceding one. We've drifted into a state of dependence on a select few, extraordinarily influential, yet brittle entities like Google and Amazon. The resulting system is convoluted, obscuring from us the truth that our collective and individual flourishing is under threat.
Take the banking systems. The intricacy of their functioning, while beneficial to the insiders who know how to manipulate them, becomes a barrier for the rest of us. Similarly, our reliance on a handful of multinational corporations for our food supply creates a frail system, vulnerable to the slightest of disruptions.
Of course, these systems were initially designed based on the technological limitations of their era. But we live in a different time now.
A time where we can craft an internet infrastructure that isn't dependent on global monopolies. We have the ability to establish food systems and medical systems that function outside the control of colossal corporations. Philanthropic efforts need not pivot around behemoths like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. We have the power to create a monetary system that doesn't rely on a few dominant currencies wielding disproportionate influence over global outcomes.
We possess the capability, and the technology, to grow food locally, reducing dependence on distant sources. Our lives need not be laden with complex layers that hinder our flourishing or that of the ecosystem.
Technology should simplify and clarify, not obscure and complicate. The impacts of our actions and our technologies should be transparent, not hidden behind convoluted mechanisms.
Complexity is a veil that shrouds the destruction inflicted on our bodies and natural environments by our current systems. We are complicit in this too, contributing to the complexity by indulging in harmful practices like consuming junk food or resorting to extreme 'treatments' for self-inflicted ailments. Rather than reaching for the quick-fix, we should be living more healthily and simplifying our lifestyles.
The same applies to the culture of 'keeping up with the Joneses'. We've allowed hyper materialism to burden us with unnecessary responsibilities and anxieties. The quest for status and recognition leads us to acquire more, without realizing that every new possession brings with it a new set of concerns. The boat needs maintenance. The horse requires care. The second home demands attention. In our race to acquire, we inadvertently shroud our lives in needless complexity, becoming architects of our own misery.
We should be striving to live as simply as possible. Simplicity allows us to refocus on what truly matters – our health, our happiness, and our environment.
So, let's peel back the layers, dispel the complexities, and rediscover the path to a flourishing life for ourselves and our ecosystems.