You have a really pretty writing style and a nice rhythm. I enjoyed reading this because of the way it was structured.
Very nice voice work too.
It's hard to throw out social media wholesale, because there is some baby in the bathwater, but it definitely distracts us from the more important parts of our (natural) lives.
How kind, thank you 🩵 And yes, social media’s just one little facet of all the things pulling us into disillusionment — but it has its bright spots, too. Like this! Happy to find you here.
Absolutely! In a disconnected society, connecting to a grounding community in some form helps soothe the disillusionment. Thank you for encouraging us to pursue what grounds us!
Can't disagree with anything. The pandemic kind of made me retreat inward even more. I'm trying to break that habit. One of my goals for the year is to get out of my own bubble and out in the world more. 😊
"Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be disillusioned in the modern world."
Quite the opposite. Disillusionment is EXACTLY what is needed in times like this. It's one of the core ways people, and in aggregate our cultures, know that the belief systems we're holding onto aren't up to the task, and it's time to go another direction.
I’m intrigued by your mindset shift. Disillusionment ought to be a catalyst for action, reorganization. When we feel disillusioned, we should feel spurred to reshape our way of living. I like it.
I only worry that that’s not the common reaction. In the face of disillusionment, we often get frustrated, tired, and resigned. If we get too disillusioned, we lose faith in our leaders, worldviews, and fellow community members. Things start to disintegrate rapidly.
So, ideally, we override these socially destructive responses and recognize that our disillusionment is a sign it’s time to change how we approach our lives.
I'm not sure it was a shift, but it might have been. I vaguely recall a very long time ago reading something (maybe some Zen book? not sure) that spoke to the same basic idea, popping open a dictionary and wondering to myself why this was seen as a negative word, when in reality it means we have one less illusion between us and seeing the world more clearly.
"In the face of disillusionment, we often get frustrated, tired, and resigned."
When you're used to using a crutch and suddenly are without it, even if you didn't need it, you're still going to go through a period of adjustement.
"If we get too disillusioned, we lose faith in our leaders, worldviews, and fellow community members."
If any of those are the sources of these illusions, then that's a good thing. I don't see any reason why seeing through another illusion would lead to a negative reacton that passes to anything other than where it came from, and that would be the correct reaction to a source of proverbial snake oil.
There aren't many good leaders right now, and we are in dire need of replacing old worldviews designed for vastly different eras and circumstances. There's no need to do that in a negative way.
Disconnect, stop feeding the bad wolf, cut ties with bad leaders, stop looking at the world through ideological lenses of the past (ideally toss ideological lenses altogether), and start figuring out what better options we might make for ourselves on the other side of all these messes.
It’s making me think about a future article that could delve into all the cultural and social programming that makes us behave in such predictable and understandable ways. And what would happen if we systematically removed it. Your point raises the question of whether we ought to ever be “illusioned” to begin with.
I think a shared sense of faith (not inherently religious), purpose, and motivation are essential — but are those just convenient illusions that should be rejected once recognized? Where does collective disillusionment (interpreted neutrally) lead us?
Faith isn't required for purpose, nor shared purpose. My experience is externally sourced faith is much less stable and lasting vs internally sourced, but to each their own.
It *can* be a crutch, but doesn't necessarily have to be, especially if it's just trusting that people who have been working together for the "greater good" of most involved will continue along that trend long as you don't let yourself become completely blind to things changing if they do. Even if you take a step back from trust and just see the trend and don't constantly worry that it will it will just up and stop at any moment, because of momentum of habit.
"Where does collective disillusionment (interpreted neutrally) lead us?"
IT doesn't lead us, because "it" isn't a being with agency. It's more a... vast wall with ten thousand doors that we all get to choose for ourselves which to walk through. What occurs is entirely dependent on our aggregate choices, and those that shirk off the old baggage of failing ideologies and walk out into the wilderness to find the best way in the direction it seems we're going... seems like a worthy pursuit, no?
Just saw this on Twitter, and thought of this conversation:
“We look at the world once, in childhood. The rest is memory.”
- Louise Glück
I'm no guru, and far from any sort of awakened buddha-whatever, but to the degree that I've managed peeling the ol' onion, this has certainly been my experience. All the lenses are blinders. All baggage.
You have a really pretty writing style and a nice rhythm. I enjoyed reading this because of the way it was structured.
Very nice voice work too.
It's hard to throw out social media wholesale, because there is some baby in the bathwater, but it definitely distracts us from the more important parts of our (natural) lives.
How kind, thank you 🩵 And yes, social media’s just one little facet of all the things pulling us into disillusionment — but it has its bright spots, too. Like this! Happy to find you here.
A kind look at what gives humans a sense of loss when we are disillusioned by the structures around us. Thank you for sharing your insights!
Thank you so much for reading and subscribing. Grateful to explore the ways out of disillusionment together 🤍
Absolutely! In a disconnected society, connecting to a grounding community in some form helps soothe the disillusionment. Thank you for encouraging us to pursue what grounds us!
Beautiful, touching piece. Nature and community are indeed everything 💛✨
Thank you for the comment 🤍 So glad you could relate.
Can't disagree with anything. The pandemic kind of made me retreat inward even more. I'm trying to break that habit. One of my goals for the year is to get out of my own bubble and out in the world more. 😊
I’m trying to do the same -- small nudges to help us lift out of the fog of disillusionment 🩵
Such a lovely, lovely piece! Touched on a lot of topics I’ve been thinking about lately. ✨
Thank you for the kind words -- so glad you enjoyed the piece! 🤍
"Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be disillusioned in the modern world."
Quite the opposite. Disillusionment is EXACTLY what is needed in times like this. It's one of the core ways people, and in aggregate our cultures, know that the belief systems we're holding onto aren't up to the task, and it's time to go another direction.
I’m intrigued by your mindset shift. Disillusionment ought to be a catalyst for action, reorganization. When we feel disillusioned, we should feel spurred to reshape our way of living. I like it.
I only worry that that’s not the common reaction. In the face of disillusionment, we often get frustrated, tired, and resigned. If we get too disillusioned, we lose faith in our leaders, worldviews, and fellow community members. Things start to disintegrate rapidly.
So, ideally, we override these socially destructive responses and recognize that our disillusionment is a sign it’s time to change how we approach our lives.
In short, lifting the fog keeps us on the wrong side of it. The only way past it, is *through*.
I'm not sure it was a shift, but it might have been. I vaguely recall a very long time ago reading something (maybe some Zen book? not sure) that spoke to the same basic idea, popping open a dictionary and wondering to myself why this was seen as a negative word, when in reality it means we have one less illusion between us and seeing the world more clearly.
"In the face of disillusionment, we often get frustrated, tired, and resigned."
When you're used to using a crutch and suddenly are without it, even if you didn't need it, you're still going to go through a period of adjustement.
"If we get too disillusioned, we lose faith in our leaders, worldviews, and fellow community members."
If any of those are the sources of these illusions, then that's a good thing. I don't see any reason why seeing through another illusion would lead to a negative reacton that passes to anything other than where it came from, and that would be the correct reaction to a source of proverbial snake oil.
There aren't many good leaders right now, and we are in dire need of replacing old worldviews designed for vastly different eras and circumstances. There's no need to do that in a negative way.
Disconnect, stop feeding the bad wolf, cut ties with bad leaders, stop looking at the world through ideological lenses of the past (ideally toss ideological lenses altogether), and start figuring out what better options we might make for ourselves on the other side of all these messes.
Great quote. I like your perspective.
It’s making me think about a future article that could delve into all the cultural and social programming that makes us behave in such predictable and understandable ways. And what would happen if we systematically removed it. Your point raises the question of whether we ought to ever be “illusioned” to begin with.
I think a shared sense of faith (not inherently religious), purpose, and motivation are essential — but are those just convenient illusions that should be rejected once recognized? Where does collective disillusionment (interpreted neutrally) lead us?
Love this new angle of thought.
Faith isn't required for purpose, nor shared purpose. My experience is externally sourced faith is much less stable and lasting vs internally sourced, but to each their own.
It *can* be a crutch, but doesn't necessarily have to be, especially if it's just trusting that people who have been working together for the "greater good" of most involved will continue along that trend long as you don't let yourself become completely blind to things changing if they do. Even if you take a step back from trust and just see the trend and don't constantly worry that it will it will just up and stop at any moment, because of momentum of habit.
"Where does collective disillusionment (interpreted neutrally) lead us?"
IT doesn't lead us, because "it" isn't a being with agency. It's more a... vast wall with ten thousand doors that we all get to choose for ourselves which to walk through. What occurs is entirely dependent on our aggregate choices, and those that shirk off the old baggage of failing ideologies and walk out into the wilderness to find the best way in the direction it seems we're going... seems like a worthy pursuit, no?
Just saw this on Twitter, and thought of this conversation:
“We look at the world once, in childhood. The rest is memory.”
- Louise Glück
I'm no guru, and far from any sort of awakened buddha-whatever, but to the degree that I've managed peeling the ol' onion, this has certainly been my experience. All the lenses are blinders. All baggage.