20230930 : actionless society

I watch many things that generally interests me. In that process, I end up watching news from various geographies, watch some interesting things on YouTube and watch a lot of podcast format talks.

Most of the time, it is usual facts and explanations etc . However, sometimes I come across something very different. Very impactful for everyone. It is very less, maybe < 5% of the stuff.

When I come across such matters - maybe scientific, maybe economic, maybe political etc, I also look at how exclusive is this content/ knowledge. Ie, how difficult is it to get to this knowledge.

Almost nothing is exclusive and hidden. Anybody can reach it easily and freely.

Most of them have very far reaching consequences to people - whether it is global, geographical regional, as a society, as a social group, as an individual, etc.

And when I see how many people have watched it - it will usually be in many many thousands . 

And I keep wondering, why is not there a bigger reaction to this by folks - I mean physically, on the streets. Of course they will have a lot of likes and some comments definitely. But, I have not seen anywhere close to the reaction in the real world to any such matters.

I think the recent 2 things I think of which rolled on to the streets are (i) the recent protests in france against the pension reform and (ii) the protests in Israel against the constitutional changes. Nothing else for many many more serious matters. Note - I am not for or against the topic itself but it is an observation about the people's reactions.

I feel gradually, in the last 1½ decades mostly I think, we as a society have become more and more actionless individually and inturn as a society. The nature and direction content consumption has moved has made us very dispassionate about everything. The most we feel like doing anything about anything is either give a like 👍🏼 or dislike 👎🏼 . If it tickles us too much, maybe go to the extent of writing a comment online.

It is a boon to the existing status quo - whether politics, policy makers, social engineers etc. An absolutely actionless society which is also very easy to manipulate.

I am not saying it absolving myself. Even before my stroke, this was the path I was heading towards and would have ended up in the same place anyway. The stroke has just accelerated my getting there.

I am almost certain that the next generation will outperform us to that place.

I wonder what will happen to us as a society...