The Surface World

The human mind likes novelties. We constantly need stimulus and diversions. It is no wonder why solitary confinement is so dreaded even among seasoned prisoners. 

And yet, there are monks who choose to meditate alone in a cave for years. These mental athletes know that beneath the surface noise of the mind, lies latent truths about the reality of our existence. But for most of us, our lives are spent swimming on that foamy and turbulent surface, trying to stay afloat, believing that deep down beneath, only annihilation awaits us.

Every time we turn on the TV, every time we click a web link or swipe our phone, we are making an unconscious move to remain afloat on the noisy surface. It brings a whole new meaning to 'surfing'. 

To live on this surface, we need to be connected to the larger world, so that we do not sink into a nothingness, which is like a dreaded abyss. The Tibetan monks have no such fear; instead they become explorers of this terra incognita. But we surface-dwellers are always feeling insecure. 

 Our need for novelty make us susceptible to juicy gossips, scandalous rumours and outlandish conspiracy theories. We want to believe that the world is fully of heroes or villains and nothing in between, when in reality most people are neither. We want things in stark contrast against each other because it takes a lot of brain CPU time to make subtle distinctions.

The simpler things are, the easier it is for the brain to digest them. The brain like its low-brow counterpart, the stomach, is addicted to junk food. Bite-sized, interesting and juicy information are what it desires most. And that's what we get from Tweets and other social media.

It is no wonder that the world is no longer able to decide what is the truth anymore. We can no longer agree even on facts. There are always 'alternate facts'. And we can easily contaminate facts by simply labeling it as 'fake news'. We can make conspiracy theories acceptable by simply broadcasting it loudly, as if they are facts.

We are sharing a planet but not a world anymore. How did we arrive here? In a way, it is inevitable. Technology such as social media merely amplified divisions which have always been there. 

The surface world is fractured. Everyone clings tightly to whatever they are comfortable with, for fear of falling through the cracks. If we just would care to peer down these cracks, we could catch a glimpse of what those Tibetan monks spend their lives seeking, in those cold dark caves.