30 Days writing challenge, Day 13 : Less is more

Yesterday, access to information was a privilege and an essential step to success. You were educated, you could read, you had access to information, and were, so, able to cultivate yourself, you were

I even remember a time when having a library of Dvds or video tape, or before, records was like an accomplishment.

“Oh yeah, I have 200 dvds !” “Can I borrow you this David Bowie album ?! I haven’t listened to it yet…” “Oh no, where did you find this Kurosawa movie ?!”

I know it’s an highly simplified summary, some still have Dvds, but I think you see what I mean.

Today with the digital revolution everything has changed. You can have access to almost all the movies, Tv shows, the books, the music, the podcasts you want… But you also have access to youtube, facebook… To more content than it’s humanly possible to watch/ listen/ read…

I remember when, as a teenager, I walked into this dvd store and said to myself “I would like to get reach, just to buy all those dvds”.

Now I can have all these movies on my computer, with a few clicks (legally, I mean, with, VOD, of course, what are you thinking ;-)) ; can listen all the albums of the world for 10 dollars a month…

In a way that’s a good thing. Because it reduces some inequalities (not all ; far from it…. unfortunately) and give a better access to culture to a lot of people. And those who want to buy Dvds still can. They even can buy blu rays.

But what’s the reverse of the medal ?

Yes don’t worry we will talk spirituality soon :-)

• Abundance is an essential thing, so what’s the problem with the abundance of content to read, to see… The abundance of culture of knowledge ? Maybe that it’s an artificial abundance. Abundance is something you feel deeply ; it’s a mindset that you acquire with work and patience… So, having to much is not abundance. Like having too much to do, too much work, to much activities is not abundance. It’s almost the sign of a lack of abundance in yourself. When you have (as I do) a huge list of books to read, of movies to watch… You feel a lack of time. You can feel stressed “oh god, my life won’t be enough to see all this”. It underlines your neurosis. A new diseases, the one of the century has born : FOMO ; or fear of missing out.
• So more than ever, the ability we need to develop is the one to make choices ; to get the essence of all this stuff. We also need to understand deeply that even at the end of our lives, we will have read, seen, a very small part of what exists. A kind of humility in front of the hugeness of the world and its creations.
• In a way, FOMO is a symptom of another disease : craving. Craving for knowledge. An insatiable thirst of reading, seeing everything about everything, an impossible quest that can only lead to madness and frustration.

And here a first step to the real work : know yourself. Trade Knowledge for self knowledge. Seek inside not outside. Of course, all these books, movies, can help, they bring joy and sometimes help you to understand your feelings better (that’s why good fiction will always be a wonderful thing). BUT if you know yourself, you know what you need to see, read right now and you take it as it comes. Here is an example of self knowledge :

• As you meditate, you have an insight : I have this huge tension in my back i was not conscious of… Oh my god, I’m so anxious, I didn’t know about it. I have to work about it. Let’s see what books talk about it.. and oh, here is a sitcom about anxiety, can be fun !
• You are talking to your therapist and realize you have missed affection in your childhood… Maybe that’s why you want to read/ see/ too much ? Maybe more than movies you need to see your friends and meet new people. You inscribe yourself to a cooking class, and call a few friends…

Whatever your problem is, self knowledge will help you.

In a way, the problem with too lot of medias content, was already here before but was more hidden. We can see our craving tendencies sooner because it’s more obvious.

“I want all the Books in the world !!!”

“Okay… Take it”

“Euh… I’m not happy, what happens?”

“Your really thought having all the books in the world would make you happy?”

“Euh… yeah”

“Ok, now read”

“Uhhhh… not in the mood, and I have to go to work”.

In fact, this access to culture reveals a problem more than it creates it. And this problem is about everything, not culture only : Money, affection, food, alcohol.

In vipassana stage some words of the teacher stroke me :

“When you are addicted to drugs, alcohol… we are in fact addicted to sensations”. We crave for pleasant sensations and reject the unpleasant ones… So we are always seeking for more, or crying for our miseries.

If you look into yourself though, you will understand your sensation better, and someday, get free from these addictions.

It also reminds me of a story of french buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard.

Of friend of him told him : “My plan : to get 1 million dollars and not work anymore ! That would make me happy”.

10 years after, he had 3 millions in his bank account :

“So are you happy now?”

“I wasted 10 years of my life”.

Self knowledge is the only way to abundance ; wisdom and happiness. So, even if it’s difficult, tricky, painful… take this path and you won’t regret it !

How ? Know yourself and you will know (hard isn’t it :-D ?)