The Age of Alienation?

" Dog Eat Dog " *
* No animals were harmed in the writing of this blurb.


They say it’s lonely at the top. Well, it can also be lonely at the bottom. And everywhere in between. Enough of the stiff upper lip thing and pretending that everything is tickedy-boo. Because it isn’t. While it is very likely preferable to appear strong, focused, motivated and accomplished, the truth is some days I just want to pull my hair out. Another reality dose: it seems to me that the world in general is becoming more and more anti-social. Or non-social. It seems that everybody is out to vacuum a buck out of your wallet, or is suspicious that that’s what you are trying to do to them.

Ha! My cynical, jaded side is coming to the surface even after all of my stoic efforts to plug into the Law of Attraction to meet " all of the right people " and attract all of the things into my life that are my birthright as a thinking, creative spirit.

Sure, I have met some astonishing people both online and in my everyday life. Really. But you know what? I get this funny feeling that I am only one of millions of people that are beginning to get the impression that they are on the outside looking in.

I wonder what percentage of people plying the deep waters of the net actually feel that they have derived any tangible benefit from it? Yeah, there is the obvious feature of pretty much infinite information out there for anybody with a thirst for it. But when it comes to building relationships with real people, I wonder what the reality is.

Is this the age of Enlightenment or the Age of Alienation?

While I appreciate the potential of the internet with its groups, forums, social networking, websites, e-mail and the like to act as an amazing level playing field that can unite people together with common goals and dreams, I also see that this planetary force also has a dark side. It is just too easy to make promises and commitments visa-vis e-mail and then simply abandon them as frivolous.

If I were to stop and think about how many people have ‘promised’ to follow up on an idea over the past few months and have then simply faded away into the obscure muck of virtual anonymity that is just SO easy to do in a wired world, it would get a bit depressing. Whatever happened to the simple value and integrity of a person’s good word? Is this just another argument in favor of my little thesis that the world is getting more anti-social and dog-eat-dog or is it just that people are getting more lazy and less committed to honoring their word?

I would love it if you were to prove me wrong by dropping me a note to pick up my spirits. But I certainly won’t hold my breath. I DO have a real life and keep busy and productive in my own small corner of the world. Nothing earth-shaking. Just a guy trying to make an honest living. With an eye bent towards forging real relationships with real people whose word is worth something. Because mine is.

Any thoughts on this?