It's easy to look around and see just how far humans as a species has come when it refers to our day to day lifestyle. We see the infrastructure around us, the roads build to let us travel, the buildings we use to shelter ourselves and the technology we have in our pockets. Sure we are continuing to evolve but at what rate? And how have our ideals changed? The truth is we have a long way to go and our societal norms have been rapidly changing since the boom of the internet. So let's revisit our past values, compare them to the present, and then try and predict where this might lead us in the future.
Historical values and understanding
Thinking back in history to all the ways humans communicated and valued each other is vastly different than how we understand today. However we still see this traditional thinking in today's society, for example in most cases the men are still the breadwinners in the household and women are still often overlooked. Racism still exists in a big way and stereotypes are still unavoidably present. But, we are starting to see a shift, we are starting to create a balance. It's a slow process but as new generations continue we will start to see more and more of a trend towards understanding.
First, let's stick to the history books. Slavery in the United States was only just abolished 150 years ago, and women couldn't even have a say in our democracy until 1920. So sure we are taking steps in the right direction but to think its taken thousands of years in order for us to acknowledge human rights goes to show just how primitive we still are, and how slow we are changing our values.
Before the 1800's societal norms and human values stayed rather consistent, men made the rules and women were known to nurture. Science and technology moved slowly along with our laws and stereotypes. There was no such thing as transgenders, being anything but straight was frowned upon and there was a huge emphasis on religion. Now we are seeing a shift towards equal human rights, freedom of speech and we are starting to value people on the individual level rather than by the color of their skin or their identifiable gender.
Present Values
Today we are redefining our values, in no way shape or form are we perfect, but I believe with the internet now ingrained in our daily lives it's opened us up to widely different opinions and ways of thinking. People are starting to express themselves on platforms that are seen and heard by all. Wether you agree with different peoples choices or not you are forced to at least being exposed to them. Then with this exposure it is easy to grow an audience with similar values, but guess what, we do not all think alike. Politics are more corrupt than ever and expressing hate speech can be on a viral level. Still slowly, we are moving in the right direction.
No more can you be discriminative without consequence, no longer can people be overlooked. We are starting to create a balance where people are looked at as individuals with individual values and I believe we are slowly learning how to become more human. Just as plants and animals evolve so do humans, not only in a physical sense but in a mental sense now as well. Like any thing, humans are being exposed to new stimuli and we need to adapt and change in order to survive among one another. Those who fail to evolve their way of thinking are exiled by the community and do not have a chance to thrive. Companies are getting more diverse, no longer can you be discriminated against for your beliefs and people now have the choice to become whatever they chose to become, and we are starting to be accepting of it.
That's not to say that all people are accepting and with everyone having the chance to voice their opinions this causes conflict like never before. But now with social media becoming the way most of us get our information, people now have more opportunity than ever to challenge others beliefs and with more people being able to have a say this creates more opportunity for change which is why society is changing at a faster rate than ever before.
Where are We Headed?
I've brought up evolution and how humans are evolving mentally now more than just physically. Humans have come to a point where our physical needs are being met and we have the infrastructure around us to survive, but now we must adapt mentally. But what does this mean? Is it strictly based off intelligence or does it have to do with understanding each other as well? If we continue to discriminate or create conflict amongst each other this will only create wars and the inevitable downfall of society. Think about it, technology has far surpassed our basic needs at this point and we are now starting to focus on things to create not only healthier human beings but also more mentally adept persons.
There has been a huge emphasis on mental health in recent years and I believe this is all in attempt to not only understand our own brains better but also to understand what it means to be human. So where exactly does this get us in our daily lives? Well, imagine a world where there is no conflict, where we can all agree on our differences and do not judge people who are different than us. Where would that lead us? Well it would eliminate unwanted distractions, it would force us to work together and not tear each other down. It would allow us to be accepting of one another and decrease anxiety. It would allow people to express themselves and what makes each and everyone of us unique. We would be more productive and working towards a common goal instead of alternative methods. It would create a near perfect society. This is what I chose to believe when it comes to the future of society.
With the ever increasing expansion of technology and the abundance of new information being discovered everyday we are working closer and closer to this mindset of understanding. The truth is some of us will never agree, but if we can learn to understand that it is possible to have different opinions instead of trying to avoid them how far can this take us. So learn to be accepting of others. Know that even though we are different from each other, we are all cut from the same cloth and start to change the conversation from negativity to positivity when we uncover our differences. Think about how this could change the world of politics, the view of morals, and the quality of life for everyone. This is where we are headed and the people who fail to incorporate this mindset into their daily life will be left behind. Learn to understand what is understood. Learn to be better humans and look to evolve your mindset each and everyday so we can pass this down to future generations.
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