Authentic Connection as a Means to Disable Control

We all want to feel connected. This desire is a universal human need. We want to feel like part of something bigger than ourselves. Feeling connected to people, places and things around us can help make us feel like we belong. In this "digital age" we have mistaken communication with genuine connection. For example, many of us have social media accounts-Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pintrest, etc.. We update our status and communicate with other individuals through these accounts-but we don't actually connect with other people through this technology. The connection we have is going through the filter of these various social media tools. So, genuine connection does not exist as communication is lost in the lens of the perspective of these tools. Additionally, there is a lack of emotional awareness and authenticity when communicating via these mediums and for good reason. To be authentic in today's society can have catastrophic ramifications. You could lose your job, your relationship, business opportunities and your family among other things. We are now living an an age where image-the picture-is far more important than the story. These images we are sold from a society that is rooted in controlling us through fear and comparison are false and our true selves understand this. This is why we have the prevalence and incidence of mental illness that we do in the developed world. People know on a core level that something is amiss, but they can not identify what it is that feels wrong. It is not necessarily money or materialism that create these disorders-rather it is living in a culture with constant comparison and fear mongering occurring. Authentic connection, with a sense of community and commonality is one way in which we can disable the controlling systems within our society. Here's to connecting.