In any endeavor it is useful to define the next step that
you ought to take. Your perception of the future that lies ahead of you
tremendously influences your emotional state. If you perceive that your
immediate future is dismal, you will fill yourself with dread. If you perceive that
your future is bright, you will be joyful. As such, it would serve you well to intend
and envision a desirable future for yourself, and then to act on that vision.
This is true not only of ourselves as individuals, but also of humanity as a whole. By envisioning the next step humanity is to take on our collective path of growth, we can give to ourselves an optimistic view of our future that motivates us to act in the ways we claim that we want to act—and our optimism will be rightly placed.
The Task Before Us
Recently I wrote about how, in general, the issue that individuals face on their path of growth is not that they don’t know what to do next, but, rather, that they have not yet accepted the task that they know is right in front of them. Typically we know what our current highest priority is, and what action we ought to take now in accordance with that. We only experience stagnation when we doubt that knowing or try to deny it.
It would make sense that what is true for us as individuals would be true for us as a collective as well. We know what we, as humanity as a whole, need to do next. We just need to accept the task and summon the wherewithal to do it.
In another recent article I talked about how information technology (i.e. the Internet) is facilitating a massive increase in transparency and the free sharing of information among people. I can foresee this resulting in complete transparency and access to all existent information among all people. Our recently-found ability to instantaneously communicate with anyone else in the world is continually challenging us to re-relate to one another. We’re redefining what we believe about one another, and re-examining who we think we are.
It’s quite obvious that the task that lies in front of humanity right now is to continue to embrace this move towards complete transparency. I think people who attempt to shun this task will only experience struggle in the days ahead. Even if their lives appear fine from the outside and they don’t experience outright turmoil, on the inside something will feel off. There will be internal emptiness. They won’t feel like they’re living as boldly as they could be, nor shining as brightly as they would like to shine. In short, they will be unfulfilled.
No Hiding
Honesty, authenticity, and transparency are what this day and age are all about. People who continue to rely on deception and denial will find their lives becoming harder—and perhaps their livelihoods even lost.
The simple reality is that, as people increasingly value transparency, their tolerance of falsehood and the withholding of information falls. It’s clear that the tolerance of untruth is plummeting right now. It certainly hurt Hillary Clinton in her quest for the presidency. But that’s just what we do to people when they hide the truth from us, nowadays: we do not allow them to lead us.
It’s not happening quite as quickly in this aspect of society, but the economy is slowly starting to be affected by this change in values, too. People want to know what the food on their plates went through before it got to them. People want to know about the people who made the shirt they’re about to buy—and that information may very well affect their purchasing decision.
The more we desire such information, the more available it becomes to us. Isn’t that a beautiful relationship? What we collectively demand, we get. When enough of us demand the truth, we are able to uncover and then share the relevant information. Depending on what it is we want to know about, devoted people may have quite a bit of research to do first. But those people collect the information they can make it available to everyone, and we then pass the information around as we see fit.
Hiding is becoming impossible. I certainly succumb to fear and hide truths about myself and about things that I know sometimes. But every time that I do it, I know that it is foolish: it’s only making things more difficult for me and for everyone else.
As humanity keeps growing, we will reach a point where hiding simply won’t be a possibility anymore. Aligning with truth will not be an option—not if you want to accomplish anything, anyway. Our ability to rapidly share information will naturally result in us no longer tolerating falsehood from one another. It’s obvious that this is already happening. I see no reason that this trend will not continue.
We’ve already reached the point of no return: there’s no going back now. Even if the Internet fell apart tomorrow, we wouldn’t forget what we’ve already come to know, nor would we suddenly drop our values. What has been seen will not be unseen, and what has been desired will not be denied.
The Call to Action
If you want to align with the growth of our world, the best thing you can do right now is embrace our increasing transparency and our ability to instantaneously share any and all information with any and all people. Essentially, this is a call to acknowledge the truth and to share that truth with others.
Be honest in your interactions with others. Say “no” when you want to say no, and directly state what you want. If something about the connection feels wrong to you, let the other person know as soon as possible. If you want to change your relationship with another person, invite them to discuss the current state of your relationship and what you’d both like to change. Consciously re-relate to one another.
When it comes to your work, hide nothing. Before you sell people something, tell them how much it cost you to produce that item and get it to them. If you have employees, tell the world how much you pay those employees. Most of all, let all of your employees know how much their co-workers are earning (Boy oh boy, that might ruffle some feathers J).
If you lead people, tell those people exactly what your agenda is for them. Tell them what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. If you have no plans and you’re just flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to making decisions, then tell them that, too (we will still accept you, Mr. President).
If you’re a medical practitioner, tell your patients why you’re making the suggestions to them that you are. If it’s truly the best treatment that you know of, then state that proudly. If you’re prescribing medication solely because you don’t believe the patient has the will to make healthy lifestyle changes, then be honest about that. If you have no idea what in the name of Beelzebub you’re talking about, then be blatant about it.
As for my part, I will let you know that the premise of complete transparency scares the socks off of me and that I probably am going to continue failing at this—yet, at the same time, steadily and always improving. I know that this is the direction that we are now growing in: we collectively demand it of ourselves and of one another. All we have to do is accept this.
Additionally, the general topic of global change has interested me for the last two months and I am going to continue focusing on this topic. So if you like taking in what I’m putting out, stay tuned.
If you know where we're all headed, that gives you an idea of where you're headed, too. If you like that idea, then embrace it. If you don't like the trajectory that we (and therefore you) are on, then use your actions and your words and do something about it.
(Now you REALLY have no reason to not know what to do, because I just told you. Share the truth! It will set you free.)
The Full Series
Related Articles