Disembodied & entertained, vicarious living allows one to indulge in simulations while the nonrenewable resource of time fades with every breath. Our system has the profound ability to conjure sensations of all kinds through sheer observation, a magical attribute which serves as an incredible tool for compassionate learning, dually functioning as a psychic snare which demotivates one into action. Perhaps the greatest inspiration in life is a sense of longing to be involved with whatever one is inclined for. An inner calling which influences one's entire nervous system into an organized series of movements producing idyllic waves of joy. The initial exposure to a phenomena is all a human being needs to stay focused on an authentic desire: to dream about a course of action & imagine what it may feel like to accomplish such a grand subjective feat.
Anything which touches our attention immediately enters our minds as a memory of which we have access to at all times through the power of reflection. Do you remember the first time the love of your life was revealed to you? Wasn't this enough for the fire of your desire to orchestrate a second & third interaction? Yes, this initial touch you lived through was sufficient to manifest a lifestyle, career, or person in your life again for the long term. So why then is our culture filled with opportunities to dilute the lucidity of events facilitated by presence in replace of moments brought to us by screens? Like Plato's allegory of the cave, many human beings have become satisfied with "shadows on the wall", with figures on the screen, ignoring the dimension of life that can truly inspire one into living a historical life. But when we travel further away from what truly matters to us for the sake of safety, & our minds become consumed by regular logistics of day to day living, & our bodies become fatigued from the seemingly infinite rat race of survival, we may opt for the easiest, cheapest route of watching another live our ideal moments instead of planning for those times of magic to become our normal.
When we are distant & tired, those are moments especially when we must remember what creates that spark of life within our hearts. If we do not, & revert to the societal constructed simulations of pleasure, we will be no further along our journey because we put the pursuit of truth on temporary hold. A hold as long as one forgets what they truly desire; & there are a plethora of ways to do so: to become ignorant of one's own calling in this culture of mass vicarious living we call home today. A world where we value the characters living within the two dimensional projections within our pockets & living room screen more than the people who are living in our room.
Many fantasize of interacting with people they have only seen through a fabricated peephole where this ideal person's best qualities are on display at all times through a camera's lens by design. We do not see the shadow of a media personality's light, but many want to have their lives, all the while leaving a blind eye to their own existence. This would be obvious to you if you were forced to sit & watch this grand experiment of siphoning power to strangers. An incredibly unnatural behavior for human beings who value what is familiar. What we can touch & feel holds magic, but many voluntarily use their nonrenewable resource of time to champion those who appear to be the embodiment of greatness. The more fragments of media one distributes into the world, the more one can convey an illusory whole picture to a potential audience member who begins to feel they truly understand their two dimensional role model. We even have the phrase in our culture that "we grow up with" those we vicariously live through, but the reality is you've grown up with bits & pieces of not only these critically acclaimed personalities, but everyone around you.
You truly can only know yourself inside & out because of the design of this human experience. Even I, who believes I have a keen sense of attention, am still learning aspects of my twin brother who I literally have been close with since before we were born. This is not to ignite melancholy in your mind, but to reignite the sense of wonder you should have as a human being who cannot & could never know everything about anyone. & this wonder is the very engine which propelled innumerable human beings into action living the most incredible lives documented. They were all driven to be active players in the world motivated by the gap in their knowledge, not afraid by it. What would these characters have done if they simply watched over & over again, for example, movies of others sailing through the ocean instead of getting on the boat to do it themselves? Their subconscious mind would have convinced them the feat has already been accomplished & there is no journey to voyage. This effectively robs one of the very experiences they claim to want. Those great individuals of the past saw a sailor once & thought, "This is it. This is what I shall do with my life", & had no chance to observe a flood of videos on the topic to allow them to second guess the decision. & those great beings of the present do the same, having the willpower to abstain from excessive simulations.
If you omit this ubiquitous, strange behavior of simulated living, you will automatically become a pioneer because life never repeats itself. Its infinite creativity makes this so. Meaning as you sit here & read this text, you are a uniquely designed being with your own inner compass which you can choose to waste on what is synthetic, as opposed to applying it to what is real. Allow enough space in your mind to dwell upon what truly matters. The temptation to fill your psyche with degrading shadows is strong, but the fate of your life is at stake.
Simplicity of mind allows one to enjoy the complexity of existence. & this simplicity is shrouded when you attempt to accumulate the experiences of another. If you wish to clarify your own perspective, which is the most valuable thing you can contribute to the world, you will refuse to vicariously live through the views of another, which slowly you become capable of once you simply stop the detrimental habit; naturally, just as trees grow towards the sun if they are left to their own blueprints. Stillness is the source of creation so the more you align yourself with this indestructible balance, the more creative you will become, filled with the vitality of pure energy, not by the memories you accumulate watching another self actualize. Either you self actualize, or you watch another do so. Flying a plane is far more invigorating than watching it fly from the ground, I assure you.
