The Self-Awareness Factor: Ignorance of One’s Surroundings

It’s 2008 and I guarantee all of us have encountered this type of situation at least once in the past. Whether we were walking down a street, taking a bus ride, or just driving in our car, we couldn’t help but notice the crowds of people around us listening to their I-pods, texting away on their Blackberries, and blabbering away on their cell phones – completely oblivious to their surroundings and the rest of the world. No, I don’t mean that game show Oblivious – I’m referring to everyone isolating themselves from everyone else.

When I walk around and see someone else, whether in town or in my local neighborhood, I never forget to say a “Good Afternoon” every once in a while. In fact, I’ve even said it to people who are complete strangers, just to be kind. Of course, there’s always the occasional person who doesn’t hear me, with their earphones blasting away music into their ears – not even noticing my mouth open wide when I speak to them.

Yes, my friends. Our society is becoming more and more arrogant and ignorant all the time. To be honest, a few years ago while attending high school, one of my classmates actually walked right head-on into a cement pillar in the building. Goes to show you how much attention he was paying to where he was walking – I mean, the pillar is probably about half a meter in diameter and it stretches all the way up from the floor to the ceiling. How can you not notice it, especially since it doesn’t change its location?

In my mind, that act of ignorance has crossed the line. Human beings are more intelligent than that, yet it seems as though in the 21^st century, our civilization is becoming both smarter and dumber at the same time. It’s a contradiction within itself.

Now, I know what you’re going to say. “You’re one of those people who hate technology and all that it has brought upon us.” To be clear, no, I am not a technology-hater. In fact, if I was, I wouldn’t have typed this article up on my computer in the first place, nor would I spend at least 2 hours each day playing on my Wii. I don’t hate technology, but I do think there has to be an equal mix of both technology and social interaction – an inordinate amount of either one causes imbalance on the scale.

As for me, I’ll continue saying “Hello” to everyone I meet, whether they are paying attention to me or not. In the end, it’ll be their loss, because someday, somehow, somewhere, their antisocial ways will come back to haunt them.