Uncovering the Myths of the Modern World
Most of our daily life has become a ruse, and most of us (including myself) have fallen for it.
Our everyday life is directed by faith. Faith in our Story of Reality–the story of who we are, what we’re up to, why we exist, and how the world works. Every one’s reality is set by their Story of One.
Whether it’s mystical or rational, scientific or religious, mainstream or “out there”…our unique Story of Reality offers us a sense of predictability to face the unknown, which drives our faith-based decision making.
I show up to work having faith that I’ll get paid. I care about getting paid because I have faith that the numbers in my account mean something. I pay insurance premiums because I have faith that the insurance company will have my back if anything goes wrong (which is probably my most magical belief!). I exercise a certain way because I believe it will give me some sort of benefit. I eat certain foods and visit doctors because I have faith that these behaviors support my health. I put money into a retirement account because I have faith that I’ll live to enjoy it and that the financial system will return the money when I’m old enough…The list of faith-driven decisions goes on to include every, daily choice.
We could argue about how “rational” or “irrational” any decision is, but that argument always comes down to whether or not the decision fits one’s Story of Reality. If it does, it makes sense, if it doesn’t, then it’s a “bad” choice. One person’s best decision can be another’s path to personal hell.
If I weren’t living it, my life would sound like some wild fantasy brought to life by Tim Burton: I show up to an office and work on a digital screen from a chair for 8+ hours per day, which earns me numbers in a digital bank account that I spend using plastic cards or virtual apps. I don’t have a full understanding of how most of my life works: my car, the internet, this computer, how food shows up at super markets, how batteries charge, how water comes out of the tap, how toilets make my poop disappear, how I can push on a glass screen on my cell phone and it connects me to another person, how I can watch a video or play a digital game, how stuff I “need” can show up at my doorstep in a few days…
I’m not saying that these phenomena can’t be explained, I’m saying that I don’t have to understand them to experience them. This makes every decision hinge on my faith in this mysterious reality to keep working how I’ve adapted to expect it.
Our lives truly are unlike what any of us would have ever imagined, and because we didn’t have to imagine it, we don’t appreciate its mystery. Anything that feels “normal” is only perceived as such because it already fits our Story of Reality.
That’s the ruse.
We are surrounded by mystery that we perceive as “reality.” The stories that drive our daily decision-making are based on long-held myths, stories of “the way things are” that are often reinforced regardless of their truth.
These myths are the foundation of our Story of Reality and create our collective agreement of what’s acceptable and normal, which allows us to maintain habits, behaviors, and choices that are in line with these myths.
We may be making choices, daily, that are actually counter to our own well-being.
What’s worse is that we may feel like we’re living “well” while self-destructing.
Our Story of Reality and collective agreements (myths) can facilitate self-destructive (and helpful!) behaviors that we don’t question.
By seeing every choice as an act of faith in a mythological Story of Reality, we can bring more awareness to our daily choices.
It’s time to challenge some of myths of the modern world.
Revised myths are the foundation of new choices and new choices lead to a new way of being. Our stories create our reality and our reality facilitates our choices. When the story changes, choices follow. When choices change, so does the story.
We exist in an endless feedback loop, and without a frequent pause or without challenging the stories and myths that underly our choices, we could be living a life that is optimized for suffering rather than well-being.
So here are a few modern myths that I believe are worth challenging. What I mean when I say challenge is not to accept my myths, maybe some of these myths are true. The Story of One, Every One is an invitation to turn inward, to pauses and ask “do I believe this myth?” To challenge is not to oppose, it’s to bring awareness to one’s beliefs. I am not trying to dictate right or wrong answers, so don’t reject these myths because they are on this list. Put them to the test, do you believe these myths?
- Everything worth doing is difficult
- More, more, more, more, MORE!!! is better
- Pain is weakness leaving the body
- Emotions are to be managed and controlled
- We have to pick a polarized party to have a voice in government
- My values align with a particular party
- Technology is dangerous
- Technology ought to be embraced
- If I work out harder and longer, I’ll see better results
- Successful people accrue followers, fame, and fortune
- Frequent rest, including regular naps, is laziness
- Trees, plants, and animals aren’t “alive” in the same way as humans
- I know more than someone else about how to live a good life
- Fun does not coexist with work
- We should save money to enjoy retirement, even if it means less enjoyment now
- More time working creates a better outcome
- A healthy diet and regular exercise are challenging
- Productivity and efficiency are important
- Maximizing our limited time means that its well “managed” and scheduled
- Self-care is selfish
- Boredom is unnecessary and wasteful
- Being busy = being important = working hard
- It’s my responsibility to make other people happy
- Taking a stance on social media supports a cause
- If it’s in a textbook or published in an academic paper, it’s true
- If it’s in a religious text or spoken by a spiritual leader, it’s true
- Happiness is attained through improved circumstances (more money, better stuff, more comforts)
- I can’t choose how to spend my time and energy
This was just a small sampling of some of the myths that I have seen running the modern world.
A practice of pausing to identify the underlying myth of any ritual, routine, or choice from our everyday lives could save us a lot of unnecessary suffering and, hell, it might even promote stable well-being.
So, get off your ass, get a job, save for retirement, work hard, and for the sake of all that’s holy don’t even THINK about relaxing…
If you’ve hung with me this far, you know that was a joke. That is one way of life, but it’s certainly not the only way.
Here are some myths that I choose to believe:
I believe that our everyday life is magical. That humanity is so cooperative that I can type on a computer on a website that reaches people all over the world. I can drive on roads I didn’t build, fueled with gasoline I didn’t extract or refine, wearing clothes I didn’t sew, talking on a cell phone that I can’t even comprehend, listening to podcasts and watching videos created by experts on anything. I believe that caring for my personal health can be fun and easy. Life can be full of joy and fun. I believe that I have full control of how I expend mental energy through attention and can claim control of my time through intention.
I could go on and on about my magical world, but it’s better that each of us discovers our own magical world.
Plus, I may start to sound preachy if I keep sharing all of my myths…and I’m not really into that.
My hope for humanity mirrors my hope for myself: that we may be aware of the myths and stories that are running our lives and make choices that resonate with our actual beliefs and highest expression of self: alignment of our mind, body, and spirit.
“You can’t know it, but you can be it, at ease in your own life.” — Tao Te Ching
