Are You A Modern-World Lover or Hater?

I can be a bit of both at times...

In Love With the Modern World

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to Roadrunner (Once) by Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers. I was thinking about the lyrics - these ones in particular:

I'm in love with the modern world - Massachusetts when it's late at night

…Then I drove by the Stop ‘n Shop. I like that much better than walking by the Stop ‘n Shop ‘cause I had the radio on. I felt in touch with the modern world. I felt in love with the modern world.

Then I thought about the “Modern Lovers” part of the name and started wondering if the band was named for loving the modern world.

Hating the Modern World

Then my mind jumped to the opposite of that, because I remember seeing a meme (that I can’t find now) about the new year, and how the originator of the meme was wishing for an old year rather than a new year. And I “liked” it because you know what? Things were much better in the past - in many ways. But not in all ways, and it’s why I didn’t share the meme. It was funny enough for a “like” but I don’t want to promote it as a way of thinking…

Fluctuation

I fluctuate between loving the modern life and appreciating what is awesome about what we have today, and loving old movies, TV shows, and music. I’ve even been watching old black-and-white Thriller episodes, and if you missed it, I’ve written about older books and their importance here. But that’s part of loving the modern world, the ability to stream old movies and TV shows at any moment, to binge-watch series even.

Censorship: Trying to "Save" People From Books

And, the next song that played was a song I learned of from Substack Notes and someone I don’t think I even follow. The person was playing a vinyl record in the Note… I thought this was from the ‘70s. I looked it up and it was from this year! Color me shocked.

There is a feeling that music like this evokes in me that is indescribable and impossible to share. I can try… I suppose it’s a feeling of peace, belonging, and safety in some respects. But that’s probably what I felt when I was very innocent, surrounded by my mother and her vinyl albums. To say that it’s just those emotions or feelings would be missing out on something intangible though.

I appreciate new music, and finding new things to love. I appreciate all the cool technology that people have created.

I Don’t Want to Go Back

Although there are problems with our world today, if I went back to an earlier time, it wouldn’t stop those things from happening all over again. I appreciate that we’re in a time when people are more awake than ever. You can only get to the solution to the problems we see when we can acknowledge that a problem exists. We’re in a time of revelation… a time when the consequences are coming to bite us in the ass and we will have to make new, better-informed decisions going forward.

I’ve seen people complain that life will be the same this year (sucky). But that’s only if you see this modern world as an evil persecutor out to get you. Do you have an external locus of control? I’ve written about how it doesn’t matter who the president is, your happiness levels are up to you and what you decide to do.

The Present Moment’s Power

Although there are things to complain about in this modern world, it’s not a persecutor. This present moment is where we have all of our power. At any given present moment we can make a change. You can’t change the past and you can’t fast-forward time. But you can make decisions every day during the present moment and that can help you have a better future.

Complaining on the internet usually isn’t the way. I think there may be a few exceptions, such as when it’s combined with a game plan, a “call to action,” for others to join in a movement. But overall, it’s the minor everyday things like eating healthier, exercising, meditating, or taking time out to be grateful that will truly affect your future in tangible ways.

I don’t think the future needs to be feared. I think fearing it and complaining about it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We have control over our future. It may not be ultimate control, but it is controllable in big ways.

I love the things that were good about the past, and I want to bring those back (if they’re missing) and I want to keep the things that I like that are still here. And I want to let go of what sucked. So that’s my plan for the present, focusing on what I have control over and doing those things to see more of what I want to see.

“Say goodbye to the oldies but goodies,
‘cause the good ole days weren’t always good
and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.”

—Billy Joel

Are you a modern-world lover or a modern-world hater or do you fluctuate like me?

There’s nothing wrong with seeing things you don’t like in the world. You just don’t want to stay in a place of powerlessness, but rather funnel that energy toward what you do want instead.

Misdirected & Wasted Anger

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