Algorithm!

Why have people become so complicated today? Were people that complex in the past? Is it the effect of media? Technology? Speed? or is it just a phenomena for a bigger thing that will happen in the future? Is it the beginning of something big?

Reading into the patterns of human behavior over the past years, here are the top 3 behaviors that started to diminish, causing a hidden trend that is picking up, and warning those who can still reflect of what could possibly happen in the future ..

1. Lack of focus .. The distraction trend

With the growth in communication tools, social media, blogs ..etc, the amount of information and news provided are growing to be over the limit that human beings can absorb, making it very difficult to find credibility in the information provided and causing people to be distracted more than ever from what could be the truth ..

Why is this dangerous? and what pattern does this create? ….

Distraction cause confusion, and when people are confused, they will not be able to make correct, and objective decisions .. People will tend to prejudge, and create strong, but wrong perceptions about others, then they will also try to make their surroundings believe the same .. so the snowball of confusion will grow bigger, and people will not know where the truth is any more ..

And what does this lead to?…

2. Lack of direction .. The “herd” trend

Try to reflect on your discussions with your colleagues, friends, and relatives .. How many times in your discussions with them someone will say “I had no choice”? either directly or indirectly? How many conscious decisions do people make today? Have you seen the queue of people waiting to buy a new iPhone? Do they all really need it? Doesn’t this remind you of the sheep in the barn waiting to be fed? Are we moving consciously or unconsciously?

This is another dangerous trend that has been picking up for a while, with the growth of media adverts, pop-up adverts, sponsored adverts everywhere …etc, and all of this is feeding your brain with a certain stimulus-response reaction, so it drives your response to something when you hear or see the stimulus .. What else can define herd better than this?

But why don’t people find out the truth? Why don’t they get out of distractions? Why don’t they stop and establish, or re-establish direction? .. It can definitely happen, only if the third trend did not grow as well ..

3. Lack of time: The “Availability” trend

Do you remember this picture? I think a whole generation who were born in the year 2000 and beyond will not know what this was .. .. This was the picture that used to be displayed on TV when the broadcast was over .. so something around 10 pm during the mid week days, and 1 am during week ends .. This was a signal that both; TV team, and yourself need to go to sleep !!!

When do people disconnect? When do you hang up the sign “Unavailable”? When do you release the gas pedal and park for a “reflection” break?

It is only because of this third growing trend, that the first 2 trends are growing like crazy .. and this strengthens the loop more and more, and warns of a coming whole new generation that will be confused, led like sheep, and will not be able to listen or rationalize good from bad ..

So what can we do to make a difference to future generations:

1. Stop distractions, enforce some isolated time with them.
2. During the isolated time, speak to each other, provide good historical guidance on how previous ancestors managed change, and what gave them guidance.
3. Remind them of the “Why” discussion .. Why do we exist? Why do we need to continue? Why shall they select the right people to listen to? ..and so many “Whys” that they will not stop and ask ..

Be the lighthouse, be the guide, take an active role and do your best to stop this massive snowball that if it keeps growing in the same speed that it is now, will eat what is left of relationships as we knew it, and will create a world of robots who will not spare an effort in destroying what is left of earth and living creatures around them..

Written by:

Engagement Expert, International Speaker & Pragmatic researcher