Being a modern citizen is like floating in a vacuum. For most of history, religion was the mold that taught us to live and die, that made order out of chaos. The secularism of the last century removed the partition between us and the lawlessness of existence. Today, we are still standing on the ruins of the old world, contemplating what to build in its place. Meanwhile, we do not have a place to feel secure or comfortable—no place to call home.
Religion acted as the pragmatic manifestation of philosophy. It set a path for its followers, protected them from sin, and helped them grow towards a life of meaning. In our post-modern world of freedom, boundaries are vague and restrictions are venal.
We kneel at the altar of an innovative idea: Each can live as he sees fit. Yet, this idealist image placed a burden on each of our shoulders, a burden to make sense of existence.
The weight of the world on our backs did not make us stronger. Instead, it propelled us to seek a new center. Science triumphed over spirituality and paved the way for a reductionist, empirical dogma. As a result, we grow more entitled, hedonistic, and egotistic.
We do not need to search far for repercussions: the widening financial gap, the ignorance of leaders, and the influx of unhealthy products. In the micro, it obscures our authenticity and potential; in the macro, it breeds hostility and despair.
At times like this, when the next evolution is unsettled, individuals have the most power. And that starts with us. We are called upon to live a life of virtue and not fall for the glamor of materialism. Which ideal society do you imagine? Which values does it stand upon? How can you best represent those values?