Article: “Superficiality”


Superficiality…is that a word? I really don’t care, and as it appears, neither do most other Americans. I am pretty sure that we are getting dumber and I’m wondering if it is because of our superficial meandering; TV, Pop Culture, Celebrity worship, Sports, addictions, and even a great deal of our food is lacking in the nutritious “depth” that most experts agree is needed to avoid chronic disease.

What is it about the human condition with which the above stimuli interferes? I think it all boils down to self-actualization; the maximizing of our individual potential, and the fact that to do it successfully, we have to face our fears, tear ourselves down and rebuild. Basically, it is hard. Why do it when we have all these possible distractions? Why do it when we can have or do almost anything we want?

It was all different when we had to work to put food on the table, keep the fire going, and fend off enemies. We had an increased adrenal output (fight or flight response) on a regular basis, but compared to today’s stressful world (broken families, road rage and other examples of increased anger, low-quality food, electro-magnetic field disturbances, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and other addictions, financial pressures such as increased mortgage debt and high debt to income ratios, and more) I am guessing that in many ways it was easier on our systems in the past. Yes, we lived fewer years, but more often, it was a higher quality. Also, mortality rates were inflated due to high infant mortality. That is the main contribution of Western Medicine to increasing mortality rates; the decrease of infant mortality due to better premature infant care, antibiotics and infectious disease care, and surgical intervention.

But what does all this have to do with being Superficial? We can bury ourselves in distractions, fantasies, addictions, unhealthy patterns, eroded communication and grammar, mindless humor and behavior, and more. I should point out that no one thing is bad, but we have taken it all way too far and it reflects in everything from TV to our President (and most other Politicians)!

The key is for us to take back the reins and control our lives. Live in the here and now, face your fears, and become the best you, you can be. Good luck, and if there’s any incongruous thoughts or improper grammar above, you’ll have to forgive me…I have Letterman on in the background and frankly, I’m too lazy to proof this.

Paul Gerst
2/9/07