How much information is created on the internet each day and how does it affect my life?
Former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, stated during a conference at Lake Tahoe, California, in August 2010: There were five exabytes of information [put online] by the entire world between the dawn of civilization till 2003. Now that same amount is created every two days. These exact figures are debated, but the rate of growth is rapidly accelerating. It is said that in 2018 more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of information was created every day. I won’t go deeper into the numbers, but you might get the idea that we have information overload worldwide, and the huge numbers don’t tell us what information is useful.
Since we are all permanently influenced and overwhelmed, I question:
· How do I handle all this information in a way that is useful to me?
· How do I process the data that is being thrown at my workplace via data mining, SAP, IBM, and Oracle business software?
· How can I discern if such and such information serves me in any way?
· Does having so much information create sustainable progress and, shall we say, make a better world?
I am always curious and looking for something new. I always have the conviction that there must be a more natural, integral way to meet the challenges of our so-called modern world. Nevertheless, I still see a culture of force and overwhelm, and people feeling lost and pressured if they do not follow the team rules and keep up in a world that is changing daily.
Certainly, it challenges us to see ourselves better in our natural authentic individuality so we can connect to the reality of all that surrounds us. We need a kind of truth detector quality within us so that we can find a trustworthy way to distinguish between useless data and true knowledge.
In my lifelong search through various professions and adventurous life circumstances, New Equations unexpectedly crossed my path. Without much expectation, I attended a New Equations introductory workshop where I was introduced to the nine Soultypes. I had a moment during which I knew that my physical experience was bypassing my busy mind’s search for explanations, and I connected with a deeper, balanced, profound understanding and peace of mind. It was an integral experience. The loose ends in me found a place, and for me, as a Soultype 5, everything connected and made sense. The result was more peace of mind and an ongoing feeling of inner contentment.
I’d like to describe it using the way in which the eye sees. Something happens in the split second before an image enters our consciousness. It is arbitrarily broken down into different parts and each part is analyzed and classified separately. What we see then is no longer a picture of the whole, of the marvelous beauty and the wonderful universe around us, but we see only parts: a window, a tree, a cloud, the sky. Before we can rejoice in the splendor and glory, it is all explained away: “Oh that’s just a tree, just the moon, just a star . . .” The way our brain has been wired from time immemorial to classify, analyze, separate, etc., makes it difficult for us to make holistic sense out of all the data confronting us.
We have overestimated and, in particular, overburdened our brain, trying to make it do things it is not designed to do. In my opinion, we are now called to fully use all of who we are. Although this might meet with opposition from some of us, it may be worth taking a few minutes to contemplate, explore, and experience for yourself.
Hans-Peter Kraus
Hans-Peter Kraus, Soultype 5, is a student in the NEATO Level 2 – New Equations Expansion program. He enjoys linking bridges that create a balance between different perceptions. Hans-Peter lives on the border triangle of Germany, Switzerland, and France, near Freiburg (Black Forest), Germany.
“…Ich möchte es mit der Art und Weise beschreiben, wie das Auge sieht. In dem Sekundenbruchteil, bevor ein Bild in unser Bewusstsein tritt, passiert etwas. Es wird willkürlich in verschiedene Teile zerlegt und jeder Teil wird separat analysiert und klassifiziert. Was wir dann sehen, ist nicht mehr ein Bild vom Ganzen, von der wunderbaren Schönheit und dem wunderbaren Universum um uns herum, sondern wir sehen nur noch Teile: ein Fenster, einen Baum, eine Wolke, den Himmel. Bevor wir uns an der Pracht und Herrlichkeit erfreuen können, wird alles weg erklärt: “Ach, das ist nur ein Baum, nur der Mond, nur ein Stern …” Die Art und Weise, wie unser Gehirn seit jeher verdrahtet ist, um zu klassifizieren, zu analysieren, zu trennen usw., macht es uns schwer, aus all den Daten, mit denen wir konfrontiert werden, einen ganzheitlichen Sinn zu machen….”
Again, these lines are for me an encouragement to turn to a “new seeing” and a new kind of vision.
Dear Andreas, thank you for your comment on: “…I’d like to describe it using the way in which the eye sees. Something happens in the split second before an image enters our consciousness. It is arbitrarily broken down into different parts and each part is analyzed and classified separately. What we see then is no longer a picture of the whole, of the marvelous beauty and the wonderful universe around us, but we see only parts: a window, a tree, a cloud, the sky. Before we can rejoice in the splendor and glory, it is all explained away: “Oh that’s just a tree, just the moon, just a star . . .” The way our brain has been wired from time immemorial to classify, analyze, separate, etc., makes it difficult for us to make holistic sense out of all the data confronting us.”
Indeed all of us are called to turn to a “new view”. The way we have learned to see the world in puzzles is in a way resistant… it is this famous comfort zone “routine” we mostly do not leave. I found out that New Equations Spiritual Postures and the specially for that created music open up new ways of personal experience how to see the world.