Chapter 9-6 Awakening in the Human Realm

There's a story circulating online about a discussion with someone born in the 2000s regarding "buying a house and getting married", which gives pause for thought.

Q: Why don't you plan to buy a house?

A: Why should I buy a house?

Q: How will you get married if you don't buy a house?

A: Why should I get married?

Q: How will you have children if you don't get married?

A: Why should I have children?

Q: If you don't have children, what will you do when you're old?

A: Will buying a house, getting married, and having children make

 

live forever?

Q: Think about it. When you're old and have no children by your side, you'll feel very lonely and miserable.

A: I've been someone's child for decades, don't I already know if having children is a safeguard for old age?

Q: If everyone thought like you, wouldn't humanity go extinct?

A: As a poor person, I'm just here to make up the numbers in this world. Who knows, my children might end up following my footsteps.

Q: Have you thought about your parents' feelings? Isn't this a bit irresponsible?

A: From another perspective, I am being responsible for my children. Imagine, my child would be born just to inherit my anxiety and poverty, struggling to repay a mortgage, isn't that irresponsible to them?

Q: Through hard work, you can change your life.

A: I understand this principle, that's why I have a lifetime of hardships ahead of me.

Q: By living this way, what contribution are you making to society, and what is the meaning of your life?

A: Given how poor I am, not committing crimes is already the biggest contribution to society.

……

This conversation reflects the worldview of young people today, starkly different from that of the older generation. Those born in the 2000s and in the last 20 years are living with an increasing sense of "awakened". They grasp life's realities that many from the 70s and 80s only understood in their midlife crises, if at all, while these younger individuals are achieving this clarity at 30, even 20 years old.

If everyone could live a stable and happy life, who wouldn't want a house full of children? Essentially, it's because the world's attitude and approach toward them have changed. For many young people, there's no longer anticipation, nothing to fill themselves with hope and strength. If they themselves don't understand life, they certainly don't want to pass on this confusion to the next generation. If they can't find a sense of value and existence, how can they possibly raise a valuable next generation?

What's the point of exquisite food or towering skyscrapers? What's the point of rapidly advancing technology? People have never been so enthusiastic about the virtual world as they are now, yet so indifferent to those around them. In the past, we wrote letters and occasionally took the train, living in anticipation and racing toward our dreams. Now, with We-Chat, frequent flights, and meetings with various people. In the past, gatherings were filled with discussions about careers and life plans; now, when people come together, men talk about making money and managing women, while women discuss beauty and handling men. We used to count the words in a telegram, with deep affection on the other end of the line; now, daily phone calls are mostly from delivery services, takeouts, often just nuisance calls. Without online shopping and live streaming, people used to cherish those in front of them; now, in elevators, subways, and stations, everyone is glued to their phones, lost in momentary pleasures.

A popular saying online goes: "The greatest distance in the world is when I sit beside you, but you are playing with your phone..." Technology has brought us closer than ever, yet also pushed us farther apart! Is this truly progress, or is it a step backward? At the end of the year, when we reflect on the busy 365 days, it seems that most people have gained nothing, merely repeating the same monotonous day 365 times, standing there bewildered, unsure of which direction to take.

This realization fills me with a subtle sadness. Our era indeed enjoys immense material abundance, but it severely lacks humanistic care. People's lives are devoid of warmth and affection, replaced only by cold, transactional relationships based on interests. In the old days, even when people were starving, they still scrimped and saved to have children. Now, with no worries about food and clothing, young people live in their own worlds, unwilling to marry or have children. In their world, there are two great pains in life: the first is not getting what they want, and the second is getting it, only to find that it isn't what they wanted. The latter is even more painful. Striving hard leads to burnout, while choosing to take it easy leads to internal depletion—it's a dilemma with no easy solution, leaving the soul with no place to rest.

The world maintains a certain balance; as humanity races down the road of material wealth, the spiritual world inevitably falls into endless emptiness. The more advanced a society's productivity and technology, the greater the distance between human hearts, and the more lost people become.

In the 20th century, cancer was the major threat to humanity; in the 21st century, it is mental illness. 40 years ago, China's anxiety disorder rate was about 1%; today, that figure has increased thirteen-fold. 20 years ago, China's depression rate was 0.05%, and now it has grown 120 times!

 "Society is a large dye vat, full of all sorts of oddities." Once you step into this vat, no one can remain untainted. Giant babies are everywhere, and capital infiltrates every pore. Few pay attention to what value you create for society; few are willing to feel you deeply from the soul. They only want to quickly ascertain if you have money, if there are resources to exchange, how to conduct equitable transactions, and how to seize opportunities for gain and leave.

Many people refuse independent thinking, disregard universal values and public moral order. Few care about the state of pollution in this society or the consequences for others. What easily spreads online are various aberrant and grotesque performances—men dressed as women fawning, all sorts of weirdness and insincere flattery, extreme emotions and viewpoints. It seems the more skewed someone's values, the faster they seem to rise to fame.

People are abandoning anything profound. Fewer people are reading books, keeping diaries, or engaging with literature, philosophy, or poetry. These pursuits are seen as too deep, too heavy, too mentally taxing. Instead, they seek out things that can numb them, even if it only brings brief joy. The vast majority of people cannot find a sense of purpose or meaning in life, mechanically diving into competition and bustle. Anxiety, restlessness, and extremism pervade society.

In such a world, everyone seems so insignificant. Under the shadow of collective consciousness, everyone is vulnerable to this pervasive hostility, yet as long as the next victim isn't them, people turn a blind eye. In the future, many may become increasingly lost, reclusive, lonely, anxious, and depressed, turning into money-making machines, devoid of ideals, lacking self, akin to living dead. They are busy all day, yet their hearts have long since died, living in the desperate calm and quiet despair.

Dear Coco and Xiao-ai,

As you grow up, I hope you can hold onto your innocence and sincerity, remain calm and composed, and live with grace and contentment. May you receive more warmth and care and be treated kindly by the world. Do you still remember the "Future Tree"? What the future holds depends on your choices today.

In the future, there will be two types of people in society: the "hollow-hearted" and the "solid-hearted". The former are constantly seeking external validation, and when they don't receive it, they become empty inside, lost, and may even fall into despair or obsession. The latter, however, are self-sufficient, having discovered their true nature and innate mission as human beings, thereby finding the meaning of life. Mom hopes you become the latter, using your self-assurance to resist external uncertainties, and your inner warmth to counteract the world's indifference.

Be at peace with the comings and goings of people in your life, untroubled and serene, neither startled by sudden challenges nor angered by unexpected slights. Whether honored or slighted, remain undisturbed; whether people stay or leave, remain indifferent. Do not rejoice in material gain, nor grieve over personal loss. Watch the clouds rise and fall in the sky, and let the flowers bloom and fade in the garden as they may.

Having a healthy and positive mindset is far more crucial than possessing any skills, degrees, or resources, as those can all be swiftly replaced. A clean and resilient inner self is irreplaceable.

Young people, external challenges in life are relatively easier to manage. With technology and civilization, we accumulate knowledge and experience to better tailor our external environment for human existence. However, internal challenges require personal resolution. Each of us possesses this unique ability; you just haven't discovered it yet. Spend some time earnestly exploring, and you'll uncover this invaluable treasure that belongs uniquely to you!

Do you still remember the "Law of Manifestation"? We are all like jewels on "Indra's net". Human beings are inherently harmonious and spiritual, with a nature that is originally bright. It is only because of later worldly attachments and ignorance that this brightness becomes obscured. The collective darkness we see is also collectively subject to the retribution from "Heavenly Tao". Our hearts have changed, so our jewels have become tarnished. Start by polishing your own jewel!

"Constantly polish and clean it, let no dust settle." To restore the brilliance of the "Indra's net", countless individuals like you are needed!