How Virtual Living is Killing Self-Awareness

Self-awareness in short supply

Genuine self-awareness is in worryingly short supply nowadays.

If that sounds like a strange—even condescending—pronouncement, I assure you that this is not the way I intended it.

Rather, it is intended as a reflection of how the demands of modern-day living have conspired to distract us from acquiring a deeper understanding of who we are, how we ‘tick’, what truly matters to us, which of our beliefs serve to empower and disempower us, and what our true purpose in life is.

Let’s explore this trend.

An increasingly virtual world

We are living in a world that is becoming ever more virtual in nature. By that, I mean that our focus is increasingly drawn away from contemplating the wonder of the real world around us, the unique value we have to offer, and how best we can contribute.

With virtual living, we are encouraged to ignore the multisensory experience of the real world around us and become absorbed in an artificial world of two-dimensional, curated sound bites, movie clips and pictures.

In the virtual world, what counts is not how we feel and what we can contribute, but how we are perceived by others and what level of attention we can attract.

Real living promotes a happier life through knowing, understanding and appreciating ourselves.

Virtual living promotes our image and standing through knowing, understanding and leveraging online platforms to enhance our digital profiles.

Put succinctly, whereas real living encourages introspection, personal wellbeing and focusing on how we can give back, virtual living encourages extrospection, polishing our profile and focusing on what we can get out.

So what?

But does this really matter?

Most of us spend more time gazing into our computer screens, transfixed by our handheld devices and obsessing with how social media portrays our lives, than we do interacting authentically with the real world around us.

But, so what?

After all, life is changing, and we need to learn to adapt to the changes, surely?

We are in control

A certain quote, commonly attributed to Gandhi, comes to mind here:

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

My point with this is that the changes we are experiencing are not being foisted upon us by some irresistible external force. They are of our own making.

We have a choice.

Virtual living is not a given, not something we simply need to succumb to. We can choose to switch it on and switch it off when it suits us or when we deem it appropriate.

The importance of self-awareness

But doing so requires the maturity that comes with high levels of self-awareness.

And self-awareness develops from careful personal introspection; getting to know oneself, understanding what drives us, using our free will to make choices and then taking full responsibility for the outcomes of those choices.

Self-awareness is the key to accessing our inner power, becoming purpose-driven and living with positivity and passion.

Self-awareness builds self-esteem and self-confidence. Self-confidence allows for self-validation. It removes the need to seek external validation by showcasing our lives on social media.

Self-awareness is the foundation for a life of inner peace, contentment and true happiness.