Thoughts, ideas, concepts, breakthroughs

We have millions of thoughts, in fact one study suggests we have 64 billion bits of conscious capacity in a lifetime. We sort out information into patterns and chunks so that we have more space. We develop heuristics or habitual lines or patterns of thought again to make sure we have enough capacity. But frankly we don't really need that much, if our life is filled with soap operas, gossip magazines and lightweight newspapers. Our brain doesn't have to think in any real way using these - they are described as chewing gum for the mind. A way to use the brain, but one that has no sustenance at all. If all you do is read information and then regurgitate it to an undemanding audience. Sadly for us it's not very fashionable to be industrious in our society. It has been made 'cool' to be lazy and to be disconnected to work or effort. We have built a culture that is obsessed with being young, but the trouble with handing over the reigns to the younger generation is that there is little wisdom, lots of talk, lots of anxiety, lots of fun eg drinking and sex, again according to the media. So what does X Factor do for things? Is it more chewing gum or is it a high protein steak with a few oh so good chips on the side? I'd say it's more steak than juicy fruit - what a disgrace of a name that is when you think about it! X Factor shows to a mass audience that some people are just better than others at singing and performing, and it not only shows it, we get to prove it by telephoning in. It then shows the fear and determination that is needed if you are going to win or even get through to later rounds. It shows how needed friends and family are, it shows how people bond through shared experiences, it shows that good tv and entertainment can be cruel if people are deluded, it shows that age can defy talent, but that pop stars do need to be beautiful as well as attractive personalities as well as good at what they do and young at least to begin with. It really is quite a tough mirror. It also shows that most people would rather watch others going through these trials than do them themselves. X Factor is good in some ways but bad in others. It's good if it sets an example to us to try to achieve things we may not without a bit of a push, and it's bad if it just satisfies us and allows us to sit and do nothing. A life experience is just that, an experience. Studying human nature led to an epiphany once, i kept asking people why are you here? they kept saying to see new things, to have a look at the latest ideas, to see other people, to keep up to date. So I thought, perhaps that's why we are here? To see new things, to have a look at the latest ideas, if that's the definition of a life experience? What will 2009 add to yours? It's not difficult to see why we're in a mess, when you look at what we've been up to for the past decade. It'll be a long hard clean up, and one of the first ways is to get off the sofa and make things happen.