And so ends 2013… - Earth Goddess Wisdom

And so ends 2013… By all accounts a shocking year for many.

But why? What happened?

2012 began with two extremes: the End-of-Dayers on the one hand telling us it would all be over on 21/12/12 (though I always wondered why they didn’t pick 12/12/12); and the Age of Aquarians on the other promising a new enlightened world of peace, love and harmony. But 2013 will go down as probably one of the most selfish, self-centred years since the decade that was the 1980s. Why?

Perhaps after the ‘let down’ of the failure of the world to end people decided it was time to look after number one.

From politicians to Joe Average we watched people put themselves ahead of the global good. Our politicians – and media – focused on personality, attacking each other personally instead of focusing on policy; and made some shocking decisions when it came to our environment, resource management, and social responsibility – focused on short-term gain over long-term vision. Individuals used social media to flay each other – with a megaphone and a platform, armchair critics became “experts” and respect went out the window. Twitter feeds filled up with people inciting each other to suicide; ‘super stars’ acted more like gutter snipes; and even local media encouraged people to “thumbs down” what they didn’t like – everything from bad service to bad drivers to the next door neighbour. Why can’t we just have a ‘thumbs up’ I wondered? People used comment sections on online articles to attack the work of others – and each other – no one seemed to have anything good to say. And our favourite TV shows were those that made winners out of those who dragged the competition down, our new ‘heroes’ becoming the bitches from My Kitchen Rules and our new ‘entertainment’ watching lonely singles make idiots of themselves on national TV for 15 minutes of fame, people’s lifelong dreams being shattered by the judgment of has-been entertainers, or the voyeurism of Big Brother… as if that represented real life.

We cemented in our children and young adults the concept of entitlement – rights over responsibility, and no need to put in much effort to get the same reward as everyone else. The biggest gripes came from proposed government cuts to spending on superfluous welfare – items that were effectively money for nothing like the ‘school kids’ bonus’. How dare they! “I’m entitled to that money. It’s irrelevant I don’t spend much on education. I deserve it!” Something for nothing.

And we saw an escalation in violence – and the uploading of it to YouTube via smartphones and other devices – most alarmingly amongst our young women.

I’m still not sure why 2013 went so pear-shaped.

Could it have been because 2012’s failure to obliterate us gave us a “God complex”? Was it such a let down that focus turned to the individual’s needs and wants – ego at the expense of everything else including our responsibility to each other and the planet as a whole?

I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions – but I’m not sure we can endure another year like the last. So my wish is that in 2014 we wake up.

The world doesn’t revolve around you. It will continue after you have gone. Think before you speak – or comment. Your opinion is just that – and like butts, everyone has one. Live with respect and responsibility. Try to find something nice to say – and if you can’t, don’t say anything at all.

Remember: You are a blip on the radar of existence and what you want is irrelevant when compared with what you owe.