Lot’s of people talk about the need to be natural and the need to get back to basics. They talk about natural methods for curing different diseases, natural diets and other “natural” ways of life.
The problem with trying to be “natural” is that there is very little that is natural about our modern life.
We have things like pollution, mass production, fertilizers, large government, religion, mass media, the Internet, vaccination and electronic radiation… all things which are things that are inherently un-natural.
We deal with these things everyday, and they effect almost every aspect of our lives.
The reason why “being natural” isn’t a valid philosophy for many different goals we have in life, is that the ability to be natural is inhibited by so many thing that are un-natural.
Sure, being natural would probably be one of the most effective techniques to use if we still lived in ancient times, but now that we live in a modern society, being natural can be an extremely flawed method to guide our behavior.
We need to let go of this as a prevalent philosophy in our lives, and accept that we need to be very un-natural in a lot of circumstances in order to succeed. We need to use un-natural methods to achieve our goals in a very artificial world. This is okay, because it is merely a shift in our tactical approach to problems. We can still achieve the goals that we want to achieve, it’s just that our methods may have to change and adapt to a new world, and a new system of organization.
Artificiality and a synthetic approach can be the most effective approach in a lot of circumstances. If you have bad vision, it’s okay to get lasik surgery or contact lenses and correct your vision. If you have a disease, it’s okay to take modern medication in order to cure it. It’s okay to get vaccinations in order to prevent future diseases, and it’s okay to use modern technology for things that were traditionally done in more “natural” ways, such as online dating, communication, education, personal growth, and social networking.
Don’t let it make you feel guilty or feel as if you’ve strayed from the basics or become less “down to earth.” The world is constantly changing, and to survive most effectively, you are going to have to learn to change with it. Let go of any needs you have left compelling you to “be natural” and take up the tools that can help you the most in your life today.