Let's Evolve, Shall We?

I've now heard from a few sources that the times they are a changin'... That there is a new level of awareness in the world, that people are opening up to new possibilities, that kids are being born who are special, psychic, attuned to the universe and in possession of unique gifts (like this little girl.

This isn't a new statement. It probably started in the 60s - along with the birth of all things 'new age' - there has been talk of changes. Big changes. Age of Aquarius and all that jazz.

But what I find so interesting is that for the first time I actually think we might all be planning for it. And here goes another wacky Diana theory.

Television and film, media in general serves a greater purpose than just turning us into automatons who run out and buy the cars 'they' tell us to. I think television and film reflects society back to us. This works because media is driven by the consumer, they make what we want to watch. And what we want to watch is dictated by the kinds of things we value. I Dream of Jeannie clearly reflected our sentiment towards the place of men and women. Will & Grace reflected a growing acceptance and comfort with homosexuality just as Sex and the City reflected a new modus operandi - namely the pursuit of glamour, shoes and love and/or sex.

Shows succeed or fail based on ratings, in other words, a show's success depends on the number of people who like the subject matter - and whether or not that show "speaks to us" and our current condition. Last year alone I recall a number of series that didn't make it past pilot. But there was this one series that not only made it - it became a smash success, maybe even the most popular series of 2006.

It wasn't a terribly novel concept - in fact, it's almost daringly close to another series - a movie series, based on a comic book series - but it obviously struck a chord. The topic? Ordinary human beings who exceed ordinary human potential. Heroes may be comic book fodder, but it asks us to look at the evolution of our own species. Have we really reached our limit? Or are we all Hiro Nakamura, staring at the clock, knowing.. feeling that we could stop time with enough effort... is that why we rejoice in watching him succeed?



There has been a lot of talk about how humankind is no longer evolving, that instead we are evolving through our technology - that our next logical step will be to integrate ourselves with computers for maximum potential. Well, yeah, partially, but I think there's an important evolution that also needs to take place, and it's on a more personal level. And that is achieving our own personal maximum.

Maybe that means that we learn how to harness our energy - for the purposes of healing, fueling or otherwise. Maybe it means that we start taking psychics and mediums seriously, and garner information only accessible through communication with the other side (I heard that's how the Sumerians got all their info).

Another important evolutionary step, I feel, would be for all of us to live with more compassion. Because if there were more compassion, there would be less war. And where there was suffering, there would not be hopelessness.