Global Problems through Lack of Depth

July 10, 2022 Planet & People, Sociocultural Issues No Comments

To many, at first sight, lack of depth seems a far-fetched cause of global issues. I dare to say the opposite is true.

Human depth is something we all feel yet is challenging to conceptualize. This is not a coincidence but related to the very essence of depth itself.

Inner dissociation.

To me, this is a better term, but it (still) speaks less directly to most people. Inner dissociation is not the absence of depth but integration of this depth. Depth is always present in everyone. On many occasions, it is functionally absent.

Inner dissociation is never OK.

In this text, I show some ramifications of this on just a few of many global issues.

Climate change

[number of people] X [impact of personal footprint] = [impact on global climate]

Of course, the number of people on planet Earth is a factor.

On top of that, an unbridled lack-of-depth makes ego go rampant. This is not about necessities to lead a good life, but beyond. People want more consumption (‘buying power’) to feel satisfied (less dissatisfied). But does the consumption make them feel so? In many cases and due time, it’s rather the reverse, as with any addiction. We’re in for a downward spiral and outcome:

More dissatisfaction → more consumption → larger personal footprint → climate change.

Depth makes one satisfied through modest means. Lack of depth means less satisfaction through modest means. Thus, the simple equation and deduction make things clear to me.

War in Europe (as anywhere else)

One can always point to non-depth related factors, as I do in this blog (about Open Leadership as a possible answer). Two directions are not present in a surface-level view of non-depth related factors:

What motivates people toward them? Why do they find them meaningful? End values are always depth-related. This may show properly when thinking further about deep motivation.
Besides these, what are depth-related factors that are less visible for the very being depth-related?

No war is worth it ― including the present one in Europe. Moreover, in the current global connectedness, war has immense indirect consequences, such as large numbers of people in famine leading to, among other things:

lack of proteins in children’s diets, leading to the lifelong diminishment of intelligence ― seriously
huge tensions and misery leading to violence, emigration, and more tension in other countries

These chains of problems are also initially caused by a lack of depth.

Psychosomatics

In the broad sense, this is what AURELIS is about ― for instance, denoting huge financial consequences.

In many subdomains, it is clear how lack of depth – more precisely, the suffering from it – is a root cause. Also, it is the root reason for not finding proper answers to pandemics of chronic pain, burnout & depression, addictions, etc. In many cases, the ‘answers’ aggravate the problem.

Again, one can discern a spiral repeatedly fueled by a lack of depth. This whirlpool can, for instance, be seen in the COVID-pandemic.

The solution is not to coerce everyone to depth.

That would be impossible, as no living organism can be coerced to grow. One can also not coerce oneself to depth.

But one can work on Compassion as a personal responsibility.

This is also much more difficult than it seems on the surface. Nevertheless, it is feasible. One can open oneself. One can work on it in many ways. One cannot choose to attain it, but one can choose to work toward it.

With this, I bring responsibility for global problems to your doorstep, dear reader, as to that of everyone.