Avatar effect

Raleigh, NC

I just got back from the movie Avatar at the IMAX theatre. Awesome movie with excellent visual and sound effects! On planet Pandora, the indigenous humanoids can physically feel the interconnectedness of everything living and non-living. The entire planet Pandora is like a giant organism, with 'Eywa' the underlying field of energy sustaining the balance of life.

On a deeper thought, is our planet any different? All living and non-living things on this planet are interconnected in ways we cannot comprehend or imagine. It's just that we cannot feel this interconnectedness at a physical level. Eastern philosophies have talked for ages about this interconnectedness and the all pervading life force which can be experienced through deep meditation and contemplation. Physics research on the "Unified Field Theory" is validating what eastern philosophies have been preaching for ages. I recently read a book "The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe" by Lynne McTaggart. I highly recommend this book which details how scientific research is validating what ancient religions have been teaching.

On a tangent, I have been questioning whether we would value things in our life differently if we could feel the interconnectedness of everything living and non-living? The world around us, there is a huge distance between the cause and the effect. We are disconnected with the sources of food we eat. Sitting in a cube writing software, I am disconnected with people who will ultimately use what I develop. Politicians and leaders are disconnected from people whose lives will be affected by their decisions. Financial wizards at Wall Street are disconnected from the long term pain their actions can create. Is this disconnectedness leading to actions which result in short term gains and long term losses, whether be it in finance, environment or politics?

Recently I have been very skeptical about everything I see or read. I switch on the TV and see advertisements for prescription drugs. Talk to your doctor about xyz drug. Just pop one pill a day and you will lead a better life. But wait a minute; you might die from the side effects. Every advertisement or news article I read takes me into the 'skepticism zone' and I Google to find information which proves the exact opposite of what I just read. That again validates my skepticism which makes me all the more skeptical! I hope this is a temporary phase that will pass. I don't to be a grumpy old man at 31!