To begin my Individual Project, I created a Storify which can be found at this link:
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The shopping mall is the new church
“The shopping mall is the new church” – when I first heard that statement I was like what? It took me quite some time to figure it out, but actually it makes a lot of sense.
So consumerism and the need to shop has become the new faith in practice. It is evident and felt, especially on the weekends when you can hardly shop comfortably as it is so busy, and every one else has the same idea that you had. Britain is known to be a Christian nation, but is this the case anymore? The only people I know that still go to church and follow a faith are my grandparents.
This generation seems to have become stuck and lost in what they are doing, most people hardly even know who they are anymore. The constant ‘want’ to be and have for drives humanity insane, whether they realise it or not, so undoubtedly the shopping mall is the new church in today’s world.
And how can this change? Well if more people speak up that is definitely a great place to start. Sitting back and remaining quiet doesn’t solve a thing, and having the attitude of ‘what’s the point, how can I make a difference on my own?’ is not the right way either. Imagine if everyone felt like this, it would be an awful place to live in.
Life is beautiful as I constantly express throughout my blog, but only when it is lived to the full capacity. It’s about seeing, and not only looking. To get in touch with our higher self is a magnificent experience, which can be reached and accessed by going to church, repenting our sins and salvation and letting go of the baggage that sits on so many of our shoulders.
It really doesn’t have to be that difficult, we just make it that way.
Distractions: Getting the better of us
Are we surrounded by distractions, indirectly, controlling the way we think, act and behave? It can be difficult at times to find time to yourself away from the fast-paced lifestyle that the majority of us are now subject to. The use of social media allows us to inter-connect with people thousands of miles away. We can stay in touch easier than ever before, get things done a lot quicker which, therefore, can entail many more expectations from those above us. It is an exciting transformation in society and we should be grateful for advanced technology facilitating our day-to-day tasks.
Not so long ago I bumped into someone who was talking to me about their kindle. It was explained to me that the ever-going improvements in the tablet makes it more and more harder to shut off from the outside world.
The newest kindle allows you to stay linked in and connected with social media. I know that self-control is important, but it can be so hard to stay isolated from social media without wondering what is the latest updates online, in the virtual community.
As things move along we are subject to changes and, we too, feel obligated to follow suit. This is a normal thing but it is about standing out from the rest, controlling your own actions and taking time out for yourself too. Social media is a way of being on the networking radar – you never know who is reading what you’re posting, so being aware of that is crucial! We can post things online without thinking twice, reflecting this negative image of ourself, but really that’s not the way we want others to perceive us.
Yes, more and more technological devices have integrated and converged with other online platforms but that is an advantage for us. It is, of course, a lot more difficult to shut off and not be distracted but I think discipline from within is most essential. Meditation can be a great way to calm your thoughts and put you in a stable frame of mind to make you think and feel clearly again, so always remember that.
Don’t be distracted. Be the one to distract with all of your positivity.
Along The Way - G.L.Smith 