A Critique Of Those Who Critique Society

There's a critique I often hear in books, television, and from real individuals around me: society is vapid; meaningless, hollow, vapid.

According to them, society is filled with empty shells of people glued to their phones the way a sluggish snail holds on to its shell. As they pass by you, they give an empty smile before returning to their cell phone, eyes barely registering you. There are no hobbies, no interests, just flailing limbs acting out, or wearing whatever trend currently holds the spotlight.

I have several problems with such a take, but let's start with the obvious.

Society Runs on Unique Minds

If the critiques of society were true, then parks all over America would be empty, libraries would sit vacant, with books collecting dust, and animal shelters would smell of neglect.

Instead, countless parks are ringing with the laughter of children like tinny bells and the rhythmic thuds of runners and walkers trying to improve their health.

Libraries house hushed conversations with eyes peaking over books being devoured. There are book clubs, read-alouds, and the student at the corner desk, working fervently.

And finally, animal shelters are filled with animal lovers; volunteers who find joy in comforting and caring for animals.

So why is it that we perpetuate the ideology that members of society do not have hobbies? Why do we pretend that it isn't unique minds that society runs on? Why do we pretend that if we were to ask people on the street what drives them, what they love, we wouldn't receive so many different, unique, answers?

We aren't robots. We're all different.

Society Lacks Empathy?

There is often the critique that as a society, we are deeply disjointed; suffering from a lack of connection the those in our peripheral vision. We do not ever, according to some critiques, stop and get to know the people we see every day on our daily commutes.

But I challenge that critique. Firstly, if one does not engage with a stranger, does that really make them incapable of friendship? Does that mean that there still might not be a silent acknowledgment of the other person? Is it not wise to maintain distance from someone you do not know? Furthermore, individuals may take time to trust someone; understandably so, and there might be a day when the two smile at each other, and another day when they both feel ready, where they make small talk with each other.

Speaking of Small Talk

Ironically enough, where there is the critique that we just don't talk to each other, there is also the critique that the conversations we have with each other lack depth and meaning. The small talk about the weather or the news is "fake" according to some critics and shows our "shallowness". How fair is this critique to make in a busy world where time is something we all struggle to grasp onto; making long-form conversations nearly impossible? Do we have a long, meaningful conversation with the barista in Starbucks on our way home from work and not only hold up the line but also cut out time spent with family waiting at home?

How fair is the critique when we realize we encounter so many people in our lives, most of which we do not wish to share a certain level of closeness? Is it evil and shallow of us to enjoy having conversations where we know the outcome will be pleasant? Is it wrong to enjoy neutral conversations where not much thought is put into it?

What We Can Learn From The Critiques

Perhaps the first thing we can learn from the critics is to reject mindlessly agreeing with cynical conclusions of the world around us. It is one thing to agree with such critiques of society based on your own opinion, but it most certainly isn't healthy to take on a cynical view of the people around us simply because it is a popular view. Does this not alienate us from those around us and promote negative feelings? Does such herd mentality not turn us into the very people we critique?

However, we can also perhaps find some truth in the critiques. After all, while I mostly disagree with them, I do have to say that some of them make sense and some of them might even be a little true. Maybe a little more effort on our part is warranted. Perhaps if we are more mindful of the world, we might find ourselves more connected to the people around us. Maybe we should try venturing out of our comfort zones and try having fewer small talk conversations and more "big talk" conversations. Perhaps that will bring us greater joy and fulfillment.