A New Normal

We are halfway through 2010 and as the New Year has faded to the current year and then moves to the old year we yet again find ourselves standing the cusp of a new year. What we don't notice is "A new normal" has taken shape. Let me explain the phenomenon.
Darwin explained Evolution as "Natural selection acts only by taking advantage of slight successive variations; she can never take a great and sudden leap, but must advance by short and sure, though slow steps".

A New Normal, as I define it, is the evolution process where nature is not the cause of evolution process but man is. A successive variation is not a slow process but moves leaps and bounds. Let me explain. All the factors of evolution, mutation etc, is sped up because of the impact of man's activities in his environment. In A New Normal phenomenon, nature is not the catalyst for change; Man is.

A New Normal doesn't only apply to genetic modification. It applies to every aspect of existence and activity. Travel, health, communication, information distribution, manufacturing etc etc. Just as evolution doesn't stop a new Normal doesn't too.

As we edge closer to the end of first decade of the new millennium I would like to list my Top 5 'A New Normal' aspects that have occurred in the last 20 years (last decade of the 20th century and 1st decade of the 21st century).

1) Travel: Air travel more than any other modes has changed a lot in the last 10 yrs. I remember a time when air travel was fun. The thrill and the concept of flying without wings attached to you back was something that was baffling and if u stop to think of it, it still is. Now, flying as a concept has been taken for granted. Besides it’s also become a pain in the ass to fly. With all the terrors scares and security it literally has become one of the worst ways to travel. The New Normal in this scenario is that it’s become an 'expected'. So now when I travel by air and looked on like terrorist or frisked and touched all over that's okay with me, because that's how it is. However, if the airport authorities were to smile at me, greet me and be uber helpful I would think something is off. However, that's how’s it suppose to be.

2) Communication: I think if anything has changed the way we live; it’s got to be Communication! The internet is, according to me, the single greatest invention of man. Let’s review. The wheel was to make life easy for man. Its purpose was many manyfold and I agree. However because of the internet I don't have to get into my car, which is on wheels, to pay my bills. I get my movies online and I don't need to travel to another country for a meeting. It all happens on the internet.

The New Normal here is that the internet has changed the way we communicate. There was a time when writing letters was the shit. I remember when emails first popped on the scene people swore it wouldn't replace the written letter. Now business approvals and in many cases contracts are drafted and sent along in emails. However emails have lost out, in cases, to facebook. No longer do people send birthday cards, and get well soon cards by post or email they do it over facebook. SMS, cell phone calls, GPRS are all fueled by the internet and the ability to communicate

3) Society: Societies have also evolved drastically over the last couple of decades. Maybe at a slower pace in comparison but definitely has evolved. Here I'm not talking about only the physical structure of a society i.e. houses and super markets but also the people that live within that society. I remember a time where gyming was for fat people who wanted to lose weight and was not for the reason to stay healthy. Why? Because people would walk, cycle to work and plus work that time was physically demanding they didn't have to exercise. Plus the food then was great and natural and the concept of a six pack was related to beer and not the stomach. Now people gym not to lose weight but to stay fit and in most cases aim for the 6 pack flat washboard abs.
Besides this, people have changed physically. We’ve become petite in comparison to our great grandparents, are immune system isn't as strong and we generally are not a very active generation. Our houses, car and appetite are bigger and so is our wastage. Now there are many movements that work to fight the "bigger syndrome". We are told to recycle, reduce wastage, reduce eating fatty foods, use shampoo’s made from organic stuff, don't buy large SUV's try hybrids etc etc.
The New Normal here is that we have changed, on a physical and societal level drastically over the last 20 yrs.

4) Information: The supply information has exploded over the last 10 yrs. This, again, is primarily due to the internet and the devices that display this information. With the terabytes of information coming up on to the internet every day, movie clips, pics, blogs, news etc.etc. we as a society have a new challenge. The new normal here is when in the past where people used to physically search for good books to derive information now have to search thru websites and webpages for the information. Hence the “Great Google”.

5) Entertainment: This has evolved from puppet shows to theater to cinema to TVs. Our entertainment still pretty much consist of these however the themes and concepts have changed. More sex, violence, crazy concepts like people locked in one house, millionaires wanting to get married on TV, people running across the globe to find clues, singing on stage, alone on a island, I mean the whole point of progress was so that we don't have to get locked in a house with people we don't like, or travel all over the world hunting clues (coz now we have the internet) and thank god we are not stuck on an island. What I’m trying to get at here is that entertainment has become cheap but expensive. For some reason living like our great grandparents does not suit us but we would love to watch other people do it and that too all for money.

I'm not here to criticize anything or anyone. Just want to ensure that people are aware that we are changing and evolving (good or bad) because of our actions. It’s called the New Normal simply because evolution brings something new every-time and that the only constant here is that it’s Normal.

P.S We don't need to play the guitar to be rock stars. Thank you Guitar Hero!!