Surrounded by driverless cars, internet trolls, and all manner of vegan, gluten-free, soy-latte-frappe-cappuccinos, life in the 21st century can seem like a whirlwind of absurdities. But fear not, dear reader! Here we present to you a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek survival guide to this modern era we find ourselves navigating.
First and foremost, as part of your survival equipment, you’ll need a healthy dose of patience and humor, especially when dealing with the digital landscape. Updating our social media status, battling autocorrect, keeping up with the latest TikTok dances; this is undoubtedly the ‘junglee’ part of our tech-loaded lives. Instagram influencers telling us how to get the perfect shot of our avocado toast? Absurd, yes. But, our first survival tip is: take it in stride, with a hearty chuckle, and always feel free to post that avocado toast pic without a Valencia filter.
The next stage of survival includes dealing with the fitness craze. Suddenly, everyone is climbing mountains, yoga-ing, cycling, HIIT-ing, and remembering to hydrate. Not to mention the vegan-keto-paleo diets and food sensitivity tests for everything from broccoli to bread. It can make menu planning feel like a demanding task akin to climbing Everest. Here, survival means remembering that moderation is key, and it’s okay to eat that slice of cake without calculating the cardio needed to burn off the calories.
Then we arrive at the ‘green’ phenomenon – reusable straws, bamboo toothbrushes, electric cars, solar panels and compost bins. Whilst these are genuinely fantastic pursuits to reduce our carbon footprint, it can seem a little absurd when your neighbor fills his entire garden with solar panels, whilst still making his international travels via private jet. Survival point here? Do your bit for the environment – but don’t let it spark an existential crisis.
Let’s not forget the race to appear well-read. We humans do have a knack for wanting to show off our intellectual prowess, don’t we? “Have you read the latest best-seller?” or “Did you catch that post-modern analysis of Shakespeare in the Times?” The daily pressure to be engaged with all the latest literature can be a little overwhelming. Our advice? Read what you love, share it if you wish, and if someone intimidates you with their high-brow, author-dropping conversation, simply reply, “Oh, I’ve been too engrossed in my comic books to get around to that one!”
Life in the 21st century is a weird and wonderful concoction of fast-paced changes, technological advancements, and new societal norms that our ancestors couldn’t even have dreamed of. But remember, our generation is nothing if not adaptable! So, take the time to pause, catch your breath, and perhaps laugh at the absurdity of it all. It’s the 21st century after all—who knows what they’ll think of next? Maybe avocado toast-flavored vegan protein powder? Only time will tell.
In the meantime, buckle up, remember to take life lightheartedly, and embrace the glorious absurdities of our modern life with preserverance, good humor, and boundless joy. Because, let’s face it, surviving in the 21st Century is quite the rollercoaster ride, but it’s certainly a ride we wouldn’t want to miss!