is it just me? or is everyone feeling the same?

For the last 8 months, I have been feeling intellectual numbness and a sense of lost ground. It is not about failing to provide a solid comeback in an argument or writing a great, engaging blog post. The feeling is growing day by day. I no longer feel myself.

After my degree graduation, I took one year off to prepare myself for abroad studies. During the same time, I used to read books, write fiction, and interact with creative people around the world. I was strict with the routine: three reading sessions (6-8 hours per day), walking, and uploading something on Instagram.

It was an extremely rewarding experience. I got more curious. I used to read any book that would interest me regardless of how useful it was in my life. I used to read for the sake of reading. Looking at those days now, I feel so nostalgic. I miss my dedicated reading days.

Once curiosity bites you, there is no return to normal. Curiosity becomes your new normal. But to be a functional human being, either turn your natural inclinations to profit or pursue something that generates money. I chose the latter. Then things went into a downward spiral.

This is not to say that my new career choice is dry and unappealing. It aligns with my dispositions, seeking deeper insights and searching for the truth. But to get there, a lot of technicalities are involved. Since it has corporate sophistication, you need to tame your raw and unhinged spirit. You need to fit in to be hired.

I am reading less, writing less, and thinking less. Earlier I could produce insights even with a basic level of understanding of a subject; now I am confused. I used to know the meaning of thousands of words; now I am looking up the meaning of words that I used in my books. I used to give solid replies in a debate; now I am battling for accurate words and sentences.

The further I moved away from my natural being, the more unnatural the world seemed to appear. I am feeling that I can live a good life with good paychecks, but without a sense of curiosity and an exploring spirit, everything will be so bland. If you have a creative calling, make sure to keep it alive. That is what keeps you alive.

With the rise of AI, most of us are resorting to ChatGPT or Co-pilot for the slightest queries that we can think of ourselves. As we are offloading thinking and creative capabilities that make us human to AI, it is getting empowered, so much so that in coming days we might not think at all.

And, with information and sensory overload, focus and attention are crumbling. Many cannot read a book for an hour straight without touching the phone (it includes me). As we spend more and more time on screens, we are failing to give adequate food for our minds. Books, debates, writing, deep thinking. The food I could think of.

No matter how flawed we are or how many biases and predispositions we have, thinking is uniquely human. Thinking deeply and expressing yourself creatively are antidotes to the dumbness and confusion we all feel today. These two help us rise above AI and make us future-proof.