We are experiencing a never-before-seen disconnect at the moment; between our ability to simultaneously access vast amounts of information and cocoon ourselves within limited bubbles of realities.

Far from ushering an era of mass enlightenment and awareness, the Internet has provided a powerful way to enable selective blindness. All websites are preaching to the converted. How often do we (and I include myself in this) wilfully seek out sites with opinions and worldviews contrary to our own?

This sort of “wilful ignorance” has pay-offs for sure. Knowing there are lots of other people around the world who feel the same way as I do about things, or hold similar beliefs and philosophies, can be very comforting; more so if my access to such people in my immediate geographical vicinity is limited.

The problem comes when we lose awareness of the other realities, or the greater – factual/physical – realities. Yes there are people who believe in radically different things. And yes factual reality may be different from my isolated bubble. As long as we live in relative physical comfort, wilful ignorance is simply easier. The Titanic is sinking, but don’t let that get in the way of the sumptuous buffet.

This is one reason I find Lifeline work so rewarding and humbling. I am reminded, often viscerally, of the radically different lives and thought processes out there in the real world.