The advancement of technology has revolutionized the way we live. We have access to untold amounts of information at our fingertips, the ability to get to know people thousands of miles away, and instant shopping with next-day delivery.

In comparison to the days of yore, many of us will see how much we have advanced as a society. We have come leaps and bounds from the days of primitive living, superstition, and folklore.

I agree that technological advances have positively impacted society in many ways – but as with all things, there’s always a price tag. Are we clear on the price we are willing to pay?

For many the air has become unbreathable, water undrinkable, food uneatable and the earth unlivable. With the rapid advancement of today, we seem to also be rapidly losing our connection to things that were held sacred. As an example, do we still consider the earth as Mother? If so, perhaps we should reassess the way we treat her. Do we see other livings beings as holding inherent value? Do we perhaps need to reevaluate our value system to put people first and things second? Along with modern advancement, we have also advanced a crisis in mental health, fragmented relationships, depression, exploitation, and divide.

We can celebrate the progress that humanity has made and gratefully acknowledge how our lives are better today than they were hundreds of years ago. What I would like to offer is that we consider that true advancement goes beyond gadgets, technology, and modern comforts. For advancement to reach its full potential it must also include advancement of consciousness.

Without including human consciousness in the equation we are perhaps missing an important and valuable opportunity that has been afforded to us by the modern world. Unless we are innovating ways to create more kindness, compassion, and connection our society is actually devolving as opposed to evolving, even if that devolution is taking place with a phone in one’s hand. In today’s world we have learnt to love things, and use people.

If we fail to evolve in consciousness, individually and collectively, all of our other advancements simply become instruments of our inner suffering, rather than instruments of our ultimate liberation.

This is an invitation, rather than a critique. We are all invited to advance society together by becoming heartivists. It’s an invitation to learn to love people and use things. An invitation to live a life of compassionate action.