Or maybe it was more like “how does the world even work?” It’s a conversation I have from time to time, if not with others, with myself. It usually ends with me saying, “I just don’t get it.”

This particular conversation started after we somehow got on the topic of monster trucks. "Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!" Big leap but it was the crazy things people do that spurred the discussion. In this instance, people building huge trucks to crush cars, usually causing damage to the truck and requiring repair. All for the entertainment of the audience and the pleasure of the truck’s driver, so there is definitely a benefit. But is this wasteful? This led to other topics, like why do we buy so many things we don’t need, the short life of technology, polluting the environment and the drought in California. Bit of a downer for sure.

Some days, how we function as a society simply blows my mind - how we developed to become who and what we are, the rules that have been put in place to govern our behavior, how we entertain ourselves and each other, and the idea of consumption.

I’m not judging anyone; but man wouldn’t it be great if everyone paused a moment to think about these things, think about their impact on this world. Whether it is the impact we have on other people, the environment, the economy, whatever. It’s kind of like touching your brakes for absolutely no reason in heavy traffic. Our actions have a ripple effect that we might not see. Everything we do has consequences, both good and bad.

Take a moment, really take a moment, and think about the things that you say and do. Your behavior on a daily basis. Your consumption. It may be good. It may be bad. You may be perfectly happy with yourself. You may realize you need to change a bit. Maybe taking a moment to pause now will make you more mindful down the road.

And if you figure out “how the world works,” please drop me a line.