The way we frame events greatly influences how we experience them. In turn, the way we think of our lives greatly determines the relationships we have with ourselves and the world. Futurist Sohail Inayatullah points out that distancing is one of the prime tools of Critical Futures Studies. When we are too close to a problem, too close to the present, it is hard to see it as the unique little moment in history that it really is. French postcritical philosopher Michel Foucault was fond of pointing out that the present is just one of many possible "presents" that might have eventuated from the long run of history. He said that every dominant society depicted itself as the ultimate culmination of ineluctable historical forces - with itself as the ultimate expression of that historical process (I do have some differences of opinion with Foucault, but I won't go into them here).
In the spirit of these thoughts, here's a wonderful little video which just might help you gain a different perspective on your life.
Go lightly,
Marcus
