Tuesday, February 21, 2023

The Red Boat

A young monk approached the master, seeking wisdom about the nature of technology. "Master," he asked, "why do we spend so much time and effort on developing new technologies when they ultimately seem to bring us only fleeting satisfaction?"

The master looked at the young monk, and with a gentle smile, replied, "Let me tell you a story. Once, a traveler came across a river that he needed to cross. He searched and searched for a bridge, but could not find one. Frustrated and impatient, he spent many hours fashioning a raft out of nearby logs, ropes, and vines. Finally, with great effort, he launched the raft into the river and began to paddle across. But as he reached the middle of the river, the raft began to break apart, and the traveler found himself struggling to stay afloat amidst the rushing waters. Exhausted and beaten, he finally reached the other side, but with nothing to show for his efforts but wet clothes and a bruised ego."

The young monk listened intently to the master's story, and then asked, "But master, what does this have to do with technology?"

The master replied, "Technology is like the raft. It is a tool that we use to try and navigate the unpredictable currents of life. But if we rely too heavily on technology, if we spend all our time and energy fashioning new rafts without ever learning to swim or understand the river, we will ultimately find ourselves adrift, lost, and struggling to stay afloat. It is only by embracing the ever-changing flow of life, by learning to swim with the current rather than against it, that we can find true peace and fulfillment." 

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