Top 10 Things That Rule the World
Suggested by SMSThe world is a big place and at any given point, there are a whole lot of things going on. Wars are being waged, multi-billion dollar decisions are being made, and entire nations are being mobilized for purposes as varied as the human race itself. The world is essentially a cesspool of constant activity and action. But what things control this process of events? How are we able to make sense of world full of life, full of thought, full of resources? The answer lies in this list of top ten things that rule the world.
10. Television
You can’t understate the hypnotic powers of television. From commercials wrought with subliminal messages, to 24 hour TV show marathons, to recycled episodes and reruns of Sportscenter and CNN, there is no shortage of contemporary television programs. Nowadays, a basic cable connection comes complete with about 100 channels. Digital cable and satellites have literally thousands of channels available. It doesn’t help we spend countless hours sitting in front of a television screen.
Why do televisions make this list? Simply put, televisions are the primary means of conditioning for the big broadcasting companies. When leaders have a message, they take it to the screen. When there’s a new product launch, it’s taken to the screen. Newscasters plaster television screens with killing and murder so we stay glued to their. Most of what we know about the outside world comes from what we see on television. It is doubtful that televisions will ever stop being relevant.
9. Women
Women possess an interesting combination of beauty and cunning. Their ability to bear children also makes them uniquely important to the cycle of life. Women also have the unparalleled ability to persuade and influence their male counterparts. Their sensuality gives them worldwide appeal. While not all societies regard them with the respect they deserve, there is no denying a woman’s inherent significance.
We are in a new generation, a new era when it comes to women. Unlike the past, women today have more rights and opportunities than ever. They have seized the opportunity to display their array of talents and abilities and made it clear they are every bit as capable as men. Despite the fact society is still mainly male dominated, women have moved far from their once domesticated lifestyle. They have become leaders of businesses and nations, exhibited political acuity, and continue to be at the forefront of higher education.
It’s not difficult to imagine how important women are. Like a rare, delicate flower we are very protective of our women. This isn’t because they’re weaker, but more because they represent the preciousness of life, beauty, and vitality.
8. Sex
Aside from its obvious significance as the natural means of reproduction in humans, sex is also a very popular source of pleasure. We love to do it, watch it and probably think about it a lot more than we’re willing to admit.
Sex is big business as well. It is said that prostitution is the world’s oldest occupation. We may never know if there is any truth in that but the fact remains people are willing to pay top dollar to experience sexual pleasure. On the legal side, porn industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Sex represents a very important type of human bonding. Although not everyone subscribes to abstinence, sex is still to some a very spiritual act, used to consummate marriage, a lifetime bond. Sex has a profound effect on the development of emotional bonds in humans.
7. Drugs
Everybody loves to get high…Ok, perhaps not everybody but drugs have become a huge part of human society and culture. On a number of levels, they contribute to a lot of very important aspects of human life. Drugs have the power to influence the economy, arts and entertainment, politics, class structure, and medicine. That list is in no way exhaustive.
Drugs are big business both in a legal and illegal sense. The drug trade has influenced many a political campaign since politicians and leaders are keenly aware of the effects drugs continue to have on communities across the nation. Drugs are the foundation of medical treatment and keep many people alive despite chronic or otherwise life threatening diseases. Unfortunately, multi-million dollar lawsuits come with the territory as well.
Drugs are also a source of pleasure and inspiration. Some of the greatest minds of our time were cultivated with lots of weed, cocaine and opium. Writers, artists and musicians have all credited drugs with altering their state of consciousness, giving them fresh perspective to create. Entire generations have used drugs to fuel their counter-culture beliefs.
6. The Internet (World Wide Web)
No place is the impact of technology more evident than within the development of computers and the internet. The World Wide Web, perhaps technology’s greatest gift, has singularly changed the way we learn, teach, communicate, entertain and inform. It has made the world smaller and allows the unprecedented spread of information and knowledge.
Never has a creation so recent in its development been able to impact and change so many different things so fast and with such power. The internet has brought us closer each other as a people. It has made us a more intelligent people by allowing us to access what is essentially our past, present and future. With the internet, we no longer need textbooks to learn about the history of the world. We don’t need a television to be entertained or updated on the latest news. With the advent of smartphones, we don’t need a computer to access technology to improve our lives. At the root of this new age we live is the internet.
While natural resources remain the foundation of human life—things like water, air, oil and such—information is and has always been the key to properly utilizing those resources. The internet is the face of the information age.
5. Technology
Technology and its role in shifting the way we live have influenced the entire world on a number of levels. The cars we drive, our cell phones, computers, traffic lights, medical technology, they have all impacted the way we think, act, and live. Technology has become so commonplace and so many things have been invented for the sake of convenience that we sometimes for technology’s role in our lives.
The most obvious way we can see technology’s significance is by looking at how we judge human advancement. While there are many constants, things that fundamentally never change over time, one thing is perfectly clear. As the world and the human race grows, so does technology and at an alarming rate. Technology allows us to both organize and utilize the entire body of knowledge we possess.
4. Religion
It’s said that God rules the world. So naturally, religion should make this list, right? Religion has been around since the beginning of time. Wars have been fought over religion. Societies have been founded on the premise of religion. As a way of thinking, religion has provided billions of people with a reason to live. All in all, religion and spirituality are fundamental parts of human existence.
Many nations came to be as a result of religious persecution and the pursuit of religious freedom. Religion has remained a consistent source of personal conviction and principles by which we live every day. There are even those who use religion to justify actions that are deemed “evil” like terrorism. Religion is also a source of world history. Much of human society was developed on principles of religion and universal concepts of God and spirituality. Christianity was the motivation for the Great Crusades. The bible is the bestselling book of all time. The never ending conflicts in the Middle East have religious roots. Many of our greatest monuments were created to honor religious and heavenly beings.
Even on the individual level, faith in religion dictates the everyday lives on billions of people. Religious doctrines and teachings help many to find purpose in living and a reason to exist. Without religion, one might argue the world and its existence is but a byproduct of science and coincidence. One of the greatest debates of our time relates to religious beliefs concerning the origin of our world. Given the historical significance of religion, its continued influence over the world and its inhabitants, and the veracity of its power, religion is definitely worthy of placement on this list.
3. Science
Science is the basis of what we know about the world around us. Discoveries in science have led to the development of countless laws and theories that shape how we live and interact with the planet. Experiments and research still to this day provide hope for everything from cures for chronic diseases like HIV and cancer to increased life expectancy.
Science remains one of the most fundamental aspects of our world. Our understanding of science affects us every day. Weather forecasts, fallout plans for disaster, global warming, the laws of physics, space travel—it is all predicated on scientific knowledge.
Without science, many of the items on this list might not exist. If not for the study of electricity, we would have no technology. There would be no televisions or the internet. Without science, we wouldn’t understand architecture to build homes, or even know how to cook. Science is ever present and continually influences everything we do.
2. Politics and Government
Without politics and government, there would be total worldwide chaos…Scratch that, politics and government allow us to structure the chaos that already exists in the world. Whether you’re living in a democracy or a dictatorship, anarchical societies are few and far between. Pretty much everyone has come to the conclusion that a central government is necessary to control the day to day dealings of a nation. It also provides a means for leadership to convene and make important decisions. No matter the type of government politics and government have played a vital role in our world’s development and is the hallmark of human civilization.
Politics and government, though powerfully significant aren’t always good. They have been vehicles for mass destruction and fear and the central motivation for conquest and invasion. Entire peoples have been oppressed through government. Corrupt politics are also a major part of our world. Ruthless dictators and power seekers trigger happy rulers and underhanded politicians manipulate government to work for them in spite of their constituents. As unfortunate as it may be, people are killed and assassinated for the sake of political interests all the time. Government cover ups and scandal are at the foundation of the world’s history.
Politics and government have been and remain a powerful influence over the world as we know it.
1. Money
You’ve heard it a million times and a million different ways—“money makes the world go round”, “money is the root of all evil”, “time is money”, “if it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense”. No matter how you slice it, it’s difficult to argue with money being the driving force behind much of everything in the world. Money has a sphere of influence that doesn’t include many exceptions. Money affects everything, big or small.
On a large scale money affects entire societies, builds and destroys nations, determines the depths of social class and education, and is the unit by which entire economies are measured. On a smaller scale, it can have a profound effect on our individual quality of life and as such, can easily influence individual behavior. With money you can get away with murder…literally. Money can determine the outcome of political races. Without money, you cannot keep your lights on; have food, or even running water. If you have no money, you are essentially annexed from the civilized world
Money is by far the most powerful and influential thing ever created. It is so powerful that in many ways, it dictates the presence of every other thing on this list. Without money, you won’t be watching much television. The biggest crimes are motivated by the money associated with trafficking drugs. Money can buy you women and sex. The pulse of politics and government is dictated by debt ratios, campaign funding, war costs, economic status and the like. The best and latest technology costs lots and lots of money and is rarely available to those without financial resources. Access to the latest in scientific discoveries relating to medicine and health will ultimately depend on your health insurance, also money motivated.
It’s an unfortunate truth. Money is the glue that holds the world together.
Each of the items on this list has its place. Every one of them is arguably more important than its ranking might suggest. What we do know however, is that these ten things all have significant influence on how we live, communicate, learn and ultimately survive. They are each connected to the world and to each other. So whenever you’re in a bind and having trouble figuring out what really matters in the world, refer to this list. More likely than not, you’ll find answers in the top ten things that rule the world.
good list