A Downside to Being Random

I'll have to admit from the outset of this post that one of my least favorite words these days is random. I also really dislike the concept of being random. My angst for the word and/or the concept is that in today's culture being random is somehow being elevated to a preferred or elite status. It is as though if you aren't random or don't subscribe to being random, somehow that makes you very uncool. I know this may offend some of you out there because you use the word random a lot and/or you admire the concept of being random a great deal. But, let me explain where I'm coming from.

From the dictionary and Wikipedia, being random implies a lack of order, purpose or cause. It can also be described as a casual sense of a lack of predictability. Furthermore, being random suggests making a choice when there is no logical component by which to make that choice.

I believe that there is a huge downside to being random.

When a society begins to reward/admire a lack of order, purpose or cause, we are headed for trouble. Have you ever been in a totally chaotic situation where there was no order, purpose or cause? How did you feel in that situation? For a short time it can appear to be fun. But, if that totally chaotic situation is allowed to persist for the long term, you can get very confused, feel potentially unsafe and experience futility. No wonder a lot people in our society today (especially Millenials?) are increasingly confused, feeling unsafe and living lives of near futility. In my opinion, that's what happens when being random appears to be the ideal for one's life.

When there is a casual sense of (and/or an out-and-out lack of) predictability to our lives, what happens when you bump up against truths that are in fact very predictable and don't change? It causes further confusion and disillusionment among people (again, especially Millenials?). If you have been taught by the system that there are no absolutes and that in fact everything is just random and by chance, it can be very disheartening when you are confronted face-to-face with the realities that some things just are absolute and always will be and aren't going to change just because our pop culture society tells you that being random is the ideal.

When there are no logical reasons for the choices you make, you may make some choices that you will later desparately regret. For example, just because being random is our pop culture's current ideal and considered to be way cool, if you end up making choices based on that kind of a philosophy, you might totally disregard established laws of nature, historical precedent, biological facts, proven science and/or any other well-known truths. And when/if you do, those choices will be really, really wrong and may end up costing you a great deal.

This past week has been an interesting one. Seems like the weeks get more and more interesting all the time. As a society, we appear to be moving at a very rapid pace towards "randomness" and a form of anarchy, which could also be described as lawlessness. I'm concerned about that. And you should be, too.

There is a downside to being random. Think about it.