"Efficiency"

Strange how much a "trivial" movie can make you think. I went and watched "Sahara" the other night with my Matty. I thought it was really good. Not on my top ten favorite list, but I'll probably buy it when it comes out. But what I most like about movies like this and Indiana Jones and Sinbad the Sailor and such is that they have the ability to transport us from our normal, neat worlds to one of great adventure and excitement. I found myself actually quite jealous of Penelope Cruz (not just because she's drop dead gorgeous), because she was living for something far bigger than herself. Without giving away the whole movie (go see it--you'll enjoy it, I promise), the main premise is that she's a doctor who is trying to find out where an epidemic is stemming from. Now, I have no stomach for those types of things, so I'm not saying I wish I'd majored in medicine or anything, but what I am saying is that my main concern is getting an A on my upcoming paper, which is (very important, but) pretty boring compared with Penelope's character dashing around to third-world countries solving mysteries and curing natives of deadly diseases. What she was doing was so... well, important. Sure, she could have been making more money or seeing more patients in a neat little hospital in Suburbia, America, but where's the excitement in that.
I think the main problem with our society today is the utmost concern, almost to the point of obsession, with efficiency. Think about it. Almost every problem you can toss at me, I think I can trace it back to the fact that we are more concerned with being efficient than anything else--love, family, God, causes, etc.
For example, why do so many marriages fail? Well, it takes work to make a marriage last. Hard work. I've seen this in the life of my parents, who have been together almost a quarter of a century. I am one of the few in my group of friends whose parents are really their "original" set. It's seemingly much more efficient to gain those deep-seated desires of love and acceptance through the feelings that come with quick flings and exciting whirlwind romances, but when the feelings wear off, it takes far more investment to make a relationship work, so people flit about to the next new thing.
Another example, a true, life-changing faith in something. The rewards are not tangible, and it usually costs something (time, money, energy, etc.) to be a really religious person, so the point of diminishing returns, in most people's minds, is fairly low.
I could keep going, but this blog is already turning into a minor thesis. Think about it though. Let me know your opinions. And most of all, invest in something important without concern for Efficiency.