Networking or Notworking: A Choice Between Living or Breaking Apart

This essay explores how life, from a single cell to your social feeds, is nothing but networking—and how modern ‘notworking' quietly breaks those networks

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You were born as an individual. But the loneliness didn'tlast long. You were embraced, loved, nurtured and cared for. As you grew you connected, networked, found meaning for your life, a reason to live and then when the time came you decided to repeat the cycle....

Then.

Two selves unite to become one, in the very act two cells unite to become one. Then the single fertilised cell plants itself firmly, perhaps takes a deep breath and then enacts a ritual that came into fashion billions of years ago.

A ritual that arose, because being alone is terrible. A strategy as old as life itself. A strategy that has no copyright, but relies on Copy-it-right.

Divide to Multiply, Connect to grow is the age old secret to life. So the cell split itself into two. These two split again and again. By dividing they grew, by networking they connected to form a meaningful mass. Eventually giving birth to a new form, that looked alone, but was a network humming with life and activity.

Networking is life and it extends far beyond.!

As social animals, we have evolved and thrived solely because of the networks we form. Our strength isn’t about how strong you are, but how strong, balanced, and well-connected your network is, and how you contribute to it. That is what gives you value.

When you live in nature, you are networking constantly with different elements. Interacting with plants, bugs, animals and variety of microscopic life forms. You network so closely with some of these life forms that unbeknownst to you a large percentage of your body is colonised by these life forms. Most are there not as visitors but as citizens, a few green card holders and perhaps a few on H-1b visas or as even visitors.

Our neurochemical inner environment is also primed to foster networks and meaningful contribution to sustaining these networks.

When I am down with depression, I ask myself: "Have I not contributed to my network. Am I being alerted by my brain about my lack of meaningful connection "

Surprisingly our serotonin levels are modulated by our connection and perceived value of our contributions. They stabilise when you are a good 'node' and make you feel calm, content and happy.

The root of depression can often be a subconscious realization that you are not adding true value, or a disconnect between your actions and your perception of their worth. And when our inbuilt scanning machinery feels that we are not contributing enough the levels of serotonin might drop down as a result you can experience that unsettling feeling of lows, dread, sadness and disconnect.

This does not mean depression is your fault or that you are 'a bad node'. Often, the networks around you-family, work, society -are damaged too. The point is that rebuilding deep, meaningful connection, inside and outside, is a powerful part of healing.

The importance of being a good “node” is paramount. If you contribute, you rise in the hierarchy of connection. More nodes seek to communicate with you. This principle operates from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Inside your body, neural networks and cognitive circuits work in tandem. My ability to speak or write this blog comes from language centers, cognition centers, and motor centers converging and collaborating. Walking, talking, sleeping, conversing—all are powered by networks.

So, if everything is networking, what is “notworking”?

This brings me to the concept of “wasting time”—a phrase I don’t fully believe in, yet speaking about it makes sense.

Time is a construct of consciousness. In deep sleep, you don’t perceive it. If I were never born, there would be no “my time.” So how can something so perceptual be “wasted”?

What I really mean is that certain actions in the present moment can impair how we function within our networks. And this is where modern life offers a dangerous temptation.

In my childhood, after homework and chores, I’d go play. That activity connected me to the Earth, plants, animals, and friends. We learned from caterpillars, insects, dogs, and cats. True networking involves learning. It was the best use of time imaginable. It built the neural circuits, physical resilience, and deep ecological wisdom that define me today. I learned far more than any book could teach.

Now, contrast that with today. In my spare time, I often reach for my phone. I slouch into the worst possible posture, and as content pulls me in, my awareness of my body and space vanishes. I become a data zombie, bombarded by endless, unusable novelty. My brain’s Task Positive Network (TPN)—the collector—screams in overload, while the Default Mode Network (DMN)—the integrator—starves. (I’ve written about this before)

I collect and collect, but there’s no time to connect the dots. I end up with terabytes of information and zero knowledge. This is true “notworking.” You could rightly say, “He is not working.” The information isn’t collapsing into meaningful knowledge; it isn’t forming a functional web inside my mind. It has no context, no reason to be alive. I listen to politics or science and forget it instantly. The brain is pulled by novelty but left asking, “How do I use this?”

This is the classic modern “notwork.” You might think scrolling social media, liking posts, and messaging is networking. But often, it’s the opposite. It’s a simulation of connection that breaks real-world networks.

The takeaway? Our modern world presents an unprecedented opportunity to genuinely “not work.” As organisms shaped by millennia of constant movement and tangible connection with nature, we must consciously choose to reject this. In “notworking,” we break our essential networks. And when the network breaks, we fall sick.

Our duty as managers of our personal networks is to discern what information is vital. We must not clutter our minds with the unnecessary, hoping it might be useful. A cluttered mind struggles to offer its full value. A focused mind, constantly in touch with its true stakeholders, is powerful.

Who are these stakeholders? Our body’s sensory organs, proprioception, your pain receptors, your inner emotional and mental environment. Its important that as managers we are in constant touch with these stakeholders. Any act where your attention is fully present with your body, another being, or your environment is real networking. When you go for a mindful walk, when you have a focused conversation or savor a meal, or even when you engage with your kids or someone you care about -you are networking.

In fact, high quality networking where you are invested and in the moment in itself is meditation. Little do we realise that when we meditate, we are networking. We are using our neural networks to scan other networks. We strike an inner conversation, gradually learning more from the trillions of nodes that make up our body.

As you network and connect you become a better manager. Responsible owner of a corporate entity with trillions of workers; we call human body. And what exactly is meant by 'Responsible' , a manager who knows how to respond based on what the situation demands. Response-able: The ability to respond! You cant inherit this ability, it has to be earned, by working, observing, communicating and with practice.

And when are you “notworking”? When you are lost in the endless scroll of YouTube, Facebook, or social media, mistaking that simulated activity for true connection. That attempt at networking is, in fact, the very essence of notworking.

This essay explores how life, from a single cell to your social feeds, is nothing but networking—and how modern ‘notworking’ quietly breaks those networks.

---

You were born as an individual. But the loneliness didn’t last long. You were embraced, loved, nurtured, and cared for. As you grew, you connected, networked, found meaning for your life, a reason to live, and then when the time came, you decided to repeat the cycle.

Then.

Two selves unite to become one; in the very act, two cells unite to become one. Then the single fertilized cell plants itself firmly, perhaps takes a deep breath, and enacts a ritual that came into fashion billions of years ago.

A ritual that arose because being alone is terrible. A strategy as old as life itself. A strategy that has no copyright but relies on Copy-it-right.

Divide to Multiply, Connect to Grow is the age-old secret to life. So the cell split itself into two. These two split again and again. By dividing they grew; by networking they connected to form a meaningful mass. Eventually giving birth to a new form that looked alone but was a network humming with life and activity.

Networking is life, and it extends far beyond.

As social animals, we have evolved and thrived solely because of the networks we form. Our strength isn’t about how strong you are, but how strong, balanced, and well-connected your network is, and how you contribute to it. That is what gives you value.

When you live in nature, you are networking constantly with different elements. Interacting with plants, bugs, animals, and a variety of microscopic life forms. You network so closely with some of these that, unbeknownst to you, a large percentage of your body is colonized by them. Most are there not as visitors but as citizens—a few green card holders, perhaps a few on H-1B visas, or even as visitors.

Our neurochemical inner environment is also primed to foster networks and meaningful contribution to sustaining them.

When I am down with depression, I ask myself: “Have I not contributed to my network? Am I being alerted by my brain about my lack of meaningful connection?”

Surprisingly, our serotonin levels are modulated by our connection and the perceived value of our contributions. They stabilize when you are a good ‘node’ and make you feel calm, content, and happy.

The root of depression can often be a subconscious realization that you are not adding true value, or a disconnect between your actions and your perception of their worth. And when our inbuilt scanning machinery feels that we are not contributing enough, serotonin levels may drop; as a result, you can experience that unsettling feeling of lows, dread, sadness, and disconnect.

This does not mean depression is your fault or that you are ‘a bad node.’ Often, the networks around you—family, work, society—are damaged too. The point is that rebuilding deep, meaningful connection, inside and outside, is a powerful part of healing.

The importance of being a good “node” is paramount. If you contribute, you rise in the hierarchy of connection. More nodes seek to communicate with you. This principle operates from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Inside your body, neural networks and cognitive circuits work in tandem. My ability to speak or write this blog comes from language centers, cognition centers, and motor centers converging and collaborating. Walking, talking, sleeping, conversing—all are powered by networks.

So, if everything is networking, what is “notworking”?

This brings me to the concept of “wasting time”—a phrase I don’t fully believe in, yet speaking about it makes sense.

Time is a construct of consciousness. In deep sleep, you don’t perceive it. If I were never born, there would be no “my time.” So how can something so perceptual be “wasted”?

What I really mean is that certain actions in the present moment can impair how we function within our networks. And this is where modern life offers a dangerous temptation.

In my childhood, after homework and chores, I’d go play. That activity connected me to the Earth, plants, animals, and friends. We learned from caterpillars, insects, dogs, and cats. True networking involves learning. It was the best use of time imaginable. It built the neural circuits, physical resilience, and deep ecological wisdom that define me today. I learned far more than any book could teach.

Now, contrast that with today. In my spare time, I often reach for my phone. I slouch into the worst possible posture, and as content pulls me in, my awareness of my body and space vanishes. I become a data zombie, bombarded by endless, unusable novelty. My brain’s Task Positive Network (TPN)—the collector—screams in overload, while the Default Mode Network (DMN)—the integrator—starves. (I’ve written about this before.)

I collect and collect, but there’s no time to connect the dots. I end up with terabytes of information and zero knowledge. This is true “notworking.” You could rightly say, “He is not working.” The information isn’t collapsing into meaningful knowledge; it isn’t forming a functional web inside my mind. It has no context, no reason to be alive. I listen to politics or science and forget it instantly. The brain is pulled by novelty but left asking, “How do I use this?”

This is the classic modern “notwork.” You might think scrolling social media, liking posts, and messaging is networking. But often, it’s the opposite. It’s a simulation of connection that breaks real-world networks.

The takeaway? Our modern world presents an unprecedented opportunity to genuinely “not work.” As organisms shaped by millennia of constant movement and tangible connection with nature, we must consciously choose to reject this. In “notworking,” we break our essential networks. And when the network breaks, we fall sick.

Our duty as managers of our personal networks is to discern what information is vital. We must not clutter our minds with the unnecessary, hoping it might be useful. A cluttered mind struggles to offer its full value. A focused mind, constantly in touch with its true stakeholders, is powerful.

Who are these stakeholders? Our body’s sensory organs, proprioception, pain receptors, inner emotional and mental environment. It’s important that as managers we are in constant touch with these stakeholders. Any act where your attention is fully present with your body, another being, or your environment is real networking. When you go for a mindful walk, when you have a focused conversation, savor a meal, or even when you engage with your kids or someone you care about—you are networking.

In fact, high-quality networking where you are invested and in the moment is, in itself, meditation. Little do we realize that when we meditate, we are networking. We are using our neural networks to scan other networks. We strike an inner conversation, gradually learning more from the trillions of nodes that make up our body.

As you network and connect, you become a better manager—a responsible owner of a corporate entity with trillions of workers; we call it the human body. And what exactly is meant by ‘responsible’? A manager who knows how to respond based on what the situation demands. Response-able: The ability to respond! You can’t inherit this ability; it has to be earned—by working, observing, communicating, and with practice.

In closing,

You are the CEO of a trillion-cell enterprise. Your most important daily task isn't in your inbox-it's to step out of the simulation, touch the earth, look into a pair of eyes, and listen to the quiet hum of your own being. That's how you turn 'notworking' back into the only work that ever truly mattered: networking life itself