(ThyBlackMan.com) “If A is a success in life, then A equals X plus Y plus Z. Work is X; Y is play, and Z is keeping your mouth shut.” ~ Albert Einstein
The Western view of success couples wealth accumulation by any means with unfettered consumption. This idea was ingrained into the psyche of the citizens in industrialized societies and now the world, through effective social engineering. The doctrine of success rules all aspects of our lives, even in places where it should not be present.
Physicians measure their success not on preventing disease, but by the money earned from medications and surgeries for ailments that could have been avoided by preventive care. Religious leaders gauge their success on the number of sheep they lead astray and the square footage of their homes. Universities track their success by the size of their endowments, not by the type of students they release into society. The things corporations do to increase profits are sickening, though in a culture where success is th
e epitome of life, one cannot be shocked at the things done to increase earnings.
The greed of politicians and corporations has caused irreparable harm to Mother Earth and her offspring.
Success — How can a word and idea cause so much anxiety, insecurity, depression, and self-hate while also causing pridefulness, joy, and arrogance?
While it is true language is limiting, the idea of success understood in our capitalistic society is clearly stated — dominate, accumulate, and illustrate your achievement through conspicuous consumption, AKA flaunt your money.
Success, how many lives have been lost and wasted in pursuit of your vanity?
You may feel uneasy as you find yourself constantly in the depths of your thoughts, scheming ways to attract the stardust of success and receive validation from as well as be the envy of your peers. What you will find out is, this word, this idea created by man is mere mythology, much like Santa Claus or Zeus.
Peace, joy, and happiness are the underlying accomplishments we are trying to find on our road to success. Goals are as good as if they were written in water — “ If I achieve this, if only things were different, if only I had this amount of money, if only my house was this size.” Many of these, even if attained, leave our heart’s coffers empty and bereft of happiness.
Harvard Professor Michael Norton argued that wealth and consumption do not increase happiness, but actually disrupt it due to the negative aspects of being wealthy. Anxiety about keeping wealth, lack of motivation, family issues, boredom, and isolation from the majority of society overwhelm any positivity from the material boons of success.
These views of life keep the masses insecure, in debt, and fighting amongst each other. The puppet master keeps the spoils of our labor and we use credit to keep up the masquerade of success.
Can one mediate the yin and yang? Perhaps a release from the constraints of another’s aspirations is a building block for success. This is not a cop-out or an excuse to be lazy, slothful, or mediocre. This is to reclaim sanity and joy during our brief stay on Earth.
Our consumerist society can only deal with humanity in superficial terms. There is no amount of achievement, narcotics, wealth, fame, or sex that can provide the peace we all yearn for. When speaking of peace, I am not referring to some uninterrupted tranquility, or living in some isolated area avoiding life. I am referring to freedom from fear and anxiety, and the emotional and psychological constraints of trying to achieve another goals.
The paradox is we are told by society how to achieve success, using a structure that it is untenable for 99% of us. Once seemingly acquired, success chooses to rest on shallow laurels. Celebrities adorned by millions, wealth, and fame still struggle with depression, substance abuse, and emptiness. Why is this, how can this be? Does material success presuppose a kinship with the failure or emptiness of life and soul?
What do you really want to achieve in life ? Could it be that the answer may have nothing to do with the accumulation of material possessions ?
I was once a firm believer in the idea of success we have been given as Americans — the mantra of bigger and more is always better. What I found was disillusionment, discontent and non-fulfillment in societal goals that focused on attaining power or prestige, accumulating and displaying wealth in a vicious cycle that counters the essence of humanity. We are not on Earth to work, spend and show off, but I am not in a position to tell you what your criteria of success should be.
Some may view my goals in life as unambitious but the beauty is in not caring what others think. I consider success for myself as progressing to be more understanding and patient, embracing the moment and not living in the past or the future, facing my fears head on, staying true to myself and not letting anyone or anything control my focus or my mood. If the economy crashes or I lose all material possessions, I should still be able to achieve these goals.
I will not waste my life in pursuit of vanity and inauthenticity. Bona fides and success ought not to be mutually exclusive.
Staff Writer; Linton Hinds Jr.
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