Oh I don't know...
why you're not fair
I give you my love
but you don't care
So what is right
and what is wrong
gimme a sign.
I previously blogged how we Americans are constantly chasing after our dreams, so I can see how we do not have any passion because we are too busy improving ourselves. The whole rat race and one up manship, instead of focusing what truly makes us happy. Much of what makes us happy doesn't take that any work. After exhausting themselves after two World Wars, I venture to guess that most Europeans learn to appreciate the simple fact of being alive, and to use this precious moment to be happy, rather than having this relentless drive to improve, to be better, etc. The stereotypical image of Parisiens sitting at a cafe, sipping slow drip coffee, watching riverboats meandering river Sienne, pops into my brain. Just chillaxing...
The lack of overall passion is disturbing; there's more to just having a passion. Very few of us have the luxury of combining what makes us happy into our profession, instead of imbuing ourselves with a vision/purpose that serves a greater purpose, we jump into the proverbial ball in a hamster cage and keep on running toward an imaginary and ultimately, an unattainable goal. That's how we set up this feed forward chase cycle. I suspect that's why some feel this emptiness in their gut. So they are constantly in search of the one seminar, the one workshop, the one class, the one girl, the one secret formula of success that fill their collective empty core. At best, they are still hopeful enough to look for solutions to their problems, and for those who are frustrated with their lack of direction in life, some would resort to blame and to lash out at others.
Speaking for myself, I find that when I improve the condition of someone who was suffering, I feel better. They give me that ego boost, that sigh of relief that I have served my purpose. Almost as gratifying as seeing that agonizing O-face that girls make, just before they about to gush forth their liquid joy... finally relaxing into contentment. That is as close as I can describe how I feel when I get to pursue my passion.
Best of luck to those who are still in the chase... to hunt for your passion!
2 comments:
I agree with you, especially about seminar junkies. It's hard to have a well-defined greater purpose to your life at times. What do you think of people wanting to become good at PU, are they just hamsters in the cage? How do you form your goals so you avoid this?
i completely agree, though i've realized it through a comparative literature class rather than through frustration with the community (though i definitely am frustrated with the community as well. :p) we were reading war and peace...
there's a lot of examples in war and peace of visionaries who land completely on their face for better or for worse; the ones who truly find happiness and transform themselves are those who AREN'T consciously trying to change the world, but rather those who find themselves committing to an action out of necessity and inadvertently transform the world around them.
in any case, whatever i explained above might be equally invalid under some other philosophical lens, but it's definitely an interesting way to look at things...
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