Vicious cycle of modern society?
Everywhere we look, be it blogs, articles, TV, printed media, books ... everyone is talking about increasing productivity, self-improvement, the best health plan we have to try, next gadget that will make our life easier ...
Isn't all of this there just to further fuel the modern capitalist consumerist machine?
Are we setting the wrong goals and priorities in life?
After my family suffered a great personal loss last year, I started asking myself some important but very uncomfortable questions:
- You are in the second half of your forties, how much time is left?
- Are you happy with your life?
- What did you achieve until now, is it enough?
- What is the meaning of it all?
I didn't find answers to all of these questions, but I think I found a most important goal of them all.
Prime Directive: I want to live at least 90 years and enjoy this time with the people I love.
Put against the other goals I had until now:
- How do I earn more money, to be able to afford a vacation in Japan?
- Get a grip on the new technologies, that could make you obsolete.
- Speed up, organize yourself better, improve presenting skills, ...
it makes them look pale and unimportant.
I have a feeling that most of my “old” goals were dictated externally, by a society that is itself driven by the agenda of capitalism (constant growth and increasing consumption) and doesn't have the benefit of the individual in mind. Even though some of the thinkers, influencers, bloggers ... think that they are actually doing and preaching something “completely different than the evil capitalists”.
I am currently in the process of rethinking all my goals and actions, that do not align with the prime directive from above. Let's see where this brings me ...