A Society That Lost Its Direction
Lately, our society seems to have lost its direction. The disproportionate celebration of the individual has come at great expense to the family and community. Other people have become props in our lives, discarded as they no longer serve our purpose. We tolerate less and expect more. We want what we want, and we want it now. We are more concerned about what strangers think than about strengthening the bonds of our existing relationships.
The Rise Of Egocentric Living
It could be that my age and increased awareness have made me more aware of this, but I am convinced that there are more egocentric people today than when I was younger. You meet people like this all the time. Whatever happens is always about them, regardless of the situation and its consequences (for others). Sadly, they have been buoyed in their attitudes by a
cottage industry of self-help gurus and marketers that continue to reinforce the worldview that everyone should be the center of their own universe and everyone’s primary concern should be their own
happiness and self-satisfaction. It feels like people can no longer compromise or handle adversity. To what extent do we genuinely understand and embrace the concepts of
delayed gratification and
self-sacrifice?
We expect to be happy and fulfilled all the time, and paradoxically, we are less happy. You see the evidence everywhere: divorce rates now above 50%, parents putting their own needs ahead of their kids, parents over-scheduling and stressing out their children and trying to live vicariously through their exploits, people switching jobs every 2-3 years, children living at home well into their Thirties, the number of people you know on
antidepressants, etc. The offspring of the “ME” generation have clearly paid attention to the actions and attitudes of their parents. It is all quite sad.
Timeless Secrets To A Fulfilling Life
Through the ages, cultures and religions have communicated the following secrets to a happy and fulfilling life:
We Can Reroute And Get Back On Track
We may have lost our way, but we can reroute and get back on track, and it starts with you and me. We know the answers. To reach our destination, we must navigate the challenging terrain of self-deception and conceit. The lessons and values we must embrace are widely known, time-tested, implementable, and lead to better results.
We need to let go of the Ego and embrace the needs of our fellow human beings. We should stop always putting ourselves and our needs first and then rationalizing this behavior.
