I had to go pick up someone from a car dealership before I could say everything. Go figure, you can put a lot of money into a "comfortable" car, and it can still have trouble going from point A to B.
Please remember I'm not trying to preach anything, because I don't even consider myself converted! I struggle with my thoughts and other peoples thoughts, as does anyone else. I also don't want to insinuate any occupations as being lazy, I was just pointing out something I consider to be a paradox in the mentality of working for the sake of success and comfort.
Also when I talked about movies I thought it was interesting how there really is a duality present in movies as well. On the one hand Hollywood movies always portray traditional stories of struggle and conflict that people love. Behind the scenes however, Hollywood always will show off glamourous celebrities dressed in shining outfits walking on red carpets that people will love as well. I think everyone struggles with the balance of wanting comfort, and wanting adversity. Unfortunately in our society the media always seemed to glorify adversity in the form of fiction, and the glorification of comfort being the reality. I think it took a terrible event for a lot of people to now swap the two. The idea that perhaps comfort is fantasy, and adversity the reality.
My friend still admits to being confused and struggling with the duality of striving for success which he was well conditioned, and doing what he feels is good. I am talking about very strong parental guidance for success...he told me he cannot even tell his parents that he donated that much money, bizzare as that claim may seem. Again I stress that this is 50k to an upper-middle class family in a two story house with very average cars, etc...not an amazingly rich family. It is HIS money since he earned it off stocks, yet like many, he lives in a very strong culture where children are in themselves often like investments. Before I don't even think he was going to pursue anything like general practice, but use his abilities to have a very prestigious career in medicine that was more on the research side. This is not to say research is not useful, but he told me that he already HAS the ability to do so much good and is very strongly considering going to the ME for medical support. Devoting a lot of time to research very specific ailments that affect a limited amount people no longer seemed as strong a priority as the help he could be giving to many who are in need of such bare necessities as food in the short-term.
shivohum I was not making ANY claim whatsoever. I already said that the life of a hard laborer can be filled with more adversity than others would ever care for. I like to stress that I am not making ANY claim, but more like "brainstorming" and contemplating. To make a claim would mean that I have a strong conviction and belief towards something or other, and I truly don't even though I often wish I did. I truly believe that my friend has enough conviction to make the claim, and am just recounting my discussion with him, not MY views. He believes everyone has their calling. I believe this to, but I also believe that a lot of people don't find it or pursue it...I know I haven't yet. Also I want to fully stress what I mean about living a life worthy of a book or movie. I'm talking about a book or movie that I would personally want to read, or see, not necessarily the typical Hollywood movie. I think there are MANY people whose lives are worthy of a book or movie, but hollywood usually likes to throw in space aliens and/or women with large breasts, so don't take it that literally. I really do think there are plenty of people with lives worthy of recounting, wheter or not it is hollywood material is another matter.
I'm not saying "BE LIKE MIKE" (thats not his name), I'm just saying if you AREN'T passionate about something or particularly happy about where you stand in life, there might be reasons why. It reminds me of what I've read from Heidegger translations in reference to technology. In this day and age, it might not be uncommon for some folks to feel disconnected to their work and feel like a cog in some grand machinery. If you are really happy and content in life, than you are probably doing something right, and there would be no reason to ever feel defensive about not doing this or that. I am NOT saying live up to the movies. In fact I sometimes believe we should glorify the good of our fellow common and REAL man, instead of the good of fictional grand characters, and instead of glorifying the comforts of our fellow man with glamorous actors or models sporting the best toys. I am opening up the possibility that our society, where everyone knows what a "mid-life crisis" is, where our divorce rates are high, where many people drop out of college or highschool, and where not everyone may be happy, may not be fostering the right goals and aspirations properly.
My friend told me that he has come to the realization that generally, human beings are good, and that he loves people. This just isn't the type of thing I'd expect from him...I've known him for a long time. He also talks to me about a girl he met in medschool and loves. Please note he feels strongly connected to the ME situation also because of his descent, and his GF's descent (she's actually an Afghan refugee, he's Pakinstani...go figure). I don't want to say too much since obviously there aren't going to be too many individuals that fit the profile, and I respect his privacy and wishes.
Again I stress I am not doing this to make anyone feel less "grand". In fact my entire brainstorming and contemplation stems from the fact that "grandeur" and "success" may not be what will make one happy, even though we are often taught this by society and media. I do admit, knowing the guy in the flesh often makes me feel sometimes envious and can only say that the human mind can be so strong yet so weak at the same time. I am envious that he has found a higher calling which doesn't stress materialism, yet at the same time he obviously IS successful, and he has also found an absolutely gorgeous, intelligent, and caring girl that he loves. I was never that envious of his "success", as so much his conviction (I am a tad envious of the girl too, a beautiful person inside and out). He also has renewed faith in God(after realizing that he was NOT in control), and believes that science and religion can peacefully co-exist. Again I am only posting of someone else's epiphany. It has helped me think about things in life a little more, but again I am in no way preaching...cause hell...I'm not even in the choir! It is hard for me to write this post in a manner that is less preachy, but I think this is just because the actions and circumstances are just so strong in themself.
I wasn't going to post about it since he certainly is not going to go around blabbing about it...but I just couldn't contain my own thoughts under the assault of another man's conviction who I am easily willing to say is much stronger than my own.
