- Joined
- Apr 6, 2014
- Messages
- 15
First off -- got to say it: what an insightful article... I've read it multiple times over a period of a year and every time I get something new out of it. That being said, I still am trying to digest and adapt to some of its core concepts. I'm hoping some of you can help me understand.
So it is impossible to know absolute meaning, and the best solution to this age old predicament is to consciously choose a purpose (a grand strategy) to guide your life towards best fulfilling Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs more or less systematically from the base up. Chase recommends that instead of just targeting specific needs we target contribution to the survival of groups greater than ourselves that we belong to, as not only is that more effective in fulfilling our needs and desires, but it fulfills the needs and desires of other things that we have the capacity to perceive, giving us the still hazardously delusional experience of meaningfulness, i.e., "making a difference". What I'm struggling most with here is the feeling of losing my grand plans for the sake of fulfilling my basic needs, as I see that path leading too close to conformity, which ironically is the antithesis of leading a meaningful life from my current perspective. It feels too much like giving up. Perhaps that why so many successful value systems hold surrender in such high esteem? Still, it seems a bit self-contradictory, but perhaps only in principle? Greatness to me seems founded on acting with sincerity, and then growing your character from there, yet it feels insincere from my egotistical perspective to surrender. "I" want to fight to the bitter end, or die trying. Another oddment here is that I've encountered both of these recommendations in my studies from men I very much respect, but they hardly seem like compatible concepts. How are these concepts not contradictory? Perhaps it is as Emerson says: "Consistency is the hobgoblin of narrow minds."?
What should I target? Does Chase mean focusing on fulfilling your next level up on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs -- taking one step at a time -- or should I just aim for the self-actualization I so deeply crave and focus less of my attention on the lower steps? Should I have faith that I will succeed at building the things that will free me (my skills and prolific-ness as a writer and digital entrepreneur) or should I act more now towards preventing this potential downfall? Ironically, this dilemma is undermining my productivity across the board, as it makes it hard to focus on any one thing for an extended amount of time (though on the plus side I'm forging an iron will). How do you keep so many balls in the air, Chase, without sacrificing the depth and fortitude of your attention?
Impending before me is poverty, so right now I am spending more time than I'd prefer working for other people, but I see this path as one of dilettantism -- that scourge of modern man -- all too often becoming habitual dibblers. The gods call upon man to fuck, but these men are content just to dip the tip in here and there, and to then complain about how they are "just so unable to focus" and baffled and threatened by anyone who has figured out how to focus at a higher frequency. I do not want to be a dilettante in my art or in my life, I want to be a true master. This has led me, ironically, to focusing even more of my efforts towards business building (all over the place -- feeling out options and trying a lot of different stuff -- shotgun approach with small successes here and there), which feels mildly divergent, but I can see how in the longer term it could be really helpful (if I build something that doesn't demand all my time and creative energies, that is). I'm freelancing right now and working odd jobs (kush ones, but not for sufficient hours, and am leaving them anyway for traveling to greener pastures), but that really isn't enough to maintain. So I'm slowly leaking money.
I want to be great, but society seems to be trying to lead me towards mediocrity (and even many of you reading this would probably feel more secure seeing me fail than succeed -- it's just such a fundamental part of human nature that we don't like to see people leaving us behind -- it's bad on the ego). The irritating thing is, I fear the tides will soon get the better of me if I don't act boldly. Yet this fear of failure holds me back (as does my fear of success). I can sympathize right now, though it feels weak to say, with Hamlet when he talked about all the world feeling like a prison to him. But instead of being trapped by indecision about what to do about Claudius and the mysterious and sudden death of my father, I am trapped by indecision between my ideals and necessities. Moderation is key, I know this, but I need to figure out a way to feel this too; to deeply incorporate it into my value system. But, as I expressed earlier, moderation seems to tend towards the mediocre. Perhaps I have just identified a rational astigmatism I possess? Perhaps this is what people mean when they advise moderation in all things everything, including moderation?
All thoughts and comments welcome.
-Mani
So it is impossible to know absolute meaning, and the best solution to this age old predicament is to consciously choose a purpose (a grand strategy) to guide your life towards best fulfilling Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs more or less systematically from the base up. Chase recommends that instead of just targeting specific needs we target contribution to the survival of groups greater than ourselves that we belong to, as not only is that more effective in fulfilling our needs and desires, but it fulfills the needs and desires of other things that we have the capacity to perceive, giving us the still hazardously delusional experience of meaningfulness, i.e., "making a difference". What I'm struggling most with here is the feeling of losing my grand plans for the sake of fulfilling my basic needs, as I see that path leading too close to conformity, which ironically is the antithesis of leading a meaningful life from my current perspective. It feels too much like giving up. Perhaps that why so many successful value systems hold surrender in such high esteem? Still, it seems a bit self-contradictory, but perhaps only in principle? Greatness to me seems founded on acting with sincerity, and then growing your character from there, yet it feels insincere from my egotistical perspective to surrender. "I" want to fight to the bitter end, or die trying. Another oddment here is that I've encountered both of these recommendations in my studies from men I very much respect, but they hardly seem like compatible concepts. How are these concepts not contradictory? Perhaps it is as Emerson says: "Consistency is the hobgoblin of narrow minds."?
What should I target? Does Chase mean focusing on fulfilling your next level up on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs -- taking one step at a time -- or should I just aim for the self-actualization I so deeply crave and focus less of my attention on the lower steps? Should I have faith that I will succeed at building the things that will free me (my skills and prolific-ness as a writer and digital entrepreneur) or should I act more now towards preventing this potential downfall? Ironically, this dilemma is undermining my productivity across the board, as it makes it hard to focus on any one thing for an extended amount of time (though on the plus side I'm forging an iron will). How do you keep so many balls in the air, Chase, without sacrificing the depth and fortitude of your attention?
Impending before me is poverty, so right now I am spending more time than I'd prefer working for other people, but I see this path as one of dilettantism -- that scourge of modern man -- all too often becoming habitual dibblers. The gods call upon man to fuck, but these men are content just to dip the tip in here and there, and to then complain about how they are "just so unable to focus" and baffled and threatened by anyone who has figured out how to focus at a higher frequency. I do not want to be a dilettante in my art or in my life, I want to be a true master. This has led me, ironically, to focusing even more of my efforts towards business building (all over the place -- feeling out options and trying a lot of different stuff -- shotgun approach with small successes here and there), which feels mildly divergent, but I can see how in the longer term it could be really helpful (if I build something that doesn't demand all my time and creative energies, that is). I'm freelancing right now and working odd jobs (kush ones, but not for sufficient hours, and am leaving them anyway for traveling to greener pastures), but that really isn't enough to maintain. So I'm slowly leaking money.
I want to be great, but society seems to be trying to lead me towards mediocrity (and even many of you reading this would probably feel more secure seeing me fail than succeed -- it's just such a fundamental part of human nature that we don't like to see people leaving us behind -- it's bad on the ego). The irritating thing is, I fear the tides will soon get the better of me if I don't act boldly. Yet this fear of failure holds me back (as does my fear of success). I can sympathize right now, though it feels weak to say, with Hamlet when he talked about all the world feeling like a prison to him. But instead of being trapped by indecision about what to do about Claudius and the mysterious and sudden death of my father, I am trapped by indecision between my ideals and necessities. Moderation is key, I know this, but I need to figure out a way to feel this too; to deeply incorporate it into my value system. But, as I expressed earlier, moderation seems to tend towards the mediocre. Perhaps I have just identified a rational astigmatism I possess? Perhaps this is what people mean when they advise moderation in all things everything, including moderation?
All thoughts and comments welcome.
-Mani
