Societal Ambition and Workaholism
There are many ways to numb the pain of an unfulfilled life. Drugs, alcohol, and sex are the first escapes that may come to mind. It is all to easy to go down the dark path of mindlessness and depravity, but a more subtle form of escapism is the addiction to work. Work can be a more dangerous form of running away from your problems, since the feeling that something may be wrong can be masked by pride. With most drugs, there is a societal or physical consequence for overindulgence. Drugs lead to physical changes, alcohol leads to liver damage, and too much sex can lead to disease. With work however, an imbalance is not considered toxic but rather healthy. Having no balance in life is considered the norm, and even expected, as the means to success.
The rise of the strong independent woman and the high performing alpha male as the predominant archetypes of society has been a dangerous trend. Both sexes continue to grow more distant as the ideas of ambition and prestige take hold in an intoxicating way. This isn’t to say that being an independent woman or man is a bad thing; the problem is the way in which society has taken these ideas to the extreme. The current ideals of prestige promote a sinister loneliness, one different from the completeness of the individual spirit. The isolation that can be beautiful is the one that promotes spiritual welfare and personal joy, rather than the isolation that pursues work at the cost of mental and physical health. The workaholic is never able to cultivate the mind in blessed stillness because the tasks of everyday life become the end rather than the means to a fulfilled life. Kids grow up never seeing their parents, adults disregard the beauty of love for the sake of monetary gain, and the spirit of pride infects the whole of humanity.
Ambition has become a selfish game. The spirit of service that leads to a job well done has been replaced with toxic competition, trying to get ahead of the next guy and “play the game” to get what you want. Oftentimes the more common escapes are a result of the primary addiction to work. Drugs, alcohol, and sex can become secondary problems caused by workaholism. It is so easy to be seduced by this lie because it is promoted as a good thing. Schools, corporations, and organizations promote the grind as being the all-encompassing goal of life. Money is given in more abundance to those who choose to destroy themselves. The spirit of life is sacrificed to the conglomerate of the state, and creativity is taken to the gallows to die. Simplicity is scorned because being simple doesn’t help quarterly profits. Most people would rather let their relationships suffer and their mental health decline than give up the allure of prestige.
The addiction to work has shown us that we have a serious problem with pride. Our individualism has been a great development in society, but it has also made us sick. We have abused our freedom by trying to become god, and anything that would help us become a deity must be pursued. Greed and power are the fastest way for most to feel that they are filling that void. But what about that void? Is it ever filled? Or do we just run from it by distracting ourselves with more occupations? It is sad to pass by so many and see the spirit of wonder fully overtaken by the burden of occupations.
Work must be done. It is necessary to engage in our daily tasks in order to better ourselves and improve our quality of life. We only need to be careful about how we relate to our work. If our work is the only meaning we attach to life, then life will become a dull existence. Only if we pursue work in the lens of love, relationships, and community will we find that the soul is able to breathe. For some, this will be difficult. The nature of their occupations does not lend itself to balance. At the very least, we can take the time that is ours and use it more wisely. Ditch the parties and distractions; avoid the live-for- the-weekend lifestyle. Don’t waste the precious moments of silence worrying about the work you need to do later. Using the moments you have to yourself more wisely may be the difference between peace and desolation. Hopefully in the future society will lend itself more to balance. For now, we have to do our best to fight the pride that infects us all.
