How Easy It Could Be

"Living life is easy; what goes wrong, you're causin' it." --Jay Farrar

Lately I've been reminded of these lyrics written by the former lead singer for the now dissolved band "Sun Volt." Though it seems like a simple statement no matter how one looks at it, I think this singer/ songwriter was more or less correct in his assertion that we screw up our own lives with bad choices. When I look at the revolutions going on in the Middle East, and the cultural divide in the U.S. and the endless array of backwards priorities, irrational beliefs and ideologies, ignorance of the problems already solved, and stubbornness toward ideas that will solve current problems, I have to laugh in detached befuddlement of how these problems got started in the first place.

It seems to me that many people simply love to suffer. They love the idea that they are "bad" people; they love the idea that they are helpless and oppressed; they love the idea that they are not in control and some mystical twisting of the cosmos is testing their patience and fortitude. Why? Because it is a truly frighting concept to most to accept that they have made and are making poor choices that overly complicate their life and cause suffering. For those in adulthood, let's harken back to those childhood years and remember how we got from there to here. For those who are younger, let's look at a some preventative measures you might take so you don't have to join the ranks of the miserable, searching, suffering souls loudly expressing their howls of pain and ignorance across the Earth.

The Ideal:
In a healthy society it would make sense that young people go to school and get a broad education. Early education should encompass many ideas, subjects, applications, and activities unfettered by judgment. These areas should be based on the best evidence available, not what someone's parents were taught, and not what some person or community has conjured up as an ideology of what the world should be like. As one gets older and learns more about his or her world and his or her interests and talents, they should be encouraged to focus on those interests and talents so that one day they may contribute to society in a way that is both rewarding and beneficial to everyone.

Reality:
What actually happens is that young people have their elders' uninformed ideas, philosophies, prejudices, and poor habits shoved down their throats until they lose hope. They start to believe their talents and interests are worthless to society because they may not contribute to financial success for themselves or their country. I can't count the number of talented, intelligent, sensitive people I met growing up who literally or figuratively had their hopes and dreams beat out of them with simple-minded statements like, "Get real," and "You're living in a dream world." Most of these individuals gave up early on their interests and talents and now contribute little more than menial tasks at low-skilled jobs. They have become the new misinformed adults, embittered with the reality they have created for themselves and passing on poor advice to the next generation.

The Ideal:
Children who are encouraged to throw themselves into their talents, interests, and education grow up to contribute and want to live happy, healthy lives. They are not beaten down with the fabricated falsities of the previous generation, but focused on untangling the needless complication of what is otherwise a simple, enjoyable way to live. Those who find themselves interested and talented in areas that lead to lucrative careers should consider themselves lucky. They have won the "ovarian lottery"! Now they can live happily with job satisfaction and money to live comfortably and give back to the society that appreciates their contribution enough to make them wealthy. Those with skills in areas not so lucrative, but equally important in society--say, the arts, or science research, or academic inquiry, or public health--should still follow their interests. If it becomes necessary to work a day job to fund what truly brings a person and his or her community joy, then so be it. There is no reason to become a slave to a career or a company where one is contributing none of his or her talents, and finds the job un-stimulating. In an ideal situation those lucky ovarian lottery winners would take the time to financially and otherwise appreciate what these, unfortunately, not so valued contributors are contributing.

The Reality: People want money and stuff more than satisfaction and joy. People create companies making products that quite frankly are unnecessary gadgets, toys, and distractions. Other adults, infatuated with their own suffering and hardships, buy these products to distract themselves from the pain they have created by giving up on their talents and skills. Instead of working toward recovery from the problems they have already created, or refocusing on what would truly bring them joy and allow them to contribute in a positive way, people go to work for the very companies they are making wealthy by buying their products of distraction and opulence. Thus, the tail begins wagging the dog. Companies contributing shallow (but entertaining) products get wealthy and hire the people buying their products so these people can make more money to continue buying the products that keep them employed. Society becomes one continuous loop of working, producing, and consuming, very few focusing on the activities, talents, ideas, and applications they were taught as a child. This is not freedom; this is little more than indentured servitude in disguise.

Final Thoughts: It doesn't have to be this way, but most people find it incredibly difficult to pass up a life of wealth and stuff for something that brings them and the world joy. They tell themselves, "I have a family to support," or "I have bills to pay," or, "I can't keep living in a fantasy world, I have to be more responsible." What does this mean? How did they accumulate these bills? Exactly what are they doing to "support" their families that requires them to miserably slug through life working on things that bring them suffering. Is suffering helping their families? Is it possible that their spouses and children perhaps do not need to be dressed to the 9s, living in houses with rooms that barely get used, driving in cars that are in no way efficient uses of money or resources, and living in a culture focused predominantly on distraction, production, and consumerism? Would it not be more beneficial, more responsible, and less expensive to contribute something truly valuable to society that also happens to bring personal joy? These problems people have are their own creation. Many children are very happy, healthy, contributors. This is obvious in the fact that so many suffering adults continue to have more and more children in hopes that these innocent beings will bring them the joy they are lacking. Where do the kids get off-track? Why do parents simultaneously want to help while only making things worse?

Is Jay Farrar right? Are we causing it?