ONE-UPPING SYNDROME increasingly we are needing to output at an alarming rate, making sure that what we do leaves a mark or that it generates results. we are constantly feeling behind, participating in a race that can’t be won. a laundry list of to-do’s pile up daily and we run around trying to cross things off only to feel defeated more often than not. it’s strange that we all seem to not think that this entire way of living is crazy; that perhaps this way of living is the cause of our insanity. if we stop to think about why we do what we do, what would be our answer? would those reasons be enough to justify our busyness, anxiety ridden minds and our worn out bodies? as we run through our busy days, our busy lives, doing what we feel needs to be done, how much of it truly matters? how much of it really connects to our well being? perhaps our world is plagued with a so called “one-up” syndrome — a disease of the mind that makes us believe that we as individuals want to be a little bit better off than the person next to us or as a country want to be at a higher level than another. this is different from the idea of wanting to innovate, to want to create something new for the betterment of society. i think we are confused by these two thoughts believing that they are the same when in reality, are completely different. when we are creating or advancing for society, it is not about our own well being, but the well being of humanity. through our discoveries and what we share, it might help ourselves in some way, but through it, it will impact others’ lives in a positive way. on the contrary, when we are creating or doing for the sake of “one-upping”, it is purely for our own personal satisfaction. it’s not inclusive, but exclusive. it’s about stroking one’s ego in the expense of others. it’s about wanting to stand on top of others, to feel a superiority or specialness that is actually looking down upon others. we need to stop and think about why we do what we do, how we spend our limited resources, which includes our time here on earth. we ourselves are a limited resource as we can only do so much during our lifetime. if we are truly interested in doing something that will leave a mark or impact others, i feel it is not about just outputting for the sake of recognition or personal advancement, but to create something based on the value it will bring to individuals, society and humanity. + + + curiositiesandtheunknown
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 22:16:42 +0000
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