Meretricious Millennial Goals

I am just a collection of random point particles drifting through this rather meagre world trying to make sense of my presumptuous otiose existence. I remember waking up one day, trying to find the will, scratch that, the choice of getting out of bed. I’m looking for the option that forces me, compels me, drives me, to just thrust myself off the bed and into the shower. But i’m soon overwhelmed by everything in and around me. How every single thing could go on without my existence. I could just lay here, keep snoozing my alarms, call in sick to work, get all my meals delivered, disconnect from the world and not one single thing would change.

Millennials today are burdened by this inveterate dogmatic belief that significance has to be derived from actions, environment, people, connections and a billion other things. We are so hell bent on finding meaning, making an impact, trying to get ahead that we forget, we forget to cherish what we have accomplished, what we have achieved, what hardships we have overcome. We lack the gratitude to appreciate the little things that make up 90% of our lives.

We chase things, that lack significance. Significance is a rather perceptive term, what is significant to me might not be significant or of value to you but the chase, the rat-race for these rather meretricious goals, is common among us all. Who wouldn’t want that ivy-league college, the fancy job, the shiny car, the next iPhone? But are we limited to the materialistic world in our chase? No. We also want others to respect us, look up to us, agree with our beliefs, express explicit assent to our opinion and validate our choices.

How can we ask for all of these things when we ourselves don’t feel whole? Would it be right to expect respect when we can’t respect our own selves? We are trapped in a vicious self-critiquing loop in our minds that seems to lack an end. Trapped in this hedonic treadmill leading to mental distortion and severe anxiety. Simply demanding does not, will not, entitle you to things.

My advice, try to delve into the metaphysical, as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, we are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a very human experience. In this celestial infinite universe our pain, our suffering, our assumptions and presumptions will seem rather small and once they do, it’s easy to move beyond them. To deserve respect, to deserve that fancy house or anything that you dream of, that you know you deserve, we need to look inward, truly look inward because until we appreciate ourselves ourself, we can’t ask that of anyone else.

Its panic that creeps and settles in me,
I weep and bleed and burn to the fourth degree,
I see no end, to this abyss,
I lack the drive, to find that bliss.