By Daniel Downs
It would be ease to say there are only two types of persons, two types of families, and two types of career paths. Anyone who would dare make those claims would be labeled naïve or plain dumb. In our complex society, a view such as there are some people who do well in life and those who do not, or, some people grow up in homes in which a can-do mentality infected every cell of their being as well as their future, while there are others whose surroundings are permeated by every form of can’t. Their life and happiness either thrive or shrivel with achievement, lack of success, or possibly over-achievement. And, then, there are those whose life work is realized and those who are always seeking to make it to the end of the next pay check. That is not to say ever person who achieves the American dream or realizes their life mission becomes rich or doesn’t have financial difficulties. A low to moderate income is not as big a deal to him or her as to the one who is lost in the black hole of modern culture alienated from his or her best self, a hopeful future, life enhancing relationships–or simply life purpose. However, living well is of paramount importance.
Living well could simply be defined as being born into a good family, growing up well, learning well, pursuing and achieving one’s life work, marrying a good partner, raising kids after one’s own image and likeness, not divorcing, maintaining good friendships, contributing to the good of others and society, living in right relationship with author of life, having hope for an eternal life with God, and having more good memories than painful ones at the end of life.
Of course, all of the above is too simplistic a definition of life for modern people living in such a complex society of great cultural diversity and political sophistication. Let’s face it; today even human nature is no longer something definable. At least that is what modern academies and other social institution now teach.1
What about jobs? What does a definition of life have to do with jobs? Let’s try to define jobs. Jobs enable people to pay bills. Jobs are what people must do in order to maintain sanitary, healthy and safe environments. The instruments used to maintain a complex society maintained are jobs. Jobs are statistical outcomes generated by the science of political economy. Jobs feed the machine of government and corporation, but machine continues to exist on a diet meaningless people. As such, jobs are dime-a-dozen sink-holes. They are the abode of the masses. Jobs may be necessary activities but they offer an exciting swirl in the black hole of modern culture’s progressive void. For some, jobs are necessary evils. Nevertheless, jobs are symbols of life led by the anti-Christ, merely a number of a man (or a woman).
Remember, your social security number. Few, if any, can buy or sell without it. Citizens of most nations also are required to have a similar national id number.
What the world needs now is not a devilish political economy that maximizes power, wealth, security, or other special interests of an unmoral and relatively few persons. What we all need is simply a society and culture that maximizes life—a life lived well. Such a simplistic society would probably look like human nature at its best.
Postscript
May I suggest a starting point to begin the work of reconstructing for such a society? The founding fathers of our nation and most societies started with God. A real relationship with the non institutionalized and black-boxed God and His Christ might be the best way to start the process of recreating personal life, family, government, and culture.
Notes:
1 Massimo Pigliucci, “Is There Such A Thing As Human Nature?” Science 2.0, November 18, 2008, accessed July 21, 2012, http://www.science20.com/rationally_speaking/there_such_thing_human_nature.