The Death of Meaning: Part I

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The moment you stop chasing goals, your mind begins to die. As soon as the gates of your comfort zone close in around you, your zest for life, happiness, and eventually your morality wither away. Indulging in the comfort of hedonism may seem tempting in anticipation of the initial honeymoon period when you let carelessness caress your lazy existence. But be aware: Human nature is incompatible with long-term stagnation. Comfort is a temporary desire, but nothing is more harrowing than the ever-repeating hell of Groundhog Day.

The Erosion of Cultural Aspiration

The purpose of our existence is to aim higher than before as we climb the ladder of life one level at a time. Technology has allowed us to make remarkable advancements in innovation and productivity—but our culture has not followed suit.

Digitalisation, social media, "smart" living, and the "Metaverse" have made our lives more comfortable and convenient. This can be advantageous if we use this extra convenience to pursue our goals more swiftly and develop the unique human skills that set us apart from Artificial Intelligence. Our culture seems to be succumbing to lethargy and mediocrity in the realm of art and entertainment. Technology has the power to improve the visual and auditory aspects of a work of art, but it cannot compensate for a lack of depth or creativity. The "woke politics" of current generations place an emphasis on the facade of "social justice" above rational judgement and honest criticism. It accepts that all forms of art are equally meaningful and worthy, regardless of their quality or impact, as nothing and no one should be discriminated against. Such a relativistic notion implies that beauty is omnipresent, unquestionable, and unratable. By adding complex jargon to a shallow analysis, even a weak piece of art can be perceived as a sophisticated creation.

The Illusion of Equality: A Hidden Form of Discrimination

Another consequence of this relativist extremism is the illusion of equality that masks a new form of discrimination. While this approach to implementing social justice appears to treat everyone equally, some views are more equal than others: those that support a socially marginalised group. Whether this is based on ethnicity, disability status, or any connection with the LGBT+ community, victimhood is seen as a reason for reducing expectations and demands for one’s accomplishments. This is not to deny that artists from a minority group may face difficulties or barriers in their field, but rather to question whether restricting opportunities and recognition to an identity group is the best way to encourage diversity and quality in art.

In addition, it has become trendy and easy to self-diagnose with a loosely-defined mental disorder, such as “anxiety,” or to identify with one of the numerous gender and sexuality labels available. In many cases, this behaviour comes from a lack of self-confidence and a desperate need for attention, which are indicators of mental distress themselves. By adopting one of these victim labels, individuals can receive approval from the cultural Marxists of our time, at the cost of their integrity. According to Marxist doctrine, merit-based competition is seen as detrimental, a harsh tool of capitalism. Woke is en vogue.

The Fallacy of Denying Hierarchy

Competitive advancement is an essential aspect of cultural character as it is rooted in our human nature to strive for recognition and achievement through comparison and hierarchical thinking. Those who reject competition are often just as terrible at losing gracefully and admitting defeat as they are envious and condescending when they win. Those who experience a feeling of inferiority from losing are the same players who look down on those who lose to them. It is self-projection, lurking at the core of a self-conscious, spineless, and resentful society. Self-deprecation is the predecessor to self-aggrandisement. 

The shallow spokespeople for “social justice” show false humility and become advocates for equity, while maintaining an elite position higher than everyone else. They are the “generous” distributors at the top of the hierarchy. There is no classless communist utopia. We must acknowledge the inevitable presence of hierarchy; only then can we start to shape the hierarchy so that the peak consists of virtue and conscientiousness.

“Cultural Marxism” manifests as a collectivist web of ideas that criticises the prevalence of unequal outcomes, while disregarding how the outcomes were obtained in the first place. Thus, merit has no value in a Marxist society, although it is an indispensable prerequisite for the motivation to work. Without work, society plummets into degeneracy. The Cultural Marxist believes we can trick the organically hierarchical system by uplifting less privileged individuals to “level the playing field”. This idea of pointing out “victims” of inequality started with third-wave feminism and transitioned into the broadly inclusive “intersectional feminism”. However, there is a crux of the problem: no one can ultimately define what constitutes privilege and how to micromanage the hierarchical ranking within society. If we give someone the power to determine where each of us falls on the hypothetical “privilege spectrum”, they will likely abuse this opportunity and structure society in their favor. We must not let the government play God.

Embracing the Journey: Progress over Outcome

Life is a sequence of battles. Some people have more battles to fight than others, but whether we let them intimidate or motivate us is our own choice. What happened to the joy of the game? This is a key problem; we have forgotten how to play the game—how to enjoy the process, rather than focusing exclusively on the end goal. Once we appreciate progress, we can celebrate wins along the way, which will motivate us to keep going, and when there are setbacks, we can learn from our errors, knowing that one loss will not undo all of our progress. Growth is a rising curve with its ups and downs. Competition should not be a source of resentment and exhaustion; it only becomes so if we let it. 

What a lazy idea to imagine that you can jump from point A to point Z and get the applause you seek. Competition is not about the applause; approval is a nice perk, but the accomplishment itself is the true reward. Rather than seeking out validation, we should be proud of our creations as they bloom.

The Self-Love to Hedonism Pipeline

Nevertheless, one must not confuse the idea of respecting personal progress with the notion that every participant is a winner. There is a fine line between acknowledging the value of trying and equating the attempt with victory. Getting too comfortable leads to procrastination. We all face individual obstacles that make our journey more or less difficult to master. But no matter what cards you were dealt, with wise goal-setting and attention to your strengths and weaknesses, it is possible to accomplish your objectives. 

By victimising the “less privileged”, we do not encourage growth, but misery. Instead of creating solutions, we have surrendered to the pacifying message: “You are enough.”

"You are enough" can be interpreted in two ways: one, accepting mediocrity and demanding unearned respect, or two, respecting yourself, including your flaws, on your journey while working hard to overcome them. The former results in a rapid decline of virtues and skills. Like a muscle, our brains, world views, and statuses need to be engaged with and trained to be maintained or grown. 

If we waste our time wondering how much better life would be if we were born with more privilege, we lose sight of the potential that we do have. At that point, we can only go down the road of self-destruction. Rejecting norms and hierarchies is not the "edgy" counter-culture; it is self-deception. There are no cultures, no communities, no professional domains without competition. Where there is diversity of any kind, there is inequality. That is neither good nor bad; it is an inevitable reality that one must acknowledge to get ahead in the game of life. The rules of societal hierarchies are ingrained in basic human psychology. 

So, what is the solution to injustice? Base your judgement of others on your shared virtues and rate merit, not identity. The very people who advocate against identity discrimination implement that kind of discrimination in their own politics. Quotas and strategically allocated minority benefits harm both the recipient and those who miss out.

The Conformity Trap: Public Education and the Erosion of Individuality

There is one starkly influential factor that stands in the way of realising our potential: public education, a supposed promotor of personal growth and merit, often falls short of its intended purpose. It is through education that minds are formed, dreams are lit, and futures are crafted. Nevertheless, in the midst of the glorious search for knowledge, lurks a dark shadow that engulfs the heart of uniqueness: education systems around the world are characterised by their dependence on uniformity and compliance. 

Students navigate the rigid curriculums and standardised testing, while their special talents and interests are relegated to the sidelines. The fear of failure is deeply rooted in the minds of students, uprooting their willingness to take risks and go beyond the bounds of the predetermined path. It is through failure that we learn perseverance, resilience, and an unbreakable spirit to conquer adversity. By barring students the opportunity to accept failure and learn from it, public education steals away a critical part of self-realisation. 

The outcome? A constriction of the human soul through the suppression of the immense potential that every student holds, but can't express, due to scarcity of time, dedication, and personal coaching.

Public education fosters a sense of purposelessness. The emphasis on grades and academic success, based on a systematised syllabus, becomes disconnected from the greater narrative of personal fulfilment in later life. As young minds are moulded into replicas of repetitive doctrine, their unique passions and talents are cast aside like forgotten treasures. Without the opportunity to explore their personal interests and develop a sense of purpose aligned with their innate abilities, they wander aimlessly, waiting for the next fad to fill the gaping hole of their starved curiosity.

So, we begin to see how the conformity trap of public education intertwines with the previous themes: The pressure for superficial perfection, the empty promises of social justice, and the allure of stagnation all find their breeding ground within the very fabric of public education. Yet, it is by breaking free from these constraints that we can pave the way for a future where individuality is celebrated and personal growth is nurtured.

In conclusion, the allure of conformity and the erosion of individuality within the modern status quo present significant challenges to personal growth and self-expression. Critical thinking is overshadowed by the instruction to “trust the experts”, starting in early adolescence when we are told to idolise teachers who are fed a doctrine-driven standardised syllabus. This constitutes a massive sabotage to our intellectual curiosity. Instead, we have popularised the relentless quest for likes and followers to keep us entertained and distracted. 

However, it is crucial to recognize that we are not merely passive victims of these circumstances. It is our responsibility to practise mindfulness in a world of self-centred doctrines and vain messages of pseudo-morality. Do not be led astray by the paradoxical struggle between a desire to feel empowered and applauded by others, yet wanting to cease in the stagnant moment. Fulfilment only comes from diligent progress.

By recognising the causes of cultural demise, we can take the first step toward building a society that values progress over progressive politics, authenticity over artificiality, and friends over followers.