In case you missed it, here's an excerpt from the going-viral commencement address by high school teacher David McCullough, Jr. Already deemed the "You Are Not Special" speech.
"Resist the easy comforts of complacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages…Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence, a gratifying byproduct. It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things."
The speech, basically, being a reaction to a vertically challenged generation drowning in options and narcissism - quite literally. Too many options, too little hierarchy and no common values does not make for a happy generation. It makes for a shallow, self-absorbed and compulsive generation where the drive for instant gratification and numbing behaviors is penetrating; never before in history have we seen this complete rejection of values, hierarchy and "anything goes" mentality, yet no one really wants to take responsibility for their actions - thus they numb themselves with (self)destructive behaviors.
Our current generation is categorized by spending hours on end discussing, analyzing what is right and what is wrong - and everything is supposed to be tolerated in the name of freedom. Even breaking down other people's chosen belief systems and values. That, unfortunately, is not freedom - quite the contrary.
The rise in addictions in this generation can be clearly linked to this confusion of self, no clear parental direction and that "everything goes...." sex, drugs, alcohol etc. etc.... a complete moral breakdown. Yes, yes I know I sound old-fashioned, the issue, however, is that with it, we are seeing a growing tendency towards chronic need for meds to manage our mood - now more than ever. People are depressed; and you become depressed when you are disconnected. And you become disconnected, when what you do, goes against your core nature.
This is not about living up to some type of Mother Teresa here, it's about doing what makes you truly happy in the skin you are in.
Only you know when you do things that you need to follow up with a numbing act because you feel disgusted by what you have just done. Maybe you are not even conscious about it. Maybe it's something you have learned yourself to do on autopilot to deal with "life". Always following your work day with hanging out at the bars or binging on tubs of ice cream, or the steady flow of escorts. These are all drowning behaviors that numb you from temporarily feeling pain.
Life, however, does not need to be "dealt with". Life is a state of flow; it happens when you are connected and stand up for yourself. You still make "bad" choices, but you view them as learning experiences that enable you to move forward instead of repeating them and needing to numb yourself with destructive behaviors because what you call "life" is just breaking you in.
That is not life. Life builds you up. Makes you strong. But only when you choose to live life with open eyes and take off your blindfolds.
I don't know your truth. I can't tell you how to live your life, because no one, except you, knows that. You can trick yourself into thinking that everything is fine, everyone else is doing it. Make no mistake: everyone else is not happy. Giving in to peer pressure does not bring happiness - it's the easy way out in that moment, but it makes you spiral downward.... disconnecting from who you are, what you truly want to be.
"Everything is possible" is the positive trait of this generation's mindset, but with it comes a responsibility for those consequences that follow whatever path you choose. Every action has a consequence. The larger your goal, the greater the risk - you must prepare for the consequences. And as of now, we are a generation characterized by kids told the sky is the limit, unfortunately no one has taught us that there are consequences we must face whether now or later. And as with all things - there are fees when we "buy" on credit.
If you're not willing to pay for the candy at the cashier - then don't eat it; it doesn't belong to you. And taking things that don't belong to you tends to make you sick.... one way or the other.
"Resist the easy comforts of complacency, the specious glitter of materialism, the narcotic paralysis of self-satisfaction. Be worthy of your advantages…Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence, a gratifying byproduct. It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things."
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| Lil' Kim... the lifestyle of the rich and the famous: sex, drugs 'n rock'n roll. Does she exude happiness? How many drugs are needed to keep up this act. |
Our current generation is categorized by spending hours on end discussing, analyzing what is right and what is wrong - and everything is supposed to be tolerated in the name of freedom. Even breaking down other people's chosen belief systems and values. That, unfortunately, is not freedom - quite the contrary.
The rise in addictions in this generation can be clearly linked to this confusion of self, no clear parental direction and that "everything goes...." sex, drugs, alcohol etc. etc.... a complete moral breakdown. Yes, yes I know I sound old-fashioned, the issue, however, is that with it, we are seeing a growing tendency towards chronic need for meds to manage our mood - now more than ever. People are depressed; and you become depressed when you are disconnected. And you become disconnected, when what you do, goes against your core nature.
This is not about living up to some type of Mother Teresa here, it's about doing what makes you truly happy in the skin you are in.
Only you know when you do things that you need to follow up with a numbing act because you feel disgusted by what you have just done. Maybe you are not even conscious about it. Maybe it's something you have learned yourself to do on autopilot to deal with "life". Always following your work day with hanging out at the bars or binging on tubs of ice cream, or the steady flow of escorts. These are all drowning behaviors that numb you from temporarily feeling pain.
Life, however, does not need to be "dealt with". Life is a state of flow; it happens when you are connected and stand up for yourself. You still make "bad" choices, but you view them as learning experiences that enable you to move forward instead of repeating them and needing to numb yourself with destructive behaviors because what you call "life" is just breaking you in.
That is not life. Life builds you up. Makes you strong. But only when you choose to live life with open eyes and take off your blindfolds.
I don't know your truth. I can't tell you how to live your life, because no one, except you, knows that. You can trick yourself into thinking that everything is fine, everyone else is doing it. Make no mistake: everyone else is not happy. Giving in to peer pressure does not bring happiness - it's the easy way out in that moment, but it makes you spiral downward.... disconnecting from who you are, what you truly want to be.
"Everything is possible" is the positive trait of this generation's mindset, but with it comes a responsibility for those consequences that follow whatever path you choose. Every action has a consequence. The larger your goal, the greater the risk - you must prepare for the consequences. And as of now, we are a generation characterized by kids told the sky is the limit, unfortunately no one has taught us that there are consequences we must face whether now or later. And as with all things - there are fees when we "buy" on credit.
If you're not willing to pay for the candy at the cashier - then don't eat it; it doesn't belong to you. And taking things that don't belong to you tends to make you sick.... one way or the other.
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