"Pointless and purposeless anxiety in the present, and in the future one endless sacrifice by which nothing would be gained—that was what he had to look forward to in this world. And what matter that in eight years he would be only thirty-two and could still begin to live again! ... Existence alone had never been enough for him; he had always wanted more. Perhaps it was only from the force of his desires that he had regarded himself as a man to whom more was permitted than to others."
This millennial messiah complex that you’re pointing is a great explanation for something I’d dimly recognized in myself and others for years. Thank you for making it explicit in such a fun and clear way!
I know the Tiger Woods of Substack metaphor was tongue-in-cheek. But this essay was a 300 yard drive. It made me uncomfortable in all the right ways. Per usual, a great read.
ya super resonated with this one 🙄😬 i feel like it's really hard to talk about service in a non cheesy way or a way that doesn't get swept up in like social justice warrior language. just leaving things better than you found them wherever you go is so powerful, because there is so much gunk and grime we step over and ignore all day.
Not surprisingly, the hypo-manic edge of the high achiever mimics the life of the addict who, inexplicably, would rather be high than happy. This edge is just another symptom of self-centeredness to the extreme, bordering, as you suggest, on a kind of narcissism. Narcissus was not in love with himself but, rather, with his image. The addiction to looking good is as depleting and exhausting as any other addiction.
I long ago discovered that I am at choice in the matter of my own suffering. This suffering, generally speaking, comes from a relentless focussing inward. As it turns out, the most reliable remedy for focussing inward is focussing outward, in service to others. I’ve come to understand that my spiritual equilibrium depends on this. As you rightly point out, “serving others is never a purely selfless act”. Kierkegaard would go so far as to suggest that there is no such thing as pure altruism, that selfless acts simply serve to mitigate our existential pain.
Thank you for artfully articulating both the problem and the solution, Alex, but I notice you don’t cite any examples of millennials successfully pivoting outward as you so thoughtfully prescribe. At the risk of offending many, in my experience I have yet to encounter very many millennials that possess the center of gravity sufficient to accomplish this. Among the large number of educated millennial achievers out there, I think you stand out as the exception, not the rule.
Raskolnikov as millennial:
"Pointless and purposeless anxiety in the present, and in the future one endless sacrifice by which nothing would be gained—that was what he had to look forward to in this world. And what matter that in eight years he would be only thirty-two and could still begin to live again! ... Existence alone had never been enough for him; he had always wanted more. Perhaps it was only from the force of his desires that he had regarded himself as a man to whom more was permitted than to others."
Brilliant essay, as always.
So timely for me personally and I can only imagine I am not alone.....
While reading this I thought of many people I know...and also of myself. Very relatable!
This millennial messiah complex that you’re pointing is a great explanation for something I’d dimly recognized in myself and others for years. Thank you for making it explicit in such a fun and clear way!
I know the Tiger Woods of Substack metaphor was tongue-in-cheek. But this essay was a 300 yard drive. It made me uncomfortable in all the right ways. Per usual, a great read.
ya super resonated with this one 🙄😬 i feel like it's really hard to talk about service in a non cheesy way or a way that doesn't get swept up in like social justice warrior language. just leaving things better than you found them wherever you go is so powerful, because there is so much gunk and grime we step over and ignore all day.
Yet another all-time favourite! You must be the voice of a generation or something. 😂
A) I adore Waterhouse's work!
B) I am quickly coming to adore your work as well!
C) Truly resonating deeply; "we are more ourselves the less we think about ourselves."
Thank you! ❤️
Not surprisingly, the hypo-manic edge of the high achiever mimics the life of the addict who, inexplicably, would rather be high than happy. This edge is just another symptom of self-centeredness to the extreme, bordering, as you suggest, on a kind of narcissism. Narcissus was not in love with himself but, rather, with his image. The addiction to looking good is as depleting and exhausting as any other addiction.
I long ago discovered that I am at choice in the matter of my own suffering. This suffering, generally speaking, comes from a relentless focussing inward. As it turns out, the most reliable remedy for focussing inward is focussing outward, in service to others. I’ve come to understand that my spiritual equilibrium depends on this. As you rightly point out, “serving others is never a purely selfless act”. Kierkegaard would go so far as to suggest that there is no such thing as pure altruism, that selfless acts simply serve to mitigate our existential pain.
Thank you for artfully articulating both the problem and the solution, Alex, but I notice you don’t cite any examples of millennials successfully pivoting outward as you so thoughtfully prescribe. At the risk of offending many, in my experience I have yet to encounter very many millennials that possess the center of gravity sufficient to accomplish this. Among the large number of educated millennial achievers out there, I think you stand out as the exception, not the rule.