How do I measure success in life? Perhaps a better, more moral question might be “Why would I measure success in life?” Against whom shall I measure my life? What are the metrics by which I will measure it?
For most organisms, reproduction is the mission. I have accomplished that. But we humans have arbitrary metrics for measuring the quality of our lives. I think that is absurd.
You have failed at life because your career is not prestigious. Only doctors, lawyers, and C-suite executives meet the bar for accomplishment. Your career defines success.
You have failed at life because you do not have children. Only families with many children have true potential for enduring legacy. The number of your offspring defines success.
You have failed at life because you are not rich in material wealth. Only billionaires effect meaningful change in our society. Your bank account defines success.
You have failed at life because you are not famous. Only celebrities receive the adoration of the public. Mass adoration defines success.
No, I deny all of these standards. I will not define for myself or for others what it is to be successful in life by such arbitrary metrics. There are impoverished people who have love. There are uneducated people who show compassion. Have you loved others, have others loved you? this is probably the only true measure of success: Did you have love?
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Your views are strong and I admire that. Yes, to be loved and to love someone sincerely seems like a great ideal to have. But when I was in love, people used to tell me, “you can’t boil love in a cooker.” These two sides always seem to clash with each other.🤔
Yes of course, I agree, there are pragmatic concerns, those things which are necessary for the body. But let us not assume abject poverty: as a measuring stick to judge “a successful life” these things are difficult to quantify. Where do we mark the line between sufficient and successful?
Perhaps “boiled love with cloves and nutmeg” is a recipe worth keeping.
Fair enough. I’ll concede that cloves and nutmeg improve the recipe. 😊