There is an Existential Crisis Somewhere in this Post
The American Dream is something that lowkey haunts my mind mostly because of the relative freedom America has but also in that capitalism is something I strongly disagree with (I guess this is the marxist critique). The Great Gatsby was on the pessimistic side with the underlying idea that one can never truly attain the Dream, but I'm going to reason that in a material sense it was possible for Gatsby. Granted, he was a charming white man (literally me) who banked off of alcohol while it was illegal (unrelated: I'm down to ban alcohol again #Islamtingz) but it's nice to know that he had fresh orange juice every day (@allison).
It was almost revelatory to me that, I could agree and relate so strongly with a theme about the '20s involving people that are nothing like me. Many people that I usually associate and relate to have an opinion that I feel is not exactly conservative or liberal and it is that money directly relates to happiness. Before finding this out, I thought we all learned and agreed from a young age that the opposite is true but I guess with the current wealth gap and even mental health crisis, it's easy to relate money and happiness.
The reason I don't think me being rich will make me happy is because... I am happy and to be very personal, my family makes less than average, in fact, my dad is in med school atm so only my mom works. (this bout to sound sarcastic but it ain't) It disheartens me to know that almost no one around me is satisfied with life the way I am, or maybe I just look at things differently (not meaning to comment on those less fortunate than me lol, just my general surroundings). I guess I am living out my interpretation of the American Dream by simply being satisfied (most of the time). Of course, I am only at the first step of the dream because I don't think being an unemployed lazy student is part of it, but none-the-less I am happy with what I have. Maybe it has to do with the way I was raised and how my parents never expected me to make a lot of money to be "successful" but just to remain secure. Security is I think what people confuse money for in a direct relationship to happiness. Unless you have really strong willpower, having not enough money is sure to make you unhappy but I don't think the mental part of happiness is solved with riches, as we see in Gatsby himself.
*sigh* this happens too often but after drafting and rereading this blogpost, of course, at the very end of writing I realize that I might just be talking about mental health and honestly possibly flexing the idea that I have good mental health (I think).
It was almost revelatory to me that, I could agree and relate so strongly with a theme about the '20s involving people that are nothing like me. Many people that I usually associate and relate to have an opinion that I feel is not exactly conservative or liberal and it is that money directly relates to happiness. Before finding this out, I thought we all learned and agreed from a young age that the opposite is true but I guess with the current wealth gap and even mental health crisis, it's easy to relate money and happiness.
The reason I don't think me being rich will make me happy is because... I am happy and to be very personal, my family makes less than average, in fact, my dad is in med school atm so only my mom works. (this bout to sound sarcastic but it ain't) It disheartens me to know that almost no one around me is satisfied with life the way I am, or maybe I just look at things differently (not meaning to comment on those less fortunate than me lol, just my general surroundings). I guess I am living out my interpretation of the American Dream by simply being satisfied (most of the time). Of course, I am only at the first step of the dream because I don't think being an unemployed lazy student is part of it, but none-the-less I am happy with what I have. Maybe it has to do with the way I was raised and how my parents never expected me to make a lot of money to be "successful" but just to remain secure. Security is I think what people confuse money for in a direct relationship to happiness. Unless you have really strong willpower, having not enough money is sure to make you unhappy but I don't think the mental part of happiness is solved with riches, as we see in Gatsby himself.
*sigh* this happens too often but after drafting and rereading this blogpost, of course, at the very end of writing I realize that I might just be talking about mental health and honestly possibly flexing the idea that I have good mental health (I think).
LOL Ridaa! I wish I had your outlook on life. I often strive to see things this way, but my vision is clouded in a way I wish it wasn't. Money and happiness are definitely not directly correlated but people work towards money in a completely different way than happiness.
ReplyDeleteyes ridaa you flex that mental health! jk, but I appreciate you @ing me about orange juice. But as for your main point, I feel like our society as a whole is way too enchanted with money. It seems as if a proper life goal is only to be making a 6 figure salary (as if that equates with happiness). I wish the mindset of being content and happy in your circumstances (with basic needs being met of course) replaced this money obsessed culture. Also sidenote: i am also for banning alcohol if we could somehow not make those prohibition drug ring things happen
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