The sense of achievement and forward progress is illusory

Sunday 4 December 2005 10:07am

The sense of achievement and forward progress is illusory. It is critically important for mental stability - or the impression of mental "health" (so to speak). Maybe it is just a "western" thing, and western in terms of capitalism and consumerism. Economic "health" depends on progress of purchasing - ever new items to buy - new and better and nicer and cooler and whatever it is that we desire (or require - although the latter is minimal and marginal - we barely require any small proportion of what we consume and what we desire to actually keep going for our allotted time).

It is not all capitalist conspiracy though. Actual progress - say in scientific, medical and engineereing terms - is made, which actually improves the general human lot in life. People live longer on average. They do not die of many causes common in previous generations. They are healthier and more active for longer. They live a more comfortable life and are able to do more "things" (at least this is true for a wide range of citizens of the "first world", even the "developing nations" - even if not true for millions upon millions in under-developed nations and the poor throughout the world. This is the case - they (the poor) do not enjoy the benefits being spoken about about - in virtually any ways at all. But simply because one whole group do not participate, or accord to the theory, this does not invalidate the theory in relation to the other group (who do participate) and the theory in general).

But for all the "real" progress, each person needs to "believe" that they, individually, have made forward progress, themselves - in whatever way is meaningful to them, at that point in time in their development or life. Part of the "belief" may relate to "meaningfulness" - progress made is the meaning of existence - or, more properly, the validation of the meaning which has been ascribed to that which is progressed.