So often do I read the narration of writing greats like George Orwell that my consciousness begins its own narrative stream of inner monologue. Though devoid of foreign accent, my mind ebbs and flows with smart-sounding words of his that only an Englishman would find a normal habit of speaking.
Thoughts thus wander as if my words would ever be read and recalled in such a highly esteemed way. I would want such an honor, part of me. And yet I wouldn’t, another.
This inner disagreement is a bizarre one. In moments’ time, I quickly realize it to be a common struggle: rectifying the ego’s draw to greatness, with the soul’s longing for purpose.
In this regard, there are at least two conflicting motivations in the human mind that desire a similar outcome. On the one hand, each of us has some want to be great, recognized, as special or unique. And yet this want is driven by ego, a foul and greedy side to us all that we should strive to keep in check.
On the other hand, a much more sincere, compassionate and honest component of ourselves — the human soul — longs for some higher purpose in life. The soul longs for us to live with purpose, for a reason; to live beyond the act of living.
The soul longs, beyond all else, for fulfillment.
The conflict is this: the ego and the soul both desire something similar. If we are to keep the ego in check, do we not also deny something good, such as the soul’s longing for purpose?
This “want” for greatness or fulfillment, while surely influenced to varying degrees by culture, history, and the circumstances of our lives, must originate in some facet of our humanity. The human mind is unlimited in its potential for thought and emotion: creativity, love, and others. As the human mind is virtually unrestricted in its capacity for feeling and thinking, all humans must be at least partly driven to utilize our naturally unlimited potential and utilize it toward a lifelong drive to achieve greatness or attain a sense of fulfillment.
While the ego and the soul desire a similar outcome, their motivations are strongly conflicted.
The ego is motivated by recognition. It desires greatness, proven and justified by others’ admission of it. Greatness is exemplified in lavish and outward praise, polished and admired plaques and awards hung on walls. The ego is driven to collect such symbols of greatness as concrete proof of greatness by way of its recognition by others and embodiment in physical “things.”
What irony that the absence of proof of greatness, by contrast, erases the accomplishments that had been proven as achieved.
The ego’s desire for recognition makes greatness more fleeting and finite than human life itself.
Conversely, the soul longs for purpose that is evidenced only by one’s own recognition of a sense of fulfillment. Fulfillment is thankfulness and love. Fulfillment is sacrifice and struggle. Fulfillment is quiet reflection and hope. Fulfillment is immeasurable emotion, an indefinable and distinctly human sensation.
Above all else, the soul’s longing for fulfillment is a exemplified in a lifelong promise and dedication to goodness — having lived with hope.
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When I first started reading this essay, I was taken aback by the writing the style. It reeks of a head that has been shoved up an ass for too long. There is no honesty, just delusions of grandeur. Kind of like most of my class’ essays in my Nietzsche course. It is written as if, from afar, the author has grasped the problems of humanity and can bundle them up neatly in a blog post, using pseudo formal philosophic prose to tie the knot on this clean cut package. I will further surmise, the poster is the author. Do you not see the irony in trying to popularize your own work about how humans are drawn to see themselves as great or unique??!?! I suppose others have done this, but it just seems overly crass when done through reddit. Anyways, I hope I was able to rip you a big enough hole to pull your head out from. Namaste.
This comment was originally posted on Reddit
What I get out of this essay is simple. People need other peoples praise, respect, and trust. I have to agree. I constantly strive to make people like me and respect me. I see it around me everyday.
@dwilljo — You seem to have failed to see the conclusions of the piece–that what appears to be similar in terms of personal end goals in men and women’s lives can have starkly different motivations. One motivation can be ego, and a desire to be considered “great.” The other motivation can be men and women’s longing to have fulfillment in their lives, a motivation that I consider to be less crass or as you so poetically put it, “up one’s own ass.”
@Sarah — Thank you for the comment :)