It seems everyone nowadays is sprouting this colloquialism. And if you disagree with them, then suddenly you are a a self-righteous prick bent on making them feel bad about their personal life decision, while unfairly judging them on their choice. Because, God forbid you try to tell somehow how to live their life nowadays.
Is it our job to live our life exactly the way we want it or is it our job to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy? Is it our job to help others at all, or, should they just be taking care of themselves and not bothering us on our quest to go get what we want?
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I've always had a problem with this.
For one, its inherently and utterly selfish. It puts all the focus on you. The world turns on the axis of your shoulders, so thus your choices are your choices and, your life is only your life. It's you, you you you.
I hear things like: How dare you try and tell me what to do? How dare you judge me? I'm living my own life. You don't get to tell me what to do. Go live your life. And let me live mine.
And some of those statements are true. I am 27 years old and no one can tell me what to do. But that does not make all the things I can do, or choose to do, somehow right. That does not give me a free ticket to just go out and live my life exactly how I want it regardless of anyone, or anything else.
Why, now-a-days, do we all feel above judgement? We act like spoiled little babies, a privileged race of humans spending all our money on ourselves (because, of course, we earned it) and making ourselves as comfortable as possible (because, we deserve it) and naively thinking that all our decisions effect ourselves and ourselves only (a total lie because in a world full of people all decisions somehow effect everyone even if you can't see it).
I'm not saying that pampering yourself sometimes is awful. I'm saying we live in a world where our entire lives are devoted to pampering ourselves. Where we sing our own praises and feel completely justified in smashing anyone who tells us otherwise. I've done this myself as well as seen it everywhere. We feel we deserve things just because we exist. This is wrong.
I can do whatever I want as long as it does not hurt anyone is a lie.
An outright lie.
Honestly, it should read:
I can do whatever I want as long as it helps someone.
When you see this, you realize how selfish the other statement really is.
So, stop living life for yourself. Live it for others. If you keep living the lie, sure, you'll probably have more toys then anyone else, and you'll probably be really comfortable. But who is going to care, besides yourself? You'll just be one more lonely, selfish person with a lot of stuff, quickly forgotten in the rat race.
What do you think?
6 comments:
in the past i've definitely lived by the "i'll do what i want as long as i'm not hurting anyone in the process" mantra. but i was actually hurting more people than i realized.
i just noticed that my button is of unicorn me. that is so awesome. :)
Like Deanna said, I think much of the time, people who believe that they are living in a do what they want without hurting people process really ARE hurting people whether they mean to or not because it's a fundamentally self-centered way to live. Like you said, we aren't called to be self-centered.
so, so true : )
AMEN!! You're always hurting another person when you're allowing your actions and thoughts to be self-centered. I think all of us have struggled with this at some point in time, so great job on pointing this out :) It's so important for us to be continually thinking of others before ourselves, especially because of how self-centered our world is. We're constantly being bombarded with "Me, me, me!" and to get that out of our system we need to actively fight it.
I completely agree w/ Rachel and Deanna and Tori (and you!). I think that whole attitude causes more damage than people realize, because generally you ARE hurting someone whether you think you are or not. The other phrase that drives me absolutely crazy is "Do whatever makes you happy" or, on the flip side, "Get rid of anything/anyone that doesn't make you happy." How selfish is that? I've personally been burned by friends who have that attitude. When did we start dumping friends who are having a bad day/week/year and are in a funk, just because they're not making US happy? It's ridiculous, and honestly a really sad way to live. If people could just get over being selfish and realize that helping other people is the BEST way to make yourself happy, the world would be a better place!!
Totally agree! :) I hate that do whatever makes you happy as well because a persons emotions can be so fleeting!
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