We Gen Z grew up with hustle culture: gotta work, study, achieve, repeat till death. No doubt the hustle culture of the 2010s transformed economies, countries, and lives of so many. But it was during the pandemic, when many of us graduated or went through high school, that I really started thinking about the purpose of it all.
We have everything we can possibly want or know in the palm of our hands. A sea of infinite possibilities and lives we can live. Anything can become an opportunity. We are more interconnected than ever before. Anyone can be anyone. It seems that you are doing something wrong if you didn’t make use of all this, right?
It got me thinking about what I most enjoy about life. Was it that dopamine rush of seeing those perfect grades, a brilliant job offer, and receiving accolades that will bring me more opportunities in the future and make me and my family proud? Getting a pat on the back with a “I’m proud of you” from that one person you want to hear it most from? Or was it listening to the pitter-patter of rain as I curl up in bed listening to my favourite song, with not a thought in my head? When beholding a gorgeous landscape on a hike, and seeing someone smile at you in gratitude because you gave up your seat for them at the train or held the door open for them.
Romantics say to reject modernity, venture out, and embrace nature. It tells us to look at the big picture, the sublime, and seek out the inherent beauties of life. Modern life demands our attention on everything and to do as much as possible while we’re young and healthy, while also making sure to post online so you’re not a loser without a social life. We need to live in the moment, but make sure the moment is recorded, edited, and duly shared. I feel like these concepts are at odds with each other: you have to explore, but keep on exploring every new thing. So, in the pursuit of not missing out, I feel like we end up not living in the moment anymore. There’s always something better to do, more to get, and new to see.
I think an antidote to this is to slow down. Do less, see less, and feel more. Perhaps focus on your immediate surroundings instead of venturing out to wherever your social media tells you to go. I think we’d be happier if we all kept the big picture in mind, which is that honestly nothing really matters in the long run. We are all just a bunch of cells bound together on a small rock in the middle of an infinite space-time continuum, hurling outward with godlike speed.
So, let’s not do so much, and live more. Because living, at least to me, is to feel and love, and then create.
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