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Societal ideas have turned out to be one of the greatest cancers we face today, twisting and distorting everything that is known to us. Take for instance, beauty has been robbed of its beauty simply because society has reduced it to general looks, outlining strict specifications of what it considers to be the ideal outlook. "You have to be at least this tall, this slim, this light" the list is endless.
Another poor victim is happiness. People have since lost the true goal and right now it seems the aim is to appear happy and not to actually be happy. People can’t even enjoy anything without posting it on social media so that society takes it down in its records. Capturing moments on the camera and uploading the pictures has apparently become more important than savouring the moment. If you were to post a picture on any social media platform, would you prefer one from your worst moment or the one when you looked as if you enjoyed yourself the most? Why? How many times have you faked a smile for the camera? How many times have you put on a happy look just for the camera? Why?
With all due respect I do blame society which has ruled out several stereotypes that have to define our reality. I could go oon all day about some of the twisted ideas of lifethat society gives us but my focus for today is SUCCESS. This is yet one of those concepts that societal ideas have since distorted.
One of my teachers once passed a comment with regard to how students almost always refer in their essays tothe most prestigious jobs,the greatest numbers of academic qualifications, the largest mansions, the most sophisticated cars, loads of money, the sickest cars and millions of followers on social media as the markers of success but then hey…….How about that unemployed lady who hustles day and night but still educates her child? How about that uneducated man who still somehow manages to put food on the table every night? How about that disregarded teen mother who stands on her own but still manages to give her love and go to bed with a smile every night? How about that kid who has been labeled dull but has just improved from 2% to 4% ? How about that girl whose heart has been broken a couple of times but she still conquers every day through the tears?How about those minors who battle poverty each day but still share joy and manage to stay happy despite the hunger? Are they not successful?What logic would justify the nullification of such victories?
Society’s measure of success really sucks which is why I have accurately named it SUCKS-cess. What society fails to realise that success is not a material commodity but rathermore about the achievement of personal goals in whatever capacity. At times the greatest success in your life could simply be just keeping yourself together and making it to the end of each day. It is up to each individual to define his or her own success. Everyone has a right to celebrate even the smallest achievements.
It’s high time society develops some respect for those who grind all day but still remain humbled by the tides of life. Those people deserve to be acknowledged and supported. Let’s put a stop to these unrealistic standards. Allow people to celebrate success whether in a Lamborghini or on a bicycle, whether in Beverly Hills or in a downtown shack… Let’s just celebrate our achievements, whether great or small, no strings attached.It’s up to us to redefine SUCCESS and banish this SUCKS-cess.