There is a terrible temptation (I know I’ve fallen into many times) to value yourself by your productivity.
The meritocracy culture says monetary accumulation is the gateway to everything we desire: respect, independence, even happiness.
Hearing rhetoric like: “with the internet, not being a millionaire is a choice” for people like me who’ve accomplished very little according to the rules of the game, it can feel absolutely crushing.
Being ordinary is shamed as not hustling hard enough.
But that’s only if you buy that culture. Ordinary is not pejorative. An ordinary rose is still beautiful. An ordinary glass of water just as hydrating. A lot of good things are ordinary, like health, sex, breathing, senses, friendship. They don’t need to be hyped up. They’re just good, and so are ordinary people.
You don’t have to be a Beethoven to enjoy Beethoven’s beauty or become a master writer to be transformed by Tolstoy. Life is not a homework assignment.
Do you want to “get ahead”? Want to climb higher? Detach from insane cultures. It’s not easy and it takes effort, like swimming against a tide, but it’s worth it to realize that your averageness is perfectly okay.
It’s okay to fail. You’re okay. Okay is okay.
Ordinary doesn’t mean a life of ease, devoid of ambition or struggle. Raising a family, devoting yourself to a community, giving someone your undivided attention – all still require effort. And these ordinary things have always been heroic.
Will you join the quiet revolution?