Natural Freedom

I noticed this (I think) attitude, that is typical American(-type). And is very opposite towards how in the country where I life, the cultural view has developped.

Maybe it's a point for people in America to consider, and see that they receive this programming.
Yet looking at statistics, People in the United States take more antidepressants than people in any other country and in just a couple of years the World Health Organization predicts mental illness will be the number one disability in the USA.

Yet, the majority of the Americans perceive their truth about how to become happy and what makes happy to be the one. You can imagine I find it highly questionable that so many people/teachers from the USA are there preaching about how to become happy and are parroting each others concepts for many years now. Yet after all these years of doing so, it´s still the country where the people use the most antidepressants. I would guess this would make more teachers look at what they are saying (which often is something that is preached for many years before in the USA) with more critic.

The thing that is totally opposite from where I life (my society) and the USA is the following.

Someone in the USA often says things like: "You create your own reality." or "You have the power to create and get anything you want" or "failure is not an options, only quitters fail".

Sayings that were and are used more in my country: "Things happen as they happen, and you can do nothing about it" or "That is" or "Just relax, and let it happen".

Now to add my opinion about the above. In my country we don't have as many people using antidepressants. So in general that attitude makes a little bit more peaceful and happy, then the American attitude I think. The downside is though that in my country it can often lead to people being a little: passive, "poor me victim" I'm so unlucky -ish, etc. The upside is that our culture and system is very nurturing towards the less fortunate people, and more forgiving.
I think the big "flaw" in the American attitude is, that it causes an attitude of to much competition, to much blaming, and to less compassion for unfortunate things happening to people. The upside is though imo that this mentality makes the Americans more pro-active, goal driven, etc..
I think though that having a view that is the middle of both is the healthiest. Taking the good points of each and leaving out the negative points of each. This could lead to an attitude that is: compassionate and forgiving towards others and one selves; wanting to help others that have gotten some unluck, yet taking action when one sees one can correct or do something about it, trying to achieve things yet not blame (by accusing to be a quitter/loser when one fails or gives up the efforts after seeing it is not going to work out).

Maybe something for Americans in genral to consider, from an person that is totally outside of your culture.
Greetings Scarface.

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There is no individual doer of any action or deed. Yet deeds are done and actions happen.

it helps to move capitalism, so to me it is a way to make peope believe that they need things, if you don't have them then you are wrong becasue "you create your own reality and you can have all this things we offer", so you are the problem

I actually talked about it in a different post but in America you have no 'safety net'
there is no socialism\ help from the government if you 'fall' so that thing + the every man for himself attitude (that I talked about on the other post) creates stress loneliness and often leads to depression.
that's because in America if you fail there is no safety net (Unless you get help from your parents or friends) you can die on the street and the government won't care.

look how they barely passed the health care law and at the same time the USA government pours so much money on the army and in helping other countries - while many people inside America are starving Or can't afford to pay medical bills.

I wouldn't want to live in America it's very depressing...

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"a sniper is the worst romancer, he never makes the first move"

Eh, what's the point...*shrugs*

I can't change the world...all I can do is change MY world (which I'm always in the process of doing)...now, if enough people would take the initiative to change THEIR world as well, eventually it would change THE world.

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EVERYTHING in life is conditional...EVERYTHING.

Pimposophy Revisited is now finally available on Amazon in all territories!

The main point behind it for me was.

Is that the culture of the USA. To me seems.
To put all the blame and responsibility by every person themself. Because, you have the power to create and get anything you want.
And most importantly, it seems that this also creates an attitude of not accepting what is at the moment and what people have at this moment. And constantly living in the future, striving to achieve/get stuff/experiences and then being more happy/peacefull because of that.
The above to me, as an outsider. Seems to ba an big source for unhappiness/unpeacefull feeling.
The good thing about it, seems for me that it makes many people achieve (or try to achieve).

Where I come from, the attitude/society is somewhat more; accepting of what is at the moment. Being more in the moment, and accepting about and with what they have now. Not putting blame on the person so much, and taking circumstances in the equation as well. And also living less in the future.
Thefore I assume the society I live in, is overall a bit more peacefull (inside) and less unhappy compared to the people in the USA.
That said, passivity (where it leads to in quit some people) and risk averse behaviour. Does create some unhappiness in many people their lives where I live. Because they wonder about what could have been/happened, if they had tried something and weren't passive about it.

For myself. I like the mix. Of accepting and being thankfull of what I have right now; Yet putting in the effort to change things. The best way for me. My effort to change things, coming more from a place of wanting to try and wondering what things will be like, then from a position of that achieving it will do anything for my internal peacefullness/happyness.
And to be honest. Nothing I achieved have really made overall me more peacefull inside. "Only" temporary joy/contentment, is the best I have gotten out of achievements.

_________________
There is no individual doer of any action or deed. Yet deeds are done and actions happen.

Well, then I'd better not fuck up then.

"Do...or do not. There is no try." -Yoda

_________________
EVERYTHING in life is conditional...EVERYTHING.

Pimposophy Revisited is now finally available on Amazon in all territories!

Okay, time to defend my country I suppose.

For every story of failure, there are just as many, if not more, stories of people who were born into poverty and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps to become very wealthy...for every war or conflict we engage in, we are also the first in line to offer aid to other countries in need. That said, my country is far from perfect...last I checked NO country is perfect. What America does promise is opportunity and freedom to choose...if you want to be a lazy poor fat ass sponging off of the system, that is your right as an American. If you can to fight and claw and dig your way to success, you can do that too. The American dream is real...is just that most of my countries citizens have forgotten that dreams can come true if you work hard enough to make them a reality.

*gets down from soapbox*

_________________
EVERYTHING in life is conditional...EVERYTHING.

Pimposophy Revisited is now finally available on Amazon in all territories!

@Kidd

the thing that sucks in America is that someone can go broke from medical bills. And some people get sick and can't afford to pay medical bills not because they are lazy, you know?

If I grew up in poverty in America and I'm working my ass off but can't pay for expensive medical insurance and then one day i get sick or need an operation- is it 'my fault' that I could not afford the medical insurance?

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"a sniper is the worst romancer, he never makes the first move"

Et Tu, Sniper?

Most of the sickness in this country is contracted by fat lazy asses who eat whatever the fuck they want to and engage in zero exercise or healthy activities. They get what is coming to them. Of course there are exceptions like accidents and systemic diseases (lupus, cancer, etc), but generally, it's what I first stated. As a medical professional, I have no pity for the group I pointed out.

_________________
EVERYTHING in life is conditional...EVERYTHING.

Pimposophy Revisited is now finally available on Amazon in all territories!

My story possibly came of to negative as far as USA goes.
First I like the mentality of the USA, about people needing to take matter into their own hands. Placing it outside yopurself, is most defenately not a good place to place the things happening to/with you.

But as far as I'm concerned. It appears that (in general) they place (in comparisson fromwhere I life) to much importance and value on achievements. Especially, since it seems that seem to exspect thatachieving something should bring happiness.
While in my experience, achieveing something "only" or at best brings joy and contentment (temprorarely often). Which is nice, makes life good and "I like". But ime happiness (which in my book equals peacefullness); Only comes from within, and has no root in outside achievements or circumstances.

To me it appears people in USA often seem to place happiness and peacefullness in their (future) achievements or things they want to obtain/get/have. While it can't be found in those things, in my experience. Thus making it themselfes difficult/impossible to just be happy/peacefull.

That said. I myself like to work hard and try achieve things. But I make no illusion for myself it will do anything/much for me happiness/peacefullness wise.
But I have gotten some good joy out of it. And that I this year managed to grow my business (I started recently and was very unsure about how it would go) so much, beyond my planning. That since this year I can life from it, and it's still growing and has possiblility of growwing in a good profitable business even more. Made me recently feel very proud and also content towards myself, defenately a good ego boost for me. But i haven't gotten more happy/peacefull because of it, I must admit to myself.

I guess. I was just trying to put, achieving things into perspective. Since I often get the sense, people play to much importance on them as to what is should bring they (happiness/peace).

_________________
There is no individual doer of any action or deed. Yet deeds are done and actions happen.

we can say that the american dream is a result(money, cars, girls) of being happy about yourself, then i'm agre with the kidd, people often go the other way, waiting for having the money firts and then be happy, and that's what causes the problems scarface talks about, they go for the result first instead of going to the source

Maybe that feeling of achievement IS what makes them happy. I know I don't feel right if I'm just resting on my laurels being stagnant...regardless of my current level. I'm VERY comfortable right now (financially/lifestyle)...just bought a 50k luxury sports coupe, have a great career, etc. I only need to work 3 days a week...I work more if I just want money to throw around. But, for those 4 days off a week, I don't feel right just playing games, watching movies, banging chicks...I still feel like my life needs more meaning. So I'm getting back into music production, something I was very good at but haven't done in a very long time. This way, I'll feel like I'm being productive with my free time, and I'll end up with the added benefit of my social status being increased even more. I even correspond with Adam Tensta via email...he likes my style and I will be submitting tracks to him in the near future, once I get over this learning curve.

So, to conclude, I myself don't feel whole unless I am working relentlessly towards SOMETHING...I think Alchemist had a quote once that said something like, "Accomplishment isn't the feeling you get when you're finished...it's the feeling you have enroute."...that was the gist of it...and it resonates very deeply with me.

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EVERYTHING in life is conditional...EVERYTHING.

Pimposophy Revisited is now finally available on Amazon in all territories!

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”

“Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey.”

Take your pick...

There is a reason there are SO many quotes on this subject.

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In building a statue, a sculptor doesn't keep adding clay to his subject.He keeps chiseling away at the inessentials until the truth of its creation is revealed without obstructions. Perfection is not when there is no more to add,but no more to take away.