Lifelong Bonus
Following the rhythm in this era of rapid development, we have never questioned or pondered a roadway that we move forward from local to global, from school to college.
The predefined life could never box someone in the frame of popularity, however, for there are always people who have their own novel ideas and try to achieve them. Maybe you think the rise of Microsoft and Alibaba has proved the insignificance of attending college, but facts show that opportunities and well-beings seldom blaze a trail for who lack college experience.
But here I don’t want to stress any point about attending the university. Within the force of the current and far-reaching neoliberal paradigm, plenty of teenagers select their own ways to start a promising life. Whatever, leading a happy life is a common goal for each choice. And I hold a belief that equipment with abundant social experience and the ability of critical thinking is a key to truly enhancing the happiness on the lifelong journey.
Bentham, a pioneer of utilitarianism, saw happiness as the greatest God, and classified different types of happiness. In total, the source of happiness is a combination between physical objects and emotional satisfactions. For many people, the moment with a pocket of money would stimulate their sleeping excitement and joy, or with a nice score, an opportunity of job promotion, etc. All of them are seen as a procedure from specific to abstract, outside to inside. Within great power and many experiences, outstanding skills, we gradually find that the world outside is not running the way to our liking. Everywhere we step, nearly every direction comes barriers.
How shall we work out — the conflict caused by shortage of positions and overflow of population? The answer is to arm ourselves with wealthy knowledge, flexible mind and deep thoughts, as well as strong DIY abilities.
We have witnessed the involution invaded every corner of our society, but rules of natural selection keep judging a number of invalid attempts. An insight about how to analyze the complex situation, and an ability to foresee what will occur next, will open a door of a new pattern that we are in charge of our own future even the global, through a bridge of subjectivity connecting the meditation and the reality, the stable and the changeable. It is a procedure from abstract to specific, inside to outside.
So it goes without saying why critical thinking is worth attaching such a great importance. Just imagine which will be the chosen one when everybody around you crowds and spares no effort to do the same thing, while you master the inside logic and naturally find the shortcut, then save time to chase another goal or to relax. However, some of others may also find the entrance of cutoff and become genius in the midway. Remember everything is expected to be examined in the practice, which is the common source many figures in history once entered to be experienced and distinguished.
What I want to stress seemingly corresponds to a Chinese saying said “to teach someone how to fish is better than to just give him a fish”. An examined life is just like the skills to fish but not the food named fish. Actually, understanding what, why, and how, sweep out senseless-coming anxiety. To make up a comparison, a hungry citizen always worries about eating while a hungry fishman can approach food every time he wants.
In conclusion, whatever we dream, the colorful and challenging world drives us to stand on the top of the world tower, to explore new regions in front of us, to be in control of the dominance of our own life. That’s the inescapable mission and the undoubtful reason for elevating and arming ourselves.
Once the clear understanding towards the external world is formed, it is not only a bonus for a person, but also a wisdom for the world, to get out of the dilemma of universal security crisis, poverty, unstable peace, etc. The promotion of oneself is a lifelong bonus for one, and the promotion of the world is a promising vision for all.
