New Essay on Achievement Cultureš
Letter published in college paper on shifting stories of success and good life
I can feel myself getting into a more regular writing cadence. Itās like I have a canvas to ground all the conversations, musings and learnings of the week(s) into a unified topic that has been on the tip of my pen.
Shopping around my savior essays has led to at least one opportunity with my alma materās newspaper! I was invited to hone in on achievement culture, something endemic to ivy league undergraduate students. I found it grueling to synthesize all my thoughts on the subject into a 1200 word column. But good practice š
READ: Letter From a Former Achievement Addict
For reference, achievement culture is one where people work hard to achieve goals. Think of straight Aās and type Aās, prestigious career, success and award winning, being a somebody. In its imbalance it can lead to workaholism, greed, narcissism, saviorism, isolation, insensitivity, and denial of responsibility.
My inquiries include:
What if this same spirit of achievement that has united many communities to date, is actually a major part of the problems facing humanity?
What if yesterdayās ideas of success and prestige turn out to be a lousy deal for ourselves today, and a deadly deal for the world tomorrow?
If Big Wealth and Big Impact arenāt the thing, whatās the alternative?
What is a successful and meaningful life in these uncertain times?
How to create a sustainable livelihood, in harmony with the health of people and planet?
Read the letter here. With pieces like this, my intention is to ask questions and share ideas I wish I had been exposed to as a young person. In understanding how powerful words can be, I aim to take greater responsibility for my words and their potential unintended impact, as I am sure my analysis and worldview will change. And yet, my heart is pulled to publish these perfectly imperfect words. So Iām trusting the process, while getting to practice writing in a less wordy, flowery, guilt-trippy, polarizing and prescriptive manner.
This is a sensitive topic in a sensitive time. I do believe that each generation makes different choices for the unique needs of their time. Accelerated macro changes yield once seemingly radical micro changes in life and business styles.Ā New stories and institutions are birthed as old ones die. The rules and finish line of the rat race shift, or dissolve altogether. Yesterdayās best students, leaders and winners become teachers of what to avoid. I feel compassion for all and see everyone as innocent, while inviting courageous choices in the coming times.
āThere is no losing on the road less traveled because the finish line was always an illusion. Instead of racing anywhere, maybe itās time to fall to the ground, take a nap, help each other up, hold hands and dance around the fire. As we have done since time immemorial.ā
Commentary
I want to annotate the letter with a few thoughts on:
Gratitude & Paradox
There are plenty of reasons to be grateful for the achievement culture that got us here: many of us would not be reading these words had it not been for generations of families working hard to create economic sovereignty for themselves and their children, and their amazing contributions to society that have expanded freedom and reduced suffering. Omg am I thankful for all that I have.
My challenge is: achievement to what end? As the pressure of expectation endlessly grows, the imbalance pops up as pain in other places. Paradoxically, could it be that while achievement culture has helped previous generations create a better life for themselves, it is now exacerbating existential climate, economic, and health crises? e.g. the inherited anxiety that once helped my Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors escape persecution and prosper economically in a new place, now hijacks my nervous system to strive for excess security, control, speed and social validation. These old ways of being served a noble purpose at the time, and now are invited to evolve for a new context.Ā
I do think we need new stories of success and the good life. New north stars to orient towards. Iām nervous about the nearly 50% of Gen Z planning to start their own business and invent something world changing, when the playbook is still solve a (often desperately random) market inefficiency to get rich quick, regardless of the negative externalities to life on Earth (including oneās own). And in a culture of hyper-individualism, competition and scarcity, even the do-gooders among us still want to be comfortable. What is enough? What do we need to give up in order to live in right relationship with our neighbors and nature?
Lifestyle & Privilege
I was shocked to learn recently that the global average per capita CO2 emissions for a top 1% income earner is 107 times that of somebody in the bottom 50% (UNEP). Yikes. As somebody who stands closer to one side of that spectrum, how can I take responsibility for disproportionately perpetuating climate disasters and economic inequality? How can I shift how I allocate my time, attention, financial and labor choices to be in more alignment with the world I want my grandchildren to live in?
With the sixth mass extinction underway and one billion displaced humans expected by 2050, will I be able to environmentally, socially or spiritually afford to live a McMansion(s) life with multiple new of every thing? How can I earn enough to provide for a family without confusing net worth with self worth in isolating cycles of wealth accumulation? Money may hold power to create change, but do the ends justify the means? Whew, money stuff. So many thoughts here - I wrote extensively on the topic last year.
Iām reminded of Wharton Professor Richard Shell advising my graduating class to be careful about developing expensive habits that accompany prestigious careers. I imagine at the time he was only thinking about financially expensive. I wonder how severe the shocks to the system will need to be in order for us to seriously consider the personal debts our lifestyles have racked up to Earth for resource extraction, and to marginalized communities for stolen land, labor and lives. What will it take to see the connections between our personal choices and the interwoven crises?
Speaking from a stack of class privileges, I feel tension in recommending that those without class privilege avoid pursuing it. I imagine it comes off as tone deaf, hypocritical, elitist. Maybe itās not too different from ārichā countries demanding that āpoorā countries pollute less. How can I possibly tell immigrant parents that their kids shouldnāt work as hard and make as much money, when I donāt have the direct experience of what itās like to come from poverty or systemic oppression, let alone years of life experience providing for a family and making sound financial decisions? And yet, I just donāt think we can continue herding our youth into life paths that are increasingly self-terminating.
Curious to hear your thoughts on the letter and additional commentary! Feel free to comment below, or send me a voice note with questions / ideas. Iām super curious what young people are thinking about this topic.
With gratitude,
Andrew
Hudson Valley, NY
Ancestral land of theĀ Lenape PeoplesĀ past and present