What are the beginnings of joy? Joy emanates from the center of me. That being said, how do I achieve joy on a daily basis in a chaotic world? We are compelled to reevaluate the way we perceive reality. Joy itself is elusive and not easily acquired. The very beginning of this concept must be predicated on want: I truly want to be happy, contented, etc. Most of us, however, have grown up in a capitalistic system that is based on consumption. We are virtually pre-programmed to join the ranks of economic slaves and spend most of our lives in useless tasks that make the owners of capital richer and richer, and the working minions forced into a minor economic role, yet continuously trying to save money.
The documentary film “Wage Crisis” discusses the fear that half the American working-class lives in, “Close to half of the working Americans can’t save for an emergency or their own retirement. Fifty percent of the people in the U.S. live in financial uncertainty. It might be unbelievable, but New Jersey is the third richest state in the richest country on this planet, yet one in which it’s likely to work full time and at the same time live in financial difficulty. … The middle class in the US is disappearing as wages go in reverse and secure jobs with good pay and benefits vanish.”(1)
Excessive desire, as the Buddha (The Enlightened One) notes, is the root of all suffering: “With so much suffering in the world today — on an individual level as well as nationally and globally — it is wonderful that someone discovered and pointed out the actual cause of all suffering so that we could eliminate the cause and thus perhaps eliminate suffering itself, making the world a much happier and more peaceful place in the process.” (2) One of the ways we can magnify our state of joy is to reduce our consumerism.
We must learn to live in a smaller house, drive a smaller car, and focus our lives on spiritual and intellectual growth and shelve, or stop, The American Dream, The Chinese Dream, etc. This is “far easier said than done.” From the moment we awaken, a wave of consumerism is foisted upon us: beautiful bodies, elegant cars, and a wealth of gadgets and phones are thrust on billboards and displayed across the Internet. The only way we can thwart this tide is to just say no: I do not want to own the latest communications device. Then, as a family, we can reduce and limit our exposure to the economic grid, watch less television, and reduce our attraction to Facebook and other social media applications that only continually tempt us. (3)
But don’t despair, the world is slowly waking up. Halting steps are being made. The world is better today than it has ever been. (4) Slowly, once millions of people are mobilized, our society will change: remember the 1848 revolutions. (5) While viewed as failures in the short term, they eventually produced profound change. The great Chinese sage Lao Tzu (According to Chinese traditions, Lao Tzu lived in the 6th century BC) leaves us with a thoughtful quote: Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment. (Parts of this essay were first published in 2013.)
A closing thought: All joy lies within, is a popular refrain. There is some truth to this. The way you see the world is the way “you” see it. If this is even remotely true, then each of us owes it to the self to live a positive and dynamic life, and why not? The alternative choice that so many opt for is inconceivably unpleasant, however. Why would I make misery my bedfellow in life? Most, I am sure, would claim that they choose joy over pain – then people had better cleanse their reality to truly get to that state of joy, hadn’t they?
To sum up: This week we spoke about joy and how to achieve its promises.
To be noted: From Richard Wagner (6) — “Joy is not in things; it is in us.”
Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgcVTTlMorY&ab_channel=ClassicalTunes
For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZCyUb0RIRc&ab_channel=Einzelg%C3%A4nger
This week, as you walk along in weekly reflection, please think of your own state of joy.
Every day, look for something magical and beautiful.
Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!
Quote: When you own fewer possessions, you have access to more time and liberty.
Footnotes:
1) http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/wage-crisis/
3) These are the Four Noble Truths that Buddha presented:
a. Suffering is the unavoidable accompaniment of physical existence.
b. All suffering is caused by desire.
c. All personal desire and ambition must be extinguished by the person who wishes freedom from suffering and it can be extinguished by walking the Path.
d. The Path that leads to freedom from suffering is a narrow path.
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCm9Ng0bbEQ&ab_channel=TED
5) https://www.britannica.com/event/Revolutions-of-1848
6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-1VTRe2bZs&ab_channel=Biographics