Monday Aug 23, 2021

S5E10 - Purpose and Ambition

We have all heard people say we all have a purpose to fulfil on earth and that we have to find it at all costs.

When we think of those who have found their "purpose", the immediate thoughts can often be of those who have gone on to do extraordinary things in various fields.

One may then naturally assume that everyone's purpose and ambition should be magnanimous, or should be achievements that lay on top of an arbitrary hierarchical structure.

But if someone is at the top of various kinds of hierarchies of the world, whether it is in tech, sports, fashion, medicine, or even YouTubing, then there have to be people in the middle and at the bottom, right?

And for those at the said "middle" or "bottom" of the hierarchies of life, what does the idea of purpose and ambition mean for them?

Do they not have a purpose?

Is it easy to just say they lack ambition?

Or is their position on that hierarchy their actual purpose?

If there is a reason we all exist, and if we all have a purpose, then how do we account for those who live "meaningless" lives, those who get terrible luck with a disease, those who are born into war-stricken nations, those who don’t make it to their teenage years.

Was that their purpose? Or destiny? How can we explain that?

And yes you might say, "people need more ambition, for without it purpose cannot be fulfilled". But then at what point do we account for the role opportunity, privilege, timing, nationality, and other factors play. Factors that we had no part to play in.

Of course, we know many of you will draw on philosophical or religious standings to make sense of your reason for existing on earth. And a few of you may think all of this talk is just meaningless.

In our final episode of the season with Olumide, we tried to untangle these ideas that stem from our various moments of existential crises.

We cannot say we did so successfully or not. All we can say is that we tried, and such thoughts may not be answered for a while.

S5E10 - Purpose and Ambition

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