We humans celebrate and obsess over people who are the best at what they do. We celebrate the best players in a sport, the best students in the school, the best actors etc. We even celebrate the best criminals, whether they are considered the best con-artist, best thieves, best smuggler, or best drug dealer in history.
Celebrating the best in our society is equivalent to celebrating the extreme. As a result many people chase the extreme in order to seek the attention and the adoration of the masses. What many eventually find is that chasing the extreme comes with a huge price, whether that be deterioration in health, close relationships or financially. Most people aren't built for the extreme in the long haul, therefore when they chase it far enough it ruins much of their lives.
Real overarching success and happiness is being able to move in and out from the extreme, ultimately centering yourself at the middle. It is being able to push yourself as hard as you can in your job, while being able to dial it back to be a considerate parent and spouse at home. It is being able to be a fierce participant in the marketplace while being able to dial it back and have enough humility to serve the less fortunate. It is being able to find time for work and downtime with family.
Truth itself is often found in the middle of polar opposite ideas. Too much nurturing with no discipline leads to spoiled brats, while too much discipline and no nurture leads to resentful and emotionally detached kids. The right way to grow plants is providing it a balance of micronutrients, water and sunshine. Excess or lack of any of these three ingredient will cause the plant to die. You will find this to be true in many areas in life where the correct way to go about something is often found at the middle.
We live in a divided world. Our society has reached a level of polarization where governments can't even operate effectively. What we need right now as a society is to find that middle way, find that common ground set of ideas and values that unite each one us and not just harp on the things that make us different. If we can find that middle path there is hope for us yet, otherwise if we continue to let the extreme flourish than only severe division, conflicts and hardship awaits us.
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