In recent
months I have directed much of my reading to going back over what I have read
previously by the Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning author John Steinbeck
(1902-1968).
I am not a
fan of Steinbeck’s politics, personal life or morality, but he was a fine
novelist (as many writers of great literature really are) and showed great
insight as he looked at the pain of the human condition. Here are some things from one of his writings
he said that I, too, think a lot about and wonder how true, in 2018, they might
still be:
“During the years 1930
to 1940, the nation was preoccupied with . . . difficulties [of the Great
Depression and impending war between other nations], not impossible of
solution, but requiring thought and trial and error and some conflict. It is
not possible to know whether a solution could have been reached. But during
that period when a direction had not been set, nor an end established, a
generation of young men and young women were kept marking time, not knowing
where they were going; in fact, concerned only with keeping alive until some
direction was established toward which they could go. Young men coming out of
the schools, finding no jobs, having no goals, became first despondent and then
cynical . . . the product of mental and physical idleness, [which] descended
upon the youth of the country. An anarchy of thought and action had in fact
settled over the young people of the country.
An antidote for the
poisons of this idleness and indirection might eventually have been found . . .
some economic direction or trend to tear away the lethargy. But meanwhile, with
one set of certainties gone and no new set established, the country floundered
about--floundered about in fact so convincingly that our enemies considered us
to be in a dying condition [and vulnerable]. Some of our leaders wished to cut
the world in half—to defend this hemisphere against the other [nations, economically
and culturally by a policy of isolation ]. . . .
Our arguments and
disunity might have kept us ineffective or only partly effective until it was
too late. But Germany and Japan were bound to blunder sooner or later, and
blunder they did. In attacking us they destroyed their greatest ally, our
sluggishness, our selfishness, and our disunity.” John Steinbeck, Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team (1942).
What is now, 2018, causing the angst that I so often sense among
many young men of our generation? Is it
money problems or economic insecurity? A lack of marriage prospects or of
rewarding relationships? Dissatisfaction with work? Problems at home? Fear of
the future? Lack of a strong religious faith? Disillusionment with government?
What is it, or is everything just great?
I think it is not. Social statistics show that it is not.
Arguably, there are some things most of us individually cannot
do much to control: political or foreign policy issues, climate change, world
health concerns, financial market volatility, organized crime, etc. But there
are things we can do about most of our personal issues and anxieties. They can
be managed much better if we would just maintain a balance between our 4,5, or 6
critical dimensions (it depends on who you listen to—I believe there are least
6 elements). These dimensions of
happiness and wellness: our physical (nutrition, exercise, sleep
habits), emotional, spiritual, social, intellectual,
and occupational/financial
prospects.
If you are not happy or well chances are great that at least one
dimension is out-of-balance or completely lacking. These things can be handled.
Talk to someone who knows about the dimensions of a balanced life—and then make
the changes!
I
hope it is not another war that causes us to rally and break our current cycle
of discontent. We can and must be proactive!
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