Written by Jason Shin
Artwork by Na Yoon Cha-Ryu
The words “I’m not good enough,” has been something that has been repeated by many for a very long time. It shouldn’t be restated but it is a very obvious truth that life in itself is very complicated. We live in a society where people have taken that complexity and built a structure around it. The economy, the schools, the religions, the societal expectations, or whatever it is in life. At its very core, almost everything that is present in our society is something built on the backs of the complexity of life. Harvard isn’t all about life, but still, it is held in such high regard, even though education and a bachelor’s degree, for example, are nowhere close to what life is about or what it brings. The dream job in a rich financial firm, the popularity of your peers, the missing Lamborghini in your garage, these are all things that dominate our lives, but are nowhere near what life truly represents in the grand scheme of things. Truth is, there cannot be a set definition of what that thing that life represents actually is because it’s different for everybody. In an existential way, that is sort of the beauty of life and living. But as soon as we consume ourselves to a higher objective standard of living - one where the resume is more important than spending time on your mental health, one where getting that job is more important than your friendships, or even one where the reputation is worth your dignity - we crumble and fail to realize what is important and what is not.
As students, we are told constantly throughout our lives what to expect and what to want. We don’t have to ask our parents to know that an above 1550 score on the SAT, the perfect 99.9 GPA, and the 50 extracurriculars are what we should strive for and pursue to have. But it shouldn’t be. Sure, having that extra grade is helpful and I am certainly not saying that people should give up on their education, but it is still not the center of your life. Because once the purpose and meaning of your life are consumed by an objective standard that is either met or isn’t, you put an instant disrespect to your humanity and existence, and you feel a sense of unworthiness of your happiness.
In Korea, suicide and depression rates are one of our proudest achievements out of all the other countries. Numerous statistics show that those rates are highest in age groups between student and working years. Not a lot of people really sit back and wonder what the purpose of this is or what will happen after they reach a certain goal. So not only is that goal hard to reach or almost impossible to attain in the first place, but after reaching it, it leaves you empty and deserted not knowing what to do now. As a result, we see suicide and depression rates not just from unsuccessful people, but from successful people too, who have achieved the very aspects society defines as the “happy” life. It’s time something is done about this, even on an individual level.
You are the one who assigns meaning to your life. That passion, that certain affinity towards something, your taste for music, your taste for what is “cool” and what is “disgusting”: these are all pieces that make you unique as an individual. We should all appreciate this beautiful individuality, instead of focusing on that single numerical standard. So start a hobby, talk to people, make new friends - do something different every day, and try to find what it is that makes you personally happy.
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