The Rise Of Lifestyle Masturbation
Wasting Our Lives In The Self-Centred Pursuit Of Personal Achievement
I woke up listening to motivational success talks. Not a bad thing, in itself. My wife had fallen asleep watching something ‘inspirational’ on YouTube and the platform had gone on feeding us an endless succession of related videos throughout the early hours while we slept.
This morning was the first time in ages that I didn’t have to get up early and so, after I woke, I lay there listening to various interviews and monologues with a number of success gurus and lifestyle coaches.
One after another, they talked about overcoming obstacles, moulding your mindset for success, creating the life you want to live, making your dreams a reality… you know the kind of thing.
People adore that kind of content. It makes them feel they can have, be or do anything they desire and acts as a catalyst for improved self-image, personal growth and worldly success. It all sounds very inspiring and uplifting and exciting.
But as I lay there, listening to them talk about climbing mountains in winter against all the odds, learning ‘life-changing’ wealth lessons from their business mentors, meditating in monasteries to learn how to live a self-serving life of fun, travel and adventure… I…
