Society sems to reward only a few, those who share the same values and goals as society itself................

Question

This seems to create many peoblems for people, because not everyone can find meaning and succsess in these set goal. Society seems to have ready made patterns, paths hich ona can follow inorder to have a good life. Anyone that creates his own path, out of these ready made paths become exluded and what seems like punished for not contributing to society in the manner that valued. it seems to create problems for those who can not find themlves or follow in these ready made paths and goals, it seems to make it hard for people to find out their own uiqeness and potentials. The time, space and freedom needed to realize this is very hard for people, when society gives no sopport for this, one must half way drop out to do this ot seems. Society seems to be narrow and limited in the direction it takes, the values and goals it has. It doesent allow for progrees in areas which it can not get something from, like in th art, if you graduate with a BA in economics, rather then art, you will be

rewarded and given all the sopport from others. It seems like either your with us or against us????

Sorry, english is not my mother tounge.

DREvol, thanks for your answer and i think you are right.
But maybe I dont understand correctly what you have wrote, because it still seems as if there is a kind of phantasmal universe projected above each man, written in black and white, step by step with all their rigid laws, values and limitations.
It seems as if people accept many things which already exist, and simply follow these things. If everyone is thinking for himself then why do we agree on most things, values which are different from culture to cultue, which create problems for ourselves? if everybody thinks for himself why do we create like hate for gays, hate for forigners, laws and regulations which seem to benefit no one, e.g. long work hours, stressfull enviroments of competition? I mean who decides what should be valued and not? The things I value are seen in most peoples eyes as being worthless, like painting. If one became businessman, then people will praise you and reward you, who choose this if all thing alone

Is it simply the majority that choose what values are important?

Answer 1

I think you are giving society WAY too much credit. Just for fun, let's name a few people who have been rewarded richly by society but don't seem to even vaguely share their beliefs:

Exhibit A: Mel Gibson. He is an anti-semite, a drunkard, and apparently obsessed with religion. All right... he's probably not THAT bad. But that seems to be what SOCIETY thinks of him. Yet his most recent production set records for box office sales in some countries, in spite of being in a language pretty much nobody speaks. If that's not a reward, I'd like some of that not-reward, please.

Exhibit B: Paris Hilton. An exhibitionist and a floosy whose primary skill seems to be accentuating her stupidity. Again, she's probably not THAT bad. But in spite of this reputation she is given so much money by groups hoping to leech off her fame that she hasn't had to touch a dime from her parents in years. When arrested for drunk driving (a crime that would be punished by public beatings in some countries) thousands petitioned to have her get off scot-free.

The fact of the matter is that society as a whole (as others mentioned) is simply too stupid and foolish to actually enforce any kind of social stricture they may adhere to. Those who are successful are often riding at the crest of this stupidity to reap massive rewards from the many, many people who don't care and don't know any better.

Exhibit C: Andy Warhol. A homosexual artist who overtly mass-produced work of little value to sell to the ignorant public. And they loved him for it. And occasionally shot at him.

As the saying goes - the best way to win an election is to get all the stupid people to vote for you.

Answer 2

Lol. Society... the "rewards" it gives aren't really rewards, and a simple perspective will easily desolve the concept of it being a reward, instead it just simply is. The society you speek of is more like a mob of people who don't know you. :P who cares about mobs that don't know you? You'll find that no one really embodies the ideal person that you believe society has created. There are also a lot of people that are all anti-society -.- You'll find a lot of people that know you, like you and give you things even though you might be far out. Society is composed of many different groups, makign society verry versitile (:O just look at lunch rooms, goths here, jocks there, nerds there, ect.) And so different groups will find you to fit their standards better :P You can make your own road :) How will society stop you? "WHOMGZ YOU CANNOT DO THAT!!! WHOMGZ NOOO!!!!! I'MMMMM MMMMMELLLLLLLTING *melts*" lol. Everyone has their own world of paths of happiness. No one can get into yours to effect your path.

Answer 3

Society, as a whole, as a set of macro beliefs could be likened to a 5th grade reader with a luke warm IQ. "Society" is judgemental, unempathetic, robotic, money-hungry, selfish, emotionally immature, idealizes the rich and famous, has no mind of its own, and shuns all that is different....Isn't it much better to be penalized and scrutinized and ridiculed and NOT fit into this kind of mold? My advice? Take what you need from "society", give what you're able, surround yourself with real love, quality, ingenuity, be true to yourself and those you love, and f*ck the rest.

HEY DrEvol:

Why are you bashing me in your answer? Obviously it is YOU who is angry. How dare you be so presumptuous about who I am and how I feel. Nothing like anonymity and confidentiality as an outlet for misdirected anger huh? Convenient that you haven't enabled email contact as well. Hate to inform you, but everyone is entitled to an opinion. I have stated mine and you have stated yours. Do you really think everyone should think exactly like you? Gee, would society then be a better place to live in?

I'm very sorry I offended you bud, but hey, why try and hurt me? Do you feel better about yourself somehow now?

Get a grip. Deal with YOUR anger head on and stop insulting strangers. How lame. A know-it-all who really knows nothing at all. You're a dime a dozen buddy.

Answer 4

Society is a concept, not e real thinking entity. In reality, it is the sum of individuals. Those who do the thinking and the rewarding is each individual, not society.

People have learned to use certain terms as if the abstract concepts to which they refer actually had a consciousness and an identity: society, the system, the country, the economy, etc. These abstract concepts do not stand for one physical entity but for a group of entities.

In fact, if we want to be rewarded we have to look at our abilities to create or produce something valuable to exchange. If we have nothing valuable to exchange we cannot expect to be rewarded by God, society, or any other non-existent entity.

If we expect some "entity" to serve us, to give us support, or help us become creative, we are on the wrong track. Our brain is the source of creativity, our talents are to be found in what we are able to do best and enjoy most. Most likely, this is where we have the best chance at being successful and happy with ourselves.

"K" who answered this same question above is an example of a person who makes this conceptual error. She is angry at society! She is oblivious of the fact that it is individuals who idolize or despise money, famous people, material things, etc. Why should I care what other people idolize or despise? Why would this be my problem?

Answer 5

your logic is completely invalid...it presupposes that one actually gives a crap about what society thinks and what it thinks is a reward...

there is no such thing as "off the beaten path" because while it may seem like a novel way of doing things that are out of the norm from your vantage point, it actually isnt...you just have a very narrow existence...people try to pretend that they are "different" so that they can claim to be an "individual", but there are so many people pretending, that in the end they just fall into a huge group of people trying to be an "indivdual" and end up being "just like everyone else"...

if you like the choices you've made in life, why see yourself as different then everybody...just see yourself as you...make your own reward...hell, TAKE your own reward from where ever you find it...

stop whining and complaining...you're starting to sound like everyone else...

Answer 6

Envy is a path to self-destruction and to the destruction of others.

Westerners have lives of excess -- this is different than having a good life.

Answer 7

You just came to that realization? Have you been in a box most of your life? That is the way the cruel world spins.

Answer 8

Yes, your right. Its a matter of acceptance of each other. After all, exposure is acceptance, the more the exposure, the more they acceptance.