Do we have to go through this stage of losing a lot, or even everything, to appreciate what we have or had?
Some people have a greater propensity than others to have to lose in order to realise all that they had.
Without getting into philosophical reflections on the level of a “café du commerce” conversation, it is nevertheless necessary to note that our Western societies and our professional environments in particular have reached - in the vast majority - a qualitative and quantitative level that other parts of the world and previous generations might envy.
However, if we look at the reactions, protests and criticisms that abound in our so-called ‘developed’ countries, we have to admit that we have lost touch with reality. Everyone talks about their rights, forgetting certain duties…
Not being able to go to the other side of the world for holidays, having to choose between cheese and dessert in a restaurant, not buying the latest fashionable clothes or having to give up the latest smartphone seems unrealistic or even catastrophic for many. How did we get here?
Certainly, markets live on growth, and many aspire to (always) more, be it in material or immaterial terms. Do we really need to have more, or can we be satisfied with something better or more bearable?
The pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the unrest in Iran, the questioning of democracies, climate change and the horrors we discover every day should alert us (finally) to the fragility of the world.
Let there be no mistake: it is not a question of being depressed or complaining about what is disappearing, but of reacting intelligently and pragmatically.
A few thoughts on this subject:
• Do we really need the current level of comfort, or can we make some concessions for the well-being of all, without depriving ourselves of small pleasures?
• Am I happier by having more (than others)?
• Do I support democracy and living in harmony or am I one of those people who are permanently detested?
• Isn’t it better to take care of your customers than to always try to acquire new ones?
• Is being satisfied with a little less regressive?
Health is a priceless asset, and it is unfortunately when we lose it that we realise that our body is a marvellous mechanism that we have often ignored and even abused.
Those who have little, or nothing often give us a beautiful lesson in life. To have a sense of loss, one must have possessed: it is the abandonment that is the most difficult to accept.
In the end, it is also having confidence in the future and in others that allows us to move forward and maintain our optimism. We will succeed because human nature is full of resources.
Have a good week, good thoughts and see you soon.