This is a profound question that came to me and when I say most people I mean less than most people in North America And Europe. Examples not having a job never going to college never having sex never having a girlfriend or friends never driving or owning a car but still having food and some Electronics and taking the city bus.
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No, you can’t.
Now, how did that make you feel?
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The first stop for this question is right at the start:
a.) What constitutes as fulfilling?
b.) Who defines what is considered fulfilling? The individual itself, or an external observer?
If by fulfilling you mean contentment, and if its left to the individual to decide whether or not they are content, then the answer is an absolute yes.
Contentment is based on the gap between expectation and reality.
There are a plethora of factors but the rule of thumb is simply that as long as you can manage your expectations and be thankful and happy with what you have, you pretty much got it.
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North America and Europe are not the center of humanity. And the term “less” is ambiguous, since it does not refer to something specific. If it implies money, all over the world there are rich and poor people, so what makes North America and Europe so special?
With regard to fulfilling life, I agree with @Nausamedu . It is very subjective what makes people happy and satisfied with their lives. Your examples can be counter-argued:
- Not having a job does not mean necessarily poor, you can have large inheritance and no need to work. And of course, there are plenty of people who hate their jobs.
- Not having a college degree does not even imply uneducated. You can learn staff by yourself without the need of a diploma. Plus, you can achieve plenty of things at any level of formal education.
- There are people that are not driven by sex interest. Monks and nuns consider themselves to have fulfilling lives.
- Not having friends is quite tough, but there are people who prefer a lonely life. It is their choice and their understanding if it is enjoyable for them that way.
- Do we need a car for a fulfilling life? So, 200 years ago, when cars did not exist, people could not have fulfilling lives?
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Thats the pitfall i was trying to elude to, though i didnt spell it out.
If a homeless person can be content and a celebrity can choose to resort to drug use or self deletion out of the lack of it, then its safe to say that the concept is not rooted in material wealth.
I think its kind of fascinating that not even Maslow’s pyramid of needs attributes for this.
You can be technically happy and content at any level of this pyramid regardless of need and self-actualization.
Of course there are nuances, but if we want to be technical about it, then the state or “disposition” that is contentment, is separate from needs.
But:
Its a completely different topic if by “fulfilling life” OP means something more categorical, like reaching the maximum potential of your life or contribution towards society and/or family.
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Good question I like your answer that it’s based on the individual and what they feel but what if the individual feels and say for an example that someone or a group of people insult said individual because they don’t have this or that and what if that person feels bad because of that and they stop being happy and content with what they had ?
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No I agree with you that North America and Europe are not the epicenter of humanity but I use them as an example because I think those are the richest places on Earth and because I live in Canada so that’s what I know but yes I think you are correct and that a person cannot have those things and still live a fulfilling life but to most people I would assume here who live in Europe or North America not having the things that I just mentioned as examples would be seen as anathema to them.
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I mean emotionally fulfilling for the individual.
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I am not so sure about how much these things really attribute on a fulfilling life. Sure, money always help to provide easy access to desires, but if your whole life revolves on how to make more money (workaholic cases), then it can turn into burden.
I believe that regular and social media have given a wrong impression on what people really want. Promoting wealth and luxury alone is not the proper answer. People usually need a combination of things to feel satisfied. Emotional fulfillment is much more important, and for each individual it can be achieved differently.
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Yes. He who has little is not poor, only he who desires more, more, more. Happiness is not to found in the future but in the present moment. When one realizes they have all they need, one is rich.
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You will never be fulfilled if you try to be fulfilled.
Stop trying to be fulfilled, do not even want it. Want only the absence of want.
Whatever good or bad comes your way just let it go. Be thankful for the good in giving you vigor, be thankful for the bad in revealing the nature of a things.
You are exhausting yourself if you try to be happy. Don’t seek great happiness. Don’t run from deep sorrow.
Be thankful when happiness comes…and then let it pass. Don’t run from sorrow…be thankful for the wisdom it brings…and then let it pass.
There is no easy way…but it does not have to be hard either.
This is what I focus on meditatively everyday…hopefully it helps you too…if not then just toss these words away as non-sense.
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I was homeless for fifteen years straight living on less than $500.00 a year. Ask me anything.
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Would you have an income stream in this lifestyle your question pertains to?
A place of residence?
Could you lend me $500?
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This is the Taoist Wu Wei, or effortless action. You can not paint a masterpiece by trying to paint a masterpiece. But if you enter flow state, a masterpiece will emerge. You don’t paint a master painting; you let it happen. You don’t find happiness by striving but by flowing.
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Taoism has understood things about the nature of life and existence that almost makes it alien among the other philosophies.
And yes. Funny thing about art is that you can never achieve something you’d be satisfied with if you go into it with an expectation. You will be always stuck with the raw potential that is within your mind and heart, and look upon the crude expression of it you have drawn, written, chiseled into existence.
That was something i had to learn for myself too. Never draw or write for an audience, expectation or anything else. You draw and write for the paper and for the sake of the thing you wish to express. Never more, never less. Then, the result will be self evident. It exists the way it should exist.
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It can be…but even taoism must negate taoism so to be taoism.
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True…very true…learned the same lesson the hard way. Valuable lessons require blood.
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Exactly. The master makes a mark, looks, and then makes his next mark in relation to the whole painting, not just the mark next to it. He makes marks and then works with the pattern that starts to emerge.
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