The rat race: work, success, goals, responsibility, choices, opportunity, the future, money.

There is an enduring impulse to have more. Of course this is not an entirely new phenomenon; people have always felt pressure (by family, by society) to succeed, usually by virtue of hard work and determination. 

These days, everyone seems to be jumping on the proverbial bandwagon called The American Dream. The ideals of prosperity and freedom of lifestyles associated with this concept are no longer dreams favoured solely by inhabitants of the land of hope and glory, but by most (if not all) of Western civilization.

The pursuit of such laudable objectives is prevalent in our ‘lifestyle’ hungry society, which generates artifice surrounding freedom and success. Every second we are hounded by celebrity propaganda aspiring to the principle that winners make their own luck.

Fame has become a marketing tool, promoted as an equivalent to success, or at least a worthwhile and accessible alternative. Gone are the days of real ‘stars’, when the self-respecting luminaries of the silver screen would pay to keep their names out of the tabloid press.

There’s no denying that this candy-coated portrayal of success is desirable, and even attainable for many that aspire to it. The problem however, arises namely in its allusions to social equality and equanimity.

What would it mean to simply acquire such a reputation – no more than a glorified recommendation – if it has not been earned by respectable means? 

What’s the point in bearing the accolade ‘musician’ or ‘singer’ if you can’t carry a note?

Achievement within any discipline (in particular high-profile professions, such as entertainment, or sports industries) is basically dependent upon two things: will and opportunity, each of which incorporates a certain level of pragmatism. The will functions as the main determinant of a person’s vocation, whilst opportunity acts as the platform which makes this possible.

Whether we choose to play the victim or perpetrator of materialistic means, the instinct towards money and success becomes stronger the more we try to resist, making it easy to feel gridlocked by the freedom we aspire to. Media hype deems that we have a choice: work hard, apply determination, and you will be awarded. However, there is no freedom without constraints and volition seems ill-placed in a society with such clearly defined paradigms.

There is only a limited amount that we can imagine. As the gap closes between what is desired and what is obtainable, levels of greed increase. For some, money becomes an end in itself, and expectations of grandeur spiral out of control. Here, aspirations are insurmountable and happiness seems perpetually out of reach.

By Amanda Carey/MOLI