Abstract notion of forward motion—connected to greedy emotion—a road going nowhere—the destination is despair.
Wake up in the twilight of existence, realization of life wasted in a perpetual situation known as rat-rut-race.
Like so many lab rats in an endless maze, chasing the cheese in expectation of better days.
This tedious pursuit is like rotting fruit, ultimately pointless and fundamentally fruitless, at the sacrifice of personal cultivation—why not start from the Beginning Again today?
It is here and where, you are entreated to muster courage to reanimate a distinct personalised journey, not unlike Mr. Francis Albert Sinatra—pointing in the direction of doing things My Way.
Rat-rut-race, a metaphor for the ceaseless competitive struggle to get ahead financially and societally to the determent of extraordinary tales yet to be told—epitomising emptiness and failure reflecting the undesirable conclusion of a vapid life and an empty soul.
Undoubtedly the emotional appeal in the pursuit of Material Sludge is an inherent humanoid desire, with money, status, and power like the thrill of a jet coaster ride.
Yet, this is merely a slippery slope and a razor sharp slide—amplifying the volatile emotional nature of egocentric indoctrination now have taken rooted in the darkest corners of the nooks and crannies—the subconscious abyss inside.
Inflection ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ Point: identify and defeat rat-rut-race
Long Working Hours
The Japanese are famous (notorious) for working extremely long hours; however, there is a clear distinction between working and being at the office.
Historically, in the Japanese mind, spending long hours in the office is a sign of commitment to the mandate of the company—think of this scenario as han men kyo shi (bad example) of productivity having definitely gone awry.
Essentially the Japanese have only just recently begun to question the wholesale commitment to the company over all, and slowly discovering and uncovering the corrupt nature of the rat-rut-race.
Chronic Stress
Just like any other organization Japanese work environment is fraught with personal intrigue and drama.
The quest to move up the ladder causes significant stress, which carries over into all other aspects of life with harmful consequences of the death march of stress infecting the entire spectrum of rapidly dwindling life.
Mercifully, the old Showa business mentality is slowly waning away, but the commandments of the entrenched staunch taskmaster dies hard in Japanese society of mandated conformity—all must still endure invoking the protocol of Suck It Up Buttercup, regardless if this may seem insane.
Materialism
Retail therapy otherwise known as Material Sludge spree is a symptom of the rat-rut-race mentality malady.
Once upon a time a young Japanese lady was asked about her homestay in U$A and to describe the highlight of her trip—the shopping channel was anti-climatic answer passing through her uninspired lips.
No Sense of Personal Fulfilment
Make sure to check you personal satisfaction gauge—is there a sense of accomplishment or purpose in what should be ΩNE’s life work?
The J.O.B. (just over broke) feels meaningless, nothing beyond bonus and salary, really that is all you got—now labeled as a faceless ‘salaryman’, this what life is definitely not.
Constant Comparison
Otherwise known as keeping up with the Joneses, success is regarded as some kind of competitive thing, along with the pressure cooker to acquire meaningless status symbols, represented by trite material things.
The epitome of a meaningless destination—the ultimate regret waiting as you arrive at someone else’s vision—congratulations your final destination is a dead-end—how was the ride?
The rat-rut-race is the fast track in a Race to the Bottom, sacrificing health, relationships, and personal growth in pursuit of purely financial gain is a mindless pursuit—there is no end.
A significant life journey can never be measured by a mere job title or in the accumulation of possessions soon to fade away, but in the richness of meaningful experiences, with the people and community who enrich the essence of Each Other’s every single day.
