First of all, I wasn’t familiar with the character Winnie the Pooh but the book itself was quite easy to understand and follow. I was actually hooked on the book when I started reading because of the interesting points it made regarding the Taoist point of view on life. Unfortunately I also realized that I was ‘Busy Backson’ and that I was living the practical way of life. One thing I learned was that planning everything for the future can actually affect you negatively and leave you more stressful. This book not only provided me with simple steps and POVs as to how to simplify my life but it also made me realize what mistakes I was making.
I was raised in Bolivia but when I came here to the United States in 2000, I was told to reach for the ‘American Dream’. To succeed here in the U.S, I would have to concentrate on profession that would get me a lot of money and guarantee me and my family a good life. I was told PICK something and concentrate on it till I graduate from college. So from middle till college, I lived my life trying to become a doctor and it was miserable. School was a pain and sometimes I would lose track of my objective. Planning things ahead of time never turn out to happen like you want it to because there isn’t a way to guarantee anything from happening. Unfortunately I was living my life as a Busy Backson brainwashed by the American Society when in reality, I should have lived life as it came.
Here in the U.S., we are raised to believe that we should make our own premade path in life in order to feel like we are going the ‘right’ way. What the Tao of Pooh taught me was that there isn’t a certain path that everyone can take. We should live our lives according to what happens to us at that moment. We have to live everyday as a new day. And if we make mistakes, we learn from them and become better human beings. This not only makes us more prepared for the real world but it also diminishes the possibility of stress and disappointment in our lives. Through this ideology, we can think clearer, appreciate things better, and live a happier life.
It's really hard not to be a Bisy Backson in our culture. If you're not working yourself to death, then you're lazy, and people criticize you. It is a shame that people who come to our country are bombarded with the notion of an "American Dream", that alludes to some sort of happiness, when in reality, it's more of a nightmare.
ReplyDeleteI thought your blog post was really interesting, and helped in pointing out the uselessness of pre-planning and how it causes more stress in our lives. In the book, Rabbit is made to look foolish even though he is supposed to be the "clever" one in the story. Pooh, who doesn't plan ahead, somehow always gets by and comes out ahead. In our American culture, planning ahead is considered to be a good thing, and even a desirable/admirable quality in a person. However, it is important to look at where it actually gets us. I think you quite correctly pointed out that our lifestyle does lead to more stress. Hopefully by making use of the principles of Taoism, we can start to live a stress-free lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI think this is an amazing post! You gave a really good example of how planning can in fact be for the worst, and maybe sitting back and seeing what comes your way would be the better option. But sometimes, especially in the American culture, its hard to just sit back without being completely criticized. But at what point do you decide to "go with the flow"? I also definitely agree with the post above me saying that its considered "good" to plan ahead and save for a rainy day. It just goes to show how Taoism and American culture do not parallel much.
ReplyDeleteI was also raised in a very similar way. My parents grew up in India and they came to the US with the mentality that America was the place that anything was possible. They pushed me to do medicine which I luckily enjoy but I have seen so many others who push themselves to do something that is not meant for them. I really appreciated your thoughts on how if we take life how it is then our stress would be relieved.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly not a happy realization, but it is necessary to realize if you're a victim of "Bisy Backsonism." I think this problem is more pronounced in American culture than in other places, but I do not think it is unique to us. I tihnk that this concept of "plan (everything) now or fail (entirely) later" is beginning to spread rapidly to other places as well. A lot of people in Asian cultures are facing the same problem, especially in China who is quickly becoming a global leader. I think that people are afraid of pain, failure, and disappointment, and rather than learning to deal with it as it comes, they try to plan it away. This only leads to more suffering as plans don't usually work out as we intend. I think Taoism is a good solution if we realize that all it means is following your inner nature. You have to do it yourself.
ReplyDeleteI too am one of those people who have to have everything planned out. I keep a big calendar on my wall at home, and have to keep things written down in my agenda. If you've spent your whole life planning to become a doctor, and then end up not having the grades for it, it can be very stressful for you. Planning ahead can be negative because it can lead to more stress if things aren't going as planned. However, if you just let whatever happens, happen; you have nothing to really stress over.
ReplyDeleteI like your personal example of that period in your life when you were on the wrong path by trying to become a doctor and it made you miserable. I was actually on that path as well until recently. I've always hated planning and everything seems so much more right now that I've changed my major.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely think you're right about living each day like a new day because it gives us a fresher unbiased look on day ahead instead of dwelling on the past. Personally i know it's hard to do so, but it gives us a better sense of what's important in life and how we go about achieving our dreams without the upset of yesterday
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