Feeling "Useless"?

A friend always complains. He works from 8 am to 9 pm, even on Saturdays. To get to the office at 8, he had to leave at 6 in the morning. Indeed, the income is large. Insurance and benefits are also high.

However, he felt tired. He has no time for family and friends. On holidays, he can only sleep, because he is very tired. He felt useless because life was only a corporate slave.

Another friend complained. Tired of working for other people, he started building his own business. However, the business climate is not good. Profits decline, even several times have to swallow losses.

Sometimes, he feels sorry that he has left the world of work. The business world is full of uncertainty. Sometimes profit, sometimes loss. He too, often, feel useless.

Another friend doesn't have a job. He spends time on the computer. Sometimes, he comes out just to buy food. He had been unemployed for a long time and had given up on finding work.

To build a business, he has no capital or collateral for a bank loan. His family was also reluctant to lend money. Finally, he could only surrender. Often, he feels suicidal, because he feels no longer useful.

Useless

So, whatever we do, we will always feel useless? Even activists who give their lives to help others often feel useless. They feel unable to make changes big enough to make things right. In fact, what does "useful" mean in this context?

Useful means making enough money. Useful means having the time and energy to enjoy the money with family and friends. Useful means that it can influence national policies with the available money and power. It is this kind of view that is widespread in our society.

This view is very unnatural. It was created by a certain ideology, namely the ideology of modernity which gave birth to modern capitalism and a materialistic mentality. Modernity is thick with the characteristics of physical progress that you want to continue to achieve. The fruit is modern capitalism, which is a life filled with an unlimited accumulation of economic profit. Not surprisingly, modern humans have become mercenaries.

Everything is measured in money, from love to friendship to relationships with God. Put in the right context, this view can breed well-being. People who reject economic development will fall into poverty. However, when it is too strong, this view of modernity (capitalism and materialism) will destroy human life. This acute, widespread feeling of uselessness is one of the signs.

It's Useful

If we look closely, our existence is naturally useful. Every second, we emit carbon dioxide which is absorbed by plants to maintain their existence. Every second, our bodies are home to millions of bacteria and various other organisms. Not only that, but even our feces become valuable fertilizer for plants.

When we smile, we already give happiness around us. When we are willing to listen to friends who talk, we have released them for a moment from loneliness. In essence, our existence has always been useful, whether we realize it or not. This is the fact of the interconnection of everything in this life.

The concept of "useful" versions of modern capitalism and materialism is a heretical idea. It creates suffering in vain for human life. This understanding also encourages people to be late heroes. They are people who go into politics for reasons of money and power but hide them for noble reasons. When the election approaches, we can easily witness the arrival of this late hero.

So, we don't have to feel useless. It is heretical thinking that breeds futile suffering. What is needed is to live the moment with clarity, then do what can be done. If there are people or things that need help, then we help. If not, we enjoy life with the bright sun and fresh air.

Just like that, why bother