No Music No Civilization

‘Success’ and ‘goals’ are what we teenagers always struggle with. There are thousands of fields we can go out, and get a job and we ask a question: which one is for me? It’s interesting to note that the drummer of Sonata Arctica, one of the most famous bands, wanted to be a plumber if he hadn’t join the band. There are ‘heck’ a lot of stuff we can do, and it’s all made by your ‘choice.’ I suggest to consider these major three points when considering a future living (notice I didn’t use the word ‘career’)

The World is Big.
It is reality. Even Korea, my home country, seems too big to me. I used to be the fastest cross-country runner in my school. But when it comes with international competition, I am nobody. I am recognized as a skillful pianist in my school. But I literally get ‘pwned’ by the middle schoolers who aim to be pros in regional concours. Whatever field of study you are pursuing, unless you are already the best, there are always people better than you, have more experience than you, and know better than you. Nowdays the competition is turning into 6 billion vs 1. To go to a US college, applying doesn’t mean competing with only Americans, but also thousands of International Schools around the world are competitors as well.

I realize how world is big by blogging and actually going out. There are many talented, thoughtful, and educated people commenting on my blog and talking with me in twitter. I’m repeating, the world is big. Start by getting out of your pen.

Then, Show Thy Talents!
Anyone aware of the story in the New Testament, Luke 9:12-24? No matter how little your talent is (or at least you think it is) there is always a use for it. Talent grows only by using and practicing. Taking an example from me again, I played the piano for almost 10 years. I see many other advanced and potent musicians around, but they simply won’t show up. Thank you, I receive your applause (this IS simlar to the Luke story!)

“A tool is only as a powerful as the [one] who uses it.” Everyone has talents of something. It may be a gift or a curse, but whatever it is, develop or die. If you’re into art, go draw 24/7. If you want to become an NBA starter, go ahead dunk every 5 minutes. If your parents find your dreams disagreeable, tell them to STFU (I mean not literally) and pursue your quest. You are an individual with your own virtue and romance; don’t let others meddle! For each and every person, the content of the heart is different. Be Yourself, not others. A lefty can’t be right handed, and macho people are (usually) less compatible with delicate works. (anyone noticed that this is the key dogma of Daoism?)

I am currently working my ass off on operating this $200 software above because I decided to work in a field of Music. Whatever your talent and your goal is, don’t give up and just go. You cannot survive the world without having anything special to show up. Talent is identity.

So, How? Dream High and Thirst Wild
What is driving the world? What is driving everything revolving around us? It may sound random, but understanding this concept is crucial. I’ll just give the answer straight away: Desire and pain. Demian, a famous book by Herman Hesse, quotes: “he who wants the most wins”-Demian’s mom (I only have the Korean translation of the book, so I just translated back). If there were no desire and pain, we couldn’t have been as advanced as it is now. If your friend is earning better grades than you, that means your friend has more desire and willpower than you. If you can’t play your instrument as well as others, that means you don’t have as much passion.

And to have such passion, knowing Pain is essential. More you suffer, the more desire you have. It is a fundamental human instinct that chastises us. Without suffering despair and anguish, humans are nothing and no desire would have been created. Kinda scary, huh. I will reproduce an excerpt from my previous blog post:

Mao Zedong was very poor when he was young, and Lincoln was considered a “noobish” politician. Nelson Mandela was held captive for more than 30 years, and Oprah Winfrey suffered serious child abuse. Einstein could not fit into society, Beethoven was called a madman, and Ronaldinho was so poor that he used to play soccer with a tennis ball.

Going further back into history, Great Ismail of the Safavid Empire was less than 14 years old when he was brought up to the front lines. Founders of first America were the ones discriminated due to their religion. Romulus and Remus were fed by wolves, and the “inferior” Germans were the ones who took down the invulnerable Rome. The Jewish people who were rejected for more than 2000 years are now toying with world politics and economy. Young Queen Elizabeth I was always under threat, and it was the starving peasants who overthrew the aristocrats during the French Revolution.

Also to refer in some fiction, Anakin Skywalker used to be a slave, and August Rush was deserted by his friends and parents for 11 years

Now you should have some ideas. The ones who truly affect us and the world are those who used to be in the bottom of a social class. If you are bullied, or if you are about to get suspended due to low grade marks, make that as an opportunity by converting the energy of grieve into passion. You’ve come all the way to the bottom, rest of the route is simple: upwards. Just bump into it. One of the reasons I failed as a runner and a pianist was because I was recognized too early; I was self sufficient. Sloth and Pride are what I had sinned.

However even if you’re full of passion, unclear goals will get you lost like this Spartan.

Sorry for all that long writing (actually it’s not that long). Everything summarized in three phrases: Know your world, Find yourself, and Go Ahead!

Photos:
Sasuke: Kishimoto Masaishi
LogicPro8 Ultrabeat Interface: captured by Soojin
Lost Spartan: Philip Ray

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Filed under: Pain, Leader, Anibal's Diary, Future, Reality, Education