[March 12, 2024] We know that people who aim high for life goals and are able to make the proper sacrifices will succeed in having a good life. Barring serious tragedies, this is a social norm. Therefore, it is easy to give advice on how to aim high and achieve noble goals, and even the most deluded know this is right, as it has been since the dawn of humanity. The problem is that too many cannot conceive of a high aim for something noble for themselves, and it shows.
“What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone? How else can we put ourselves in harmonious relation with the great verities and consolations of the infinite and the eternal?” – Winston S. Churchill
The failure to have a high aim is a problem; without one, their sacrifices will amount to little. One can argue that a high aim is stumbled upon by accident, but such an outcome is rare. Folks who do so are also likely to change their personal life aims and return to a less successful life at some point.
Today, more people are less able to achieve high goals despite our culture providing more opportunities than ever. This situation seems, on its face, counterintuitive or wrong. Not so. We see fewer individuals aiming high, and this is manifested in higher suicide rates, drug and alcohol abuse, violent crime, depression, and a host of psychological disorders. All the while, formal education rates are the highest in human history.
We have a Western culture that no longer values what was once commonplace. The West was ripe with jobs and professions that desperately needed hard workers to build the nation’s infrastructure, teach future leaders, protect and defend our people, and teach core values in our religious institutions. These were noble jobs and professions.
Today, we invent new jobs and professions without long-term or real value. Some of these are destructive. There can be no nobility in teaching us how to destroy the West. There is no value in undermining complex, valuable social institutions. And no reason to encourage anger at the West.
NOTE: These are just a few beginning thoughts I had on the failure of our culture to provide real opportunities to aim high in one’s life. And the apparent failure of the individual to choose the right job or profession offers a noble goal or high aim to achieve.
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Gen. Satterfield, I’m amazed that so many folks today have no idea that in order to do well, you have to aim at doing well. Most just drift thru life and not pay much attention to what is going on. We actually have to have a plan. Oh, your article today on Happy Donkey Henry was a wonderful story and happy birthday to your dog.
Yes, indeed, great comment. I was thinking the same thing. We all should look into our future and do those things properly that will make that future good for us and our families.
Get married, have children, keep your spouse. And, beleive in God and the rest will work out for you.
Great article today, Gen. Satterfield. Just the exact reason I’ve been reading your blog now for many years. 👍
Young men are pushed into “jobs” that have little value these days. Women, however, are in a worse position becuase they are told the same and also that having kids is not good for their careers (which has some truth in it) but having kids is far more important and noble than having a high paying job with lots of responsibility. Why? When you retire, nobody cares about you anymore and if you don’t have children, then you have nothing but a cat. Old women with cats and living alone is very very very sad.
Despite the fact it was their choice! I agree Patriot Wife.
Patriot wife
Excellent comments. As a retired air force E-7, the air force motto was and still is Aim High. This is great motto but it’s had some flay in it. I came across numerous people who did not measure up to this thus where discharged.
So true … “Today, more people are less able to achieve high goals despite our culture providing more opportunities than ever. ” – Gen. Doug Satterfield
Another spot-on blog post by Gen. Satterfield and a look into how we see ourselves and compare ourselves with others. No wonder that “shaming” is no longer “allowed” and the reason we see so many people very very unhappy with their current position. We also devalue families and encourage dependency upon the government. If those folks have unsatisfactory lives, then yep, that is something I would predict. But too many don’t think so and are unable to figure out why they are unhappy.
While I find that many young women are caught up in this, I think that the reason is that they have been told lies all their lives that the most important thing they can do is go to college, get a great job, and become a “boss girl.” But that is a LIE that keeps on destroying young women.
And the WALL is undefeated. Once these single young women hit 30, then they often realize they are screwed. Too late to have kids and no man wants them except as a plaything. The lies have consequences. When they wake up, they are very unhappy.
Good comments here and observations are on target.
Historical evidence is clear. Do something noble in your life. Clear!
Hmmmmm, some good thoughts.
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YOU DA MAN, Good Dog …. er Good Da Dog.