“Before I can answer the question of what I should do, I need to answer the prior question of what story or stories do I find myself a part of.”
-Alastair MacIntyre
“…Because here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshiping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.”
-David Foster Wallace
Living life—what we do—is a result of wants and desires. Living life well means becoming aware of what we want and desire. Some of what we want is driven by what we see others having (windows); some by our internal wounds; and some out of a healthy emotional state of being (wholeness).
While most of those drivers begin inside of us; where we turn now is the water we are swimming in, surrounding us, of which we may or may not be aware. We each inhabit larger stories, narratives that promise a good life, offer a path for achieving it, and promote a guide to get us there.
Understanding the stories we are living in, our worldviews and what they worship, is the next step in our journey of wanting well.
Understanding the Stories We Live In
Our worldview shapes our desires by defining what we consider valuable and meaningful, revealing what we worship and bend our life to.
For some, the story is the pursuit of success, a dream. Others go all in on self improvement; still others bank everything on a commitment to environmental sustainability. Whatever they are, these worldviews promise the good life, and elevate guides and heroes who lead the way.
What does the “good life” look like?
In this next section we are going to explore a number of different “good lifes” that are on offer in our society. Each of these could be volumes of books on their own, so this will be a whirlwind tour. My main goal is to draw out that each of these worldviews fundamentally is a form of worship.
Techno-Optimism
After I sold my last business, I attended a program at Singularity University in Silicon Valley. The event featured world-class speakers focused on exploring the potential of future technologies. The tone was maximally optimistic about the future of technology; however, when I asked the speakers if we could discuss the negatives of technology, they clearly communicated that such topics were not allowed to be discussed there. I came to realize that Singularity University functions as a place where technology is revered as the idol of a secular religion whose belief is that technological progress, particularly the merging of humans and machines, will solve all of humanity’s problems. It dawned on me that they were looking towards technology as a form of salvation, offering us the chance to become “god-like” by becoming one with our saviour, technology. While not a religion in a classical sense, it is, in almost every respect, a religion with its own saviour, god, temples, traditions, foundational assumptions, and truth.
The Promise: The good life is the relentless pursuit of technological progress, which is the only foundational source of human flourishing.
The Plan: Liberate technological progress from all constraints and participate in its evolution and glory. This is elucidated more in The Techno Optimist Manifesto.
Temple Example: Singularity University
The Heroes:
- Elon Musk – Entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, pushing boundaries in sustainable energy and space exploration.
- Bill Gates – Co-founder of Microsoft, instrumental in the personal computing revolution.
- Steve Jobs – Co-founder of Apple Inc., revolutionized multiple industries with innovative technology.
- Tim Berners-Lee – Inventor of the World Wide Web, enabling global information sharing.
- Sergey Brin and Larry Page – Co-founders of Google, transforming access to information.
At its best, technology releases human ingenuity to create a better society.
At its worst, by worshiping technology, we become machines ourselves with no place for the human soul, spirituality, or connection to a transcendent source or creator.
The idol of techno-optimism is technology and innovation which is seen as the ultimate solution to human challenges.
Capitalism
The Promise: The good life is one of accumulating wealth—for countries, businesses, and individuals.
The Path: Build businesses to grow profit. Invest to create security through material assets.
A Temple: The Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting—often called the “Mecca of Capitalism”—where investors gather to gain insights from the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett.
The Heroes:
- Adam Smith – Economist and philosopher, author of The Wealth of Nations, laying the foundation for classical free-market economic theory.
- Milton Friedman – Economist known for his advocacy of free-market capitalism and minimal government intervention.
- Warren Buffet – Business magnate and investor renowned for his investment strategies and philanthropy.
- Andrew Carnegie – Industrialist and philanthropist who exemplified the rise from modest beginnings to immense wealth.
At its best capitalism drives productivity, innovation, and economic growth.
At its worst, unchecked capitalism without ethical considerations can be oppressive, leading to exploitation at the hands of greed-driven economic objectives.
Fundamentally, the idol of capitalism is wealth and material success which are revered as the highest measures of achievement.
Environmental Concern
The Promise: The good life is protecting our planet and combating climate change for the benefit of future generations.
The Path: Advocating for large-scale cultural changes and reforming individual choices around sustainability.
A Temple: Earth Day celebrations and the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP).
The Heroes:
- Rachel Carson – Author of Silent Spring, which sparked the modern environmental movement.
- Greta Thunberg – Swedish activist known for mobilizing youth climate strikes worldwide.
- Al Gore – Former U.S. Vice President who raised global awareness about climate change.
- Wangari Maathai – Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel laureate who founded the Green Belt Movement.
- Jane Goodall – Primatologist advocating for wildlife conservation and sustainable living.
At its best, environmental engagement draws attention to the resources our planet provides that are in need of protection.
At its worst, extreme activism without nuance can highlight economic inequalities and alienate those who cannot afford certain eco-friendly practices.
Fundamentally, the idol of environmental concern is Nature and the Earth which are held as sacred and deserving of utmost protection.
Pleasure
The Promise: The good life feels good all the time.
The Plan: Pursue entertainment and gratification.
A Temple: The Playboy Mansion
The Heroes:
- Epicurus- Ancient Greek philosopher who taught that pleasure is the highest good.
- Hugh Hefner – Founder of Playboy magazine, embodying a lifestyle centered around indulgence.
- Oscar Wilde – Writer known for his wit and advocacy of aestheticism and pleasure.
- Lord Byron – Poet famed for his flamboyant and indulgent lifestyle.
- Caligula – Roman Emperor often associated with excessive indulgence
At its best, pleasure is a gift!
At its worst, pleasure seeking without commitment is exploitative, as seen in the “Me Too” movement that brought attention to abuses of power.
Fundamentally, the idol of hedonism is pleasure and sensuality, pursued as the highest goods in life.
Non-Violence
The Promise: The good life is achieving justice and social change.
The Plan: Offer non-violent resistance and civil disobedience.
A Temple: Sites of peaceful protest and remembrance like the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Gandhi Ashram.
The Heroes:
- Mahatma Gandhi – Leader of the Indian independence movement through non-violent civil disobedience.
- Martin Luther King Jr. – Civil rights leader advocating for equality through peaceful protest.
- Nelson Mandela – Anti-apartheid revolutionary who promoted reconciliation in South Africa.
- Cesar Chavez – Labor leader and civil rights activist championing non-violent tactics.
- Thich Nhat Hanh – Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist promoting mindfulness and non-violence.
At its best, this worldview promotes reconciliation.
At its worst, it can have limited impact on some regimes or very slow progress in others, bringing adherents to great personal sacrifice and exposure to physical violence.
Fundamentally, the idol of this worldview is justice through non-violent reconciliation.
Servant leadership
The Promise: The good life is joyfully sacrificing for the good of others.
The Plan: Give one’s self for the benefit of others.
A Temple: Community service centers, humanitarian organizations, and volunteer missions where service is practiced.
The Heroes:
- Jesus Christ – Often cited as the ultimate example of a servant leader, teaching and exemplifying service to others.
- Mother Teresa – Dedicated her life to serving the poor and sick, leading by example.
- Mahatma Gandhi – Led through service and non-violence, prioritizing the needs of the people.
- Nelson Mandela – Demonstrated forgiveness and reconciliation, serving his nation.
- Martin Luther King Jr. – Led the civil rights movement through service and sacrifice.
At its best, servant leadership inverts oppressive hierarchies and reforms them into growth hierarchies where the followers flourish.
At its worst, serving others to the neglect of self care can lead to burnout and bitterness.
Fundamentally, servant leadership idolizes service to others and humility valued above personal ambition.
Worldviews as Worship
One of the most arresting observations about worldviews comes from a commencement address given by David Foster Wallace.
Here is an excerpt:
“…Because here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshiping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god of spiritual-type thing to worship—bet it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles—is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.”
He then goes on to catalog different common worldviews and forms of worship.
- “If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough.”
- “Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you.”
- “Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear.”
- “Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out.”
Whether we are aware of it or not, these and other stories provide a framework that guides our wants and actions. They sift what we pay attention to. They become a comprehensive lens through which we interpret reality, encompassing our beliefs about the nature of the world, humanity, ethics, and purpose.
At its core, our journey of wanting well requires us to not only be in these stories but be able to reflect on, critique, evolve, discard, and even search for better systems of meaning and worship.
Unfortunately, very few people know how to do this work or are willing to do it. So the crucibles of life become our teachers. We’ll explore this more in the next article.
Reflection Questions:
- What worldviews resonate most deeply with you, and why?
- How have the stories and narratives you’ve been part of shaped your desires and actions?
- What does the ‘good life’ mean to you, and how has this definition been influenced by societal narratives?
- Who are the heroes or guides you admire, and what values do they represent in your life?
- Are there ‘idols’ or priorities in your life that you might be unconsciously elevating above other important values?
- What steps can you take to critically assess the stories you are currently living in?
- How can becoming more aware of your worldview help you ‘want well’ and align your actions with your true values?
- What worldviews have you found wanting?
