"Humanity has institutionalized itself to the point where we seek permission for our lives where none is actually needed. From as early as kindergarten, the structure of society takes control over our trajectories, carefully curating our experiences and shepherding us toward whatever paths are considered "productive" at any given time. Rarely, if ever, are we encouraged to explore the infinite ways that human flourishing could arise."
"We spend our formative years chasing rubrics and solving problems with predetermined answers in institutions in which we represent a statistic, not an individual. For these institutions, the unspoken goal is to prepare us to spend the rest of our lives chasing a variety of performance metrics in the workplace in return for a salary and the occasional promotion. Most of us learn early in life how dangerous veering off the prescribed path can be."
Society institutionalizes individuals from early childhood, curating experiences and steering trajectories toward socially defined measures of productivity. Educational systems reward conformity, rubrics, and predetermined answers, training people to become statistics rather than unique individuals. Career advancement becomes governed by unwritten rules and gatekeepers whose approvals shape opportunities and behavior. Many internalize a belief that progress requires permission, leading to risk aversion and avoidance of unconventional paths. Despite institutional influence, the potential for human flourishing remains open through diverse, non-prescribed routes. Institutions can facilitate some paths, but they do not hold exclusive authority over meaningful, flourishing lives.
Read at Psychology Today
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