> What other method is there to get ahead as an individual other than out-competing your peers?
I think there are a lot of assumptions in that statement that highlight the problem.
What does it mean to "get ahead as an individual"? The phrasing implies that you mean earning as much money as possible, but should that really be our primary goal?
It also implies that for one person to "get ahead", somebody else needs to stay behind, but why should that be? Why should I work 60 hours a week, and another person zero, when we could both work 30?
The problem with making that our culture is that most work is not very enjoyable or fulfilling, and so we're basically peer pressuring people into miserable lives, and that causes other problems like drug addiction and mental health issues.
Indeed. And it's also worth noting that the culture of individualism tends to hold everybody back, even the individuals who get furthest "ahead". In general, individuals benefit more when everybody is collaborating and supporting their peers rather than trying to beat them.
I think there are a lot of assumptions in that statement that highlight the problem.
What does it mean to "get ahead as an individual"? The phrasing implies that you mean earning as much money as possible, but should that really be our primary goal?
It also implies that for one person to "get ahead", somebody else needs to stay behind, but why should that be? Why should I work 60 hours a week, and another person zero, when we could both work 30?
The problem with making that our culture is that most work is not very enjoyable or fulfilling, and so we're basically peer pressuring people into miserable lives, and that causes other problems like drug addiction and mental health issues.