The System
I’m lucky to have a lot of time to sit and think. About people, creativity, emotions, love. Whatever it may be, I’ve got rather good at allowing myself to be bored, and not seeking distractions and instant gratification. It’s like the story in Will Smith’s autobiography of him going to a quiet house with no connection to the outside world, even technologically. The first few days were tough, as he battled loneliness and against his own primal instincts. Eventually, however, he settled down into boredom and discomfort, and it enveloped him. He became the most creative he’d ever been, as though elevated to a different level.
This is what the system takes away from us. It decides for us how we spend the majority of our time. In stoic philosophy, it’s a key principle that we have very little control over our lives, and we should focus on that which we can control. The system works to take the small amount of control we have away from us. It decides our schedules, and when we can eat. Our free time is set for us, and most importantly, it stifles our creativity.
Some are happy in the system, and to those people, I say I’m happy for you. For some of us who have tried to work in sync with the system, we find ourselves spat out by it, or unsatisfied. Is this it? Is there anything more?
If we reject the system, even slightly, we suddenly find that a small amount of control returns to us. But we’re born into it. Getting out is hard. I hope today’s piece could help someone who needs a small push to take a chance and back themselves outside of the system.
Our life is constructed of chapters, and we get to decide when a chapter ends, often with a situation change. The transition between my previous chapter ending and this one beginning was a lengthy transition. I was writing my Master’s dissertation on the ability of models to predict recessions. It’s not worth reading at all, and I’m surprised I passed. At the same time as writing my dissertation, I started Geopolitics Explained. This started my next chapter as the previous one was ending.
For those who partook in my recent Christmas Quiz on Substack Notes as we approached December 25th, you’ll now know my favourite book is The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck. When I read The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, that’s when I truly slammed shut my previous chapter. That’s when I departed from the system. A system I would never have been happy with in any way.
The book, if you’ve not guessed it, tells you to not give too much of a f*ck about anything. This is a vital concept. We can’t control the existence of the system, but we can control our reaction to it and our interactions with it. Outside of this, it’s better to not give much of a f*ck about anything. We can respond to this in two ways.
Do we let this demotivate us? If nothing matters, why try at all, right?
Or do we let this liberate us? If nothing matters, why not try?
Embarrassment for existing outside the system won’t matter eventually. Even as we build from scratch, we might appear stupid to others. But to achieve something, we have to be willing to look a bit stupid. Nothing happens overnight, but as many writers here on Substack are aware, it’s starting and consistently working over an undefined period that matters. We have to commit for the long haul if we exist outside of the system.
I’ve never been more glad at a choice I’ve made in my life. For those who don’t know, I work in a supermarket to make money. It doesn’t take much brain capacity, but I can be sure I won’t be replaced by AI robots anytime soon! And I get to listen to a lot of podcasts while I’m there. As I recently listened to a podcast, it stated that we sometimes find ourselves in situations where we’re unhappy because we don’t fit into the system we exist in. As a consequence, we’re forced to change the rules of the system. In a large system, this is impossible, so those of us who are inclined to leave the system. But there has to be some order, otherwise, we’re directionless entropy. Trending towards infinite chaos. We have to create our own system. We get to cultivate the rules in this system to best support ourselves and our happiness. We can create these rules based on the person we wish to become.
If the rules you want to create for yourself and the rules of the system don’t coincide, that’s ok. From the creation of our own system and our own rules, we’re the creators of our own freedom.
I’m naturally growth-orientated as a person and I get that from my writing here on Substack. I then get my ideas down on paper to better help them sink into my own head. I have my freedom to wake up and explore whatever I want, every single day. It can sometimes get lonely in your own system, but one thing that changed this year is I discovered wonderful people through Substack, each building their own system. Like an arrangement of galaxies in the universe. I feel so excited every day that I get to wake up and be a part of this community of writers, and your work inspires me every day to keep growing and be better. The writers here write on deeply meaningful and interesting topics, and their ideas can teach many stuck in the system a thing or two about life outside it. Specifically, a life of more freedom.
I recently came across an article on the topic of freedom. Specifically, what types of freedom we pursue in life. The following were listed in the article:
Time
Money
Relationship
Purpose
When we exist outside of the system, we often have to motivate ourselves. Like everything in life, there are trade-offs. We have to work consistently when we might not want to. But overall, we have greater freedom of time. For example, I never work after 6 pm, on any day, and I take Saturdays off completely, with no expectations on myself. This is my version of freedom of time. I love being busy and I love writing. This amount of time with no obligations is enough for me personally to rest and recuperate. You can find this in the system also.
Next comes freedom of money. But that’s not why we exist outside the system, is it? It can teach us hardship, and struggle when we first begin, and the money isn’t flowing. As with any creative art form, we do this because we love it, and it doesn’t matter if we’re broke. The money within the system can also bring a level of freedom, so there is little difference, outside of the original struggle, between financial existence inside and outside the system.
We are free to cultivate friendships and relationships with other creatives around us. It takes a certain level of vulnerability in a creative endeavour, and we’re naturally drawn to that. By being vulnerable in our work, we attract like-minded people. In turn, we can cultivate and grow these relationships in our shared interests. I now understand myself better than I ever have before, and as a result, all of my relationships are stronger and deeper. This can be harder to find in the system. We’re given tasks that can often be directionless. Admin work that those in charge believe needs doing to maintain the hierarchy of power, or work that doesn’t fuel you intellectually, like inputting numbers into a spreadsheet. The shareholder letters of Jeff Bezos are a great source of information for cutting out unproductive business practices, but unfortunately, it can be difficult to find good leaders who adopt similar strategies. The freedom of relationships within the system is harder. In the rat race of life, sometimes we have to tread on some heads. If we know whomever we’re standing on less, it becomes easier to trample them underfoot as we climb the ladder of life.
Finally, comes freedom of purpose. The thing we’re all looking for. The main freedom the system stifles. We all want to be understood. If you’ve discovered your purpose, well done. Please don’t waste that. It’s a difficult thing to find. If most people would look at what you’re doing from the outside and think you’re slightly insane, but you just love it, then keep doing it. Even when I’m sat doing nothing after 6 pm, or on a Saturday, I still cannot stop thinking about writing, and how I can grow and develop myself further. It becomes an obsession. I’m lucky I’ve found it, and so I’m not going to waste it. The system pays us a salary to help us forget our dreams. We can sit hating every day in the system, dreaming of the end of the week, or the end of the month, when the money tree shakes itself loose and the gold coins fall to the ground for collection. Even if you love existing in the system, is it your dream? Is where you currently are in life fulfilling your purpose? If not, consider where your efforts are being directed. Are you playing for Team You or Team System? Freedom comes from the pursuit of Team You.
In response, You might say, “Dylan, this is you trying to justify to yourself that you’re not a failure.”
Maybe. But if what some may deem failure makes me feel this happy, then keep throwing it my way. For me, it doesn’t feel like a failure at all. And as I’ve said before, failure is a good thing. It allows us to better understand ourselves and the world around us. It allows us to self-improve, and as one of my key drivers in life, it’s beneficial for me to be a bit of a f*ck up.
One of the key principles I apply when I try anything new, or something that slightly scares me, is to imagine myself on my deathbed. Looking back, at yourself in the present, which would you regret more? Trying and failing, or not trying at all? For me, the former wins every time, and it’s not even a close battle. Try -> Fail -> Improve -> Try Again, over and over. This is the process I love.
Another might also say, “But I like the system”. As I said earlier, that’s great. You have to pursue whatever makes you happy in life. Ultimately, it’s not a particularly long stay that we have here on Hotel Earth. But you should go slightly crazy at the hotel buffet from time to time. Try new things. Repeat old things you know you love. Don’t allow yourself to be comfortable. This is how, whether inside or outside the system, we limit the quality of our lives. Discomfort is us trying new things, and is necessary for growth and self-understanding. You might work a 9-5, but every weekend you go skydiving or go play with model train sets, run a triple marathon, go swimming with sharks, or knit. You might crochet, or croquet! If you find “good” discomfort, where afterwards you feel good about it, this is repeatable discomfort. If something leaves a sour taste, perhaps it isn’t your thing. But at least you tried it. Comfort is a killer, and it’s the entire aim of the system. So be aware of it, and create methods to escape it, and bring some discomfort into your life.
Even though we don’t have a long stay at Hotel Earth, we have enough time to take baby steps to the roof and see the beauty we’re surrounded by. So take that first baby step.
Concluding Remarks
We live in a world of hate and misunderstanding. I’m proud to be a writer on Substack, a place where disagreement occurs, but it’s thoughtful and purposeful, and it contributes to the betterment of us all. Rather than being stuck on the treadmill of life, stuck in the same spot, I’m glad to at least be in the room with many great people, all walking on the treadmill together. That feels like what Substack is to me, a place of understanding and the development of ideas, not the crushing of ideas. I know Substack is only just beginning on the path to fulfilling its maximum potential. As am I.
One reason I love writing here is I can write about anything at anytime. After a while, writing about the same subject for my Masters definitely bored me and contributed to me starting on Substack😂 Thanks Malik!
I also started writing my Substack as I was finishing my masters thesis as well😶😂. Interesting read!