Sejin, who studied hard since kindergarten with the goal of entering a medical school, unfortunately failed to enter the medical school he wanted. He could have entered another university, but he decided to retake the entrance exam to get into the medical school. The following year, Sejin was accepted into the medical school he desired. In his 30s as a doctor, Sejin thought he should get married. He had only two conditions for his future spouse: to be a doctor and to live in Gangnam. He joined a marriage information company and met someone who met his criteria. Sejin and the person promised to get married six months later and decided to prepare a newlywed house in Daecheong-dong for their future children's education. Sejin's goal is to become part of the top 1% upper class. Nowadays, many people in their 20s and 30s, like Sejin, want to climb to the top of the pyramid focused on wealth and power. Professor Abram Alpert of Princeton University says the reason for this phenomenon is that many people make greatness their life goal. Many people believe that happiness lies at the top of the pyramid.

Believing that everything that is not great is trivial, people often divide themselves into classes based on their place of residence, occupation, or academic background. A more serious issue is that the atmosphere of pursuing greatness leads to numerous competitions, anxieties, and conflicts. Those who cannot reach the top of the pyramid believe that they will be happy once they succeed and become wealthy, so they constantly whip themselves. Those at the top of the pyramid are anxious about being dethroned, so they make efforts to protect what they have, even at the cost of spending a lot. The atmosphere of pursuing greatness also affects relationships. People tend to avoid forming relationships with those who are not in a similar position to themselves. Parents dedicate themselves to putting their children in top positions, taking care of them diligently. Children who receive their parents' expectations feel excessive pressure and consider themselves inferior whenever they fail to meet the standards set by their parents.

The pursuit of greatness creates an atmosphere that not only exhausts oneself but also creates a consuming and pressuring relationship. Why do people desire greatness? Professor Abraham Alpert points out that it is due to the perennial effect of hierarchy and the belief in meritocracy in our society. Let's examine them one by one. First, the misconception that greatness of a few benefits the majority, known as the trickle-down effect. The trickle-down effect is a logic where the outstanding few in ability bring benefits to the majority, similar to how water flows downwards. It is nice to become great, but it's okay not to. Because people more talented than me can create a trickle-down effect that benefits me as well. Advocates of the trickle-down effect argue that by supporting and encouraging exceptional individuals, everyone ends up living in a better environment. Is this argument really true? Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos, using his fire,

He claimed that space development would bring significant benefits to humanity, but in reality, his space development plan was aimed at seizing the opportunity for profitable space businesses such as satellite tourism and minerals. The great few claim the trickle-down effect, stating that if they seize resources, the rest of the people will struggle to survive by fighting over the remaining resources. The fact that the great few bring benefits to the majority has never been proven. The trickle-down effect only solidifies elitism. The misconception that success is possible with ability alone - meritocracy. What about meritocracy? Meritocracy is a belief that the rewards obtained through one's abilities in a world with fair opportunities are just. Meritocracy makes it natural for the capable great few to acquire wealth, fame, and power. It encourages one to improve their abilities to become part of the great few. However, there is one trap in meritocracy.

The fundamental idea behind meritocracy is that fair opportunities are impossible to begin with. If you do not have the same social status and wealth, children from wealthy families always receive better education and support. In other words, the chances of someone who was originally in a privileged environment reaching the top position are much higher. Believing in the trickle-down effect and meritocracy, one cannot escape the pain of comparison and competition by constantly pursuing greatness. To find the true purpose of life and live beyond comparison and competition, one should seek sufficiency, not greatness. It is necessary to create an atmosphere where everyone fulfills their roles sufficiently, recognizes each other as they are without hierarchy. Let's not push each other into pain while longing for greatness. All lives are sufficient as they are. A philosophy of sufficiency that corrects my life and our world is necessary. All lives must be sufficient. If this content was helpful, please subscribe and like.

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