Essays on Life - Part 4: On Progress not perfection

Essays on Life - Part 4: On Progress not perfection

Two principal paths exist in Hinduism: Bhakti and Aghora. Both deal with the idea of perfection. Even if one is a left-liberal atheist, scientific curiosity must still force one to ponder why one of the oldest religions in the world and a framework of profound philosophies harp constantly on the concept of perfection. And that is true for other schools of thought and religions, too.

And yet, a large section of humanity seems to be more concerned with progress than perfection. Why so?

Maybe perfection has become so narrow and refined that we subconsciously accept that we may never reach its strict ideals.

And since, as human beings (very similar to goats), we need an ideal to pursue (even if mindlessly like goats), we have latched on to an ill-defined definition of progress in its ambiguous, messy version because it is easy to associate with and reflects our own confused state. Despite our failure, we can claim success due to its complexity and ambiguity. We disguise our mundane next-to-nothing existence in the garb of modernity, jazzy-yet-soul-sucking jobs, and pathetic jacuzzi lifestyles.

This is why I disagree with the philosophy of "progress, not perfection” and urge its retraction. The singular pursuit of progress will only deliver grief. The pursuit of excellence, on the other hand, will initially deliver unhappiness and failure but eventually solace and salvation.

Looking back at one's life, one has constantly made efforts for progress.

Engineering (better education, thus progress) brought grief.

The campus placement, which promised better work and consequent progress, delivered grief.

Attempts at MBA (IIM, thus progress) brought grief.

MS (Best American Education, Thus Progress) delivered grief.

A-grade placement (Mgmt. Consulting, thus progress) delivered grief.

Love (a lost one found a better one, hence progress) delivered grief.

The list goes on. However, in that very brief period of one's life where pursuit shifted from progress to perfection, one was happy.

Progress is not bad. It is not evil. It serves as a mechanism that organizes life and ensures the journeyman reaches the grave safely. Isn't "safely to the grave" such an oxymoron sub-sentence? On that note, I read somewhere that life harbors an unrequited love for death, sending constant gifts to it, but death never reciprocates. So corny, yet so true. 

Perfection is a purpose that aims to liberate. The reason I am presenting all these banal platitudes is because I firmly believe that the pursuit of progress often leads to hardship. This is due to its association with the notion of achieving specific goals. Implicit in goals is longing. Longing begets hope. And hope keeps us breathing. That's why achieving goals often brings with it grief, as the longing fades and the hope ultimately dies. The hamster must keep running. Running keeps it alive.

Perfection provides salvation because it goes beyond goals.

This raises the question, "If not everyone can achieve perfection or be perfect, then what?" That's where Bhakti shastra and Aghora shastra can help strive, accept, and surrender. Aghora, in particular, posits that we, as humans, are enslaved to our desires and senses. Therefore, we should immerse ourselves in these desires and senses to such an extent that the resulting nausea will liberate us. Perhaps Jim Carrey intended the same message when he stated, "I believe everyone should become rich and famous and pursue their dreams in order to realize that this isn't the solution."