“Nature has not read very carefully the American Declaration of Independence or the French Revolutionary Declaration of the Rights of Man.” — Will Durant
There's a constant struggle that is created by nature. Yet, this indifference brings forth evolution.
Is competition the father of all things?
Is adversity the father of all things?
How are the sources of all ideas created?
What does peace bring?
All these questions bring us closer to the answer.
Growing up I was always taught that I should avoid stress. That I should avoid discomfort.
Especially in today's world where having a lack of convenience is looked down upon.
Convenience is the meaning of our culture.
This leads us to the subject of the truth. A lot of people can talk about the truth. But very few engage in the truth when making their decisions.
What does this have to do with convenience and avoiding stress?
Some of us can't face the truth because it hurts. Inconvenience and stress causes us pain.
But if the truth can lead to new ideas and growth then, one could argue that conflict isn't so bad. That conflict should actually be sought after.
Now many would point to war and politics as a source of negative conflict. And there might be some truth to that. But that is highly controversial and I would like to steer away from subjects that take it to the extreme where death is often a result.
The more important thing that we should focus on is things that pertain to your daily life.
Is having conflict in your life a good thing?
One can say there is no growth in peace. Competition, that friction, moves us towards new inventions and new ideas. Think about it. If you're fired and lose your job, you're often forced to apply yourself in obtaining a new job or even creating one. And often, you would have to gain new skills. Not having a job creates the conflict. Not having the money creates the stress which brings forth gaining new skills due to competition.
You may say you don't want to live in a world with conflict. Well to be frank, you can either learn the easy way or the hard way. Because as Will Durant said, nature doesn't guarantee us happiness or fairness. Regardless of what we feel either you conform to mother nature's rules or feel nature's wrath.
Most people view being fired or rejected as good or bad. Why can't it just be? Looking at the consistent pattern of the great minds today, they have this approach. They embrace conflict. They embrace the truth. They embrace life.
All of this makes you wonder what the meaning of life is. Throughout history the constant is conflict. Of course, conflict and competition causes us stress. But without it, we aren't compelled to act upon any given action and improve. You can say many of us are living life backwards...chasing a mirage of being in a state of bliss. Peace isn't living...
My name is Romario Villanueva. Entrepreneur & blogger. I'm a graduate from Rutgers University with several certifications from top schools through Coursera. I love all things business, psychology, and basketball. Feel free to reach out to me on Facebook and LinkedIn