Living in a World of Profession
Make intellectual development your first priority and then try to manage all other aspects of your life.
We are living in a world of profession. In the present world, it is one’s profession that defines one’s identity. The profession-oriented life is the generally accepted lifestyle of every man and woman.
Having a profession means living according to the dictates of the ‘money market’. And everyone tries to develop a professional skill that enables him or her to be a sharing partner in the flow of money in the market.
This culture has resulted in a new phenomenon that was absent in former times, i.e. living in accordance with external requirements and setting aside internal requirements, that is, what is required by one’s inner nature. The result is that while everyone is a developed personality in terms of his profession, in terms of his own nature, everyone is an underdeveloped personality.
Take anyone at random and ask him about his profession. He will readily give you specific answers. If you speak to him about his professional subject, he will give you a detailed answer for every question. But, if you ask him about those issues which pertain to human life, that is, non-professional issues, then you will find that he is not mentally prepared to discuss this subject.
Once I was in a city in Europe, where I happened to meet a learned lady. When I asked her about her profession, I found that she was well-disposed to share information with me. I learnt a lot from her regarding her professional field. But, at the same time, she was uncomfortable with her husband and admitted that she had decided to separate from him. I asked her the reason. She replied with some confidence: “He is an adamant person and I don’t like adamant people.” I said that her husband was doing a very tough job and so he had to be adamant to be successful in it. But, I failed to convince her. The reason was that she knew the science of profession, but was quite ignorant of the science of life.
This is true of every man and woman. Every person is living in a culture of duality. When it comes to their profession, everyone is well-equipped. But, as far as the science of life is concerned, everyone is ill-equipped. This is so common that finding an exception is very difficult.
It is not a question of balance, it is a question of priority. I am not saying that everyone should keep a balance between these two requirements. I am saying that everyone has to rightly set, or reset his priorities.
The problem is that when you try to reset your priorities, you fear that you are going to damage your commercial interests, because when your mind is engaged in intellectual issues, it will not be able to engage in money-related issues. You gain one thing, but at the same time you lose another. But, this is not a genuine excuse. You should not think in terms of money: you should think rather in terms of intellectual development. Intellectual development is so important that no excuse for neglecting it is acceptable. Adopt a simple formula: make intellectual development your first priority and then try to manage all other aspects of your life.
A lack of intellectual development is not a simple matter. It is the lack of intellectual development which has resulted in all those problems that are common in our present age, for example, tension, unnecessary disease, lack of peace of mind and losing that very thing that man so desperately wants – happiness.
