The Path and Pitfalls for Ordinary Men#
Some say this is the best of times. The country is prosperous, and the people live and work in peace; the economy is rapidly developing, free from the disturbance of war; technology is unprecedentedly advanced, fully solving the issue of basic needs.
Others say this era is terrible. Although there is no war and no one is starving, people are under immense pressure. Especially for ordinary men, money has become the only standard by which a man is judged. If you can't earn enough money, you are nothing in the eyes of relatives and family! Worthless! The difficulty for ordinary men at the bottom to access sexual resources is unparalleled in history!
In today's increasingly rigid social hierarchy, economic development is also stagnating, with external trade wars and internal competition intensifying. Ordinary men, without the financial foundation accumulated by the previous generation or exceptional personal abilities, find it really hard to break through. It is no longer like the 1980s and 1990s, where opportunities were everywhere, and simply setting up a stall, buying a stock, or starting a business could yield the dividends of the times. That is truly gone now.
So, where exactly is the path for ordinary men today? What pitfalls should they avoid? Let's discuss a few points. Personal opinions, welcome discussion.
First, Advice on Buying a House#
If you haven't bought a house yet, don't buy one in the recent years. Reports indicate that the housing area in the country is sufficient for three to four billion people to live in. Houses are not scarce; it's just that some people are deliberately creating scarcity, tying it to added values like education and retirement, making you jump into the fire pit even when you know it's dangerous; houses are consumables, and apart from core areas in first-tier cities, other places have no potential. Living in a rental is the same; the house is rented, but life is not. If you have some spare money, you can buy a second-hand car to expand your daily mobility. Spend more time enjoying nature, meet people outside your hometown, and gradually increase your knowledge and awareness.
Second, Avoiding Premature Consumption#
Do not engage in premature consumption, and do not borrow money everywhere. How many college students and newlyweds with poor self-control are everywhere taking out loans for momentary pleasure and comparison? With no planning, robbing Peter to pay Paul, every morning they wake up to collection calls and bills on their phones. Young people end up with neuroses. Ultimately, the debt keeps piling up, and when it becomes impossible to repay, some take desperate measures, some sell blood or even themselves, and others choose to end their lives. This is a daily reality of painful lessons. Ordinary men at the bottom especially need to avoid this.
Third, Considerations for Marriage and Childbearing#
Do not marry or have children without absolute strength. Today's society is not like that of our ancestors, where having ten or eight children was manageable as long as they didn't starve. The competitive spirit in modern society is severe; the bride price cannot be less than others, or it will be a loss of face; weddings, wedding cars, and banquets must meet local high standards, and wedding photography and bridal teams are essential. When young people marry, their parents suffer greatly. As for having children, the competition starts from prenatal education, with imported milk powder and high-end diapers, and once they start school, it's a race to enroll in various classes and activities. In the end, wallets are empty, people are exhausted, and children may not turn out as hoped.
Other Considerations#
- Downgrade consumption, enjoy moderately
- Stay away from internal strife, refuse ineffective socializing
- Let go of the urge to help, respect others' fates
- Lower moral standards, as long as you don't hinder others
- Block those who affect your emotional stability, stay away from PUA
- Don't care about others' evaluations of you, have your own stable evaluation system
- Free yourself from others' expectations, ignore negative opinions about you
- Work only to live, do as much work as you are paid for
- Ignore the boss's empty promises, don't learn the so-called wolf culture
- Discard collective honor, don't make selfless contributions
- Despise the culture of gratitude, push back against moral coercion
- Stay away from grand narratives, loving yourself comes first
- Watch movies, listen to music, play games, escape internal strife and depression
Because there are too many false things in this society, if you take it too seriously, you will lose. Everything you can hear and see is often just what they want you to hear and see. Since ancient times in China, the lower classes have been constrained by Confucianism and choked by Legalism, and this rigid thinking has persisted for one or two thousand years. If you cannot improve your cognitive level, you will not see the real world.
When the time comes, the world will work together; when fortune goes, heroes are not free. Perhaps what ordinary men need to do is to accumulate strength and improve their personal development regularly. When the flowers bloom, butterflies will come; even if the flowers do not bloom, there will still be their own charm.