With your goals on the horizon, how far are you willing to go?
Survival is fueled by motivation. People only strive to move forward if they have something that drives them to wake up every day—the very pinnacle of their existence.
Undoubtedly, human desire is a potent force, enough to propel humans to the moon and discover resolutions to the most ambiguous situations. However, the same drive also pushes humanity into committing heinous things simply for their satisfaction. This begs the question: how far will people go to achieve what they want in life?
Finding the answer may seem straightforward—it’s following the path from A to B. However, within what appears to be a simple equation is a complex interplay of factors. How far people go for their desires is a coaction between personal ambition and ethics and societal opportunities and constraints.
Motivations and Restrictions on Relentless Pursuit
“How far can I go in life?”
People may desire a number of different things, but ultimately, everyone wishes to survive and thrive. For this, humanity is built to be relentless. People are wired to have limitless potential and an endless drive to pursue their ambitions, even with multiple obstacles along the way.
However, society weakens them, often hindering them from accessing their potential.
The Influence of Society on Ambition
Hence, to answer the question “How far will people go?” isn’t only a matter of personal passion and determination. Instead, it’s directly proportional to how much society allows them to. When people live in a nourishing society, they’re allowed to thrive. They’re given and served with more than enough resources for them to comfortably go for their desires.
However, when society is pilloried by citizens’ fears, people are forced to prioritize self-protection over action. This influence of society on personal ambition and pursuit is illustrated in Vision Dreams, A Parable by Anthony Candela.
While fundamentally a dystopian novel about technology, the book also explores the concepts of societal fear and human aspiration. It aims to answer the following question: How far will people go to achieve their personal desires even when society seemingly functions against them?
It follows four characters on their trek towards genuine happiness and contentment—fulfilling their wishes and attaining their goals. The deeper the story goes, the more the author unravels the lengths to which humanity willingly chooses to go for its dreams. It also tackles how society defines these lengths and people’s successes.
The Reward of A Supportive Society
“Ultimately by extraction, this novella increases our understanding of what it means to live in a society that is supportive of its citizens’ daily happiness and humanity.” – Anthony Candela on Vision Dreams.
While answering the question “How far will people go?” the author also elucidates society’s role in motivating or hindering them from doing so. As the story unfolds, expect more characters to come into the picture, representing the many characters in society. Some are motivated by kindness and willing to risk even themselves to help. Others are the contrary, forcing people to live in quiet desperation.
How Far Will People Go? The Lengths Humanity Draws
Beyond the resources society is willing to allocate, people have themselves to measure the lengths they’re willing to go to. Unfortunately, distance can be measured on both sides. Hence, on the question “How far will people go to achieve their desires?” it’s worth noting that human drive manifests on a spectrum of both negative and positive. In the face of desire, human potential can go both ways.
Positive Extremes
Humanity has demonstrated incredible resilience in achieving its desires. The so-called indomitable human spirit is a testament to the fact that despite the obstacles to accomplishing breakthroughs and masterpieces, people choose to conquer.
Scientists take years, even decades, in pursuit of answers to human questions. Athletes challenge the limits of human performance. Whether through perseverance or personal grit, humanity has shown a capacity to push through insurmountable hindrances. And in the process of doing so, they’re able to innovate and drive progress in different aspects of life.
Without a doubt, the positive end of how far will people go is reflected in how far the world has survived. It’s shown in technologies that transform society and life-saving resolutions that provide safety and comfort for everybody. At the core of human drive is the pursuit of a greater cause.
Negative Extremes
Unfortunately, when someone discovers something useful, others take advantage of it for personal satisfaction. When pushing beyond limitations to achieve their goals, some people are capable of cruelty. To achieve their dreams and satisfy their personal desires, a few individuals are willing to trample on others. This has been and is continuously reflected in acts of war and violence, exploitation of populations, and other criminal behavior fueled by greed.
Humans are intelligent creatures, and some can guiltlessly use this to manipulate others for their goals. People can be so driven by personal motivations and so desperately seek happiness that they’re fine with doing anything to achieve these, even at the expense of others.
The Breadth of Human Potential
In essence, human capacity can be a double-edged sword depending on personal motivations and the environment egging individuals on. Hence, the pressure falls on society as a whole to foster a supportive culture that remains healthy and ethical. It’s on them to recognize success without relying on wealth, power, and materials.
How far will people go to achieve the things they want?
They’re willing to go through everything to achieve happiness. And it’s on society to ensure they don’t go astray, to remind them of their values, and to provide them ample support to experience happiness and contentment throughout their journey.
Read a dystopian story closely following this concept from Anthony Candela. Grab a copy of Vision Dreams, A Parable now!
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