$$$ > Nirvana; It's the American Way.

There's no denying the conflict between the ideas behind the Buddhist approach and what we are taught here in modern American Society. In Buddhism, the idea is that you must learn to detach yourself from all self interest and material objects. Unfortunately, in the US things like health care and a good education are not provided for us so we must work, marry someone who can support us, etc. in order to pay for our necessities. This then turns into a competition of who has the best house, the nicest car, the most money, etc. It no longer is about just surviving, but about how many material possessions or how high of a status you have. This is pretty much the exact opposite of what Buddhism teaches. We are in a society where so much value is placed on material things, position and status, and physical appearance: all things that are fleeting. We don't care that they will go away or breakdown at some point because we are taught that if we continue to be successful we will have enough money to get all new things that will make us happy as well, and once those things break down or die, we will again replace them with even bigger and better versions, so long as we have the material wealth and power to do so.

It's sad that this has become our mentality but this is reality. Especially in New York City, it seems like who you are, who you know, what you have, and how you look is more important than ever and it becomes easier to survive with these things. Humans have a basic instinct for survival and when being attractive helps you get a better job, your father's high social status can get you into a top school, or you can buy you way out of jail, we begin to see that money and power help one survive in our culture. So we all strive for this success, we have a desire to "make it" in society and have everything we could ever want. But often times people get these things and then realize that they're still not happy. This is because these things eventually fade and when we start to look to physical things for fulfillment we always want the next thing coming along. We always have that next desire, that next thing we're trying to get, and one becomes restless and empty. We must learn to separate ourselves from all outside objects, from everything that is fleeting and temporary, and learn to connect with the deeper source of what makes us who we are. Only when we are able to break away from the desires that lead us on this never ending quest for our own self interest, will we be able to develop a oneness with the World that leads us to Nirvana, to perpetual happiness and contentment.