Exit Strategy

Exit Strategy

Written by craig coffman

Hierarchy. This might be the downfall of our civilization. Everyone striving to be one notch higher in the pecking order. We struggle. We strive. We lie. We back-stab. We sabotage. We undermine. We screw up, over, and around. All this to get to some ephemeral goal of a higher status. Higher status equals more say. More say equals more power. More power equals more underlings, which increases your status, say and power. Once you play into the hand of this house of mirrors, there is no easy escape.

We are not meant to be isolationists. We are not meant to distrust our fellow man. We are not meant to be conniving and self-serving to our own ends. We are part of a social tribe. A network of helping, where everyone does their share and the group prevails. Did you read that? The group and not the individual. Our current life style bucks this system which existed since way before written records. The lure of the Dollar, Euro, Yen, etc is stronger than our own since of duty to each other.

The biggest result is the stifling of self. We lose ourselves in the quest to obtain the newest, shiniest, bell-and-whistliest thing out there. We over extend our selves morally and financially to impress our neighbors. But what about ourself? Are we really impressed with what we are doing, or are we impressed by our own impression upon others? It seems like the salad days are gone before we even get a chance to realize what we have lost. Kids are forced to choose their majors before their senior year of High School so they know where to apply. Most kids have never even worked when they make this decision. How could they possibly know?

Well, I have been a part of this cycle. Now I want out. Therein lies the rub: what sort of exit strategy really exists? Of that, I am not yet sure. I am sure of this. I do not care about having the biggest house. I do not care about having the newest car. I do not care about dying with the most money. I want to enjoy my days. Spend time with the ones I love and create. Watch sunsets. Get up early because I want to, and not because I did not finish my work. I want to make my art and live and breathe my life. I am tired of working to live. I am glad I hit this realization at the early age of 35, because I have time to figure my exit strategy.

I believe you , and the world, would benefit greatly if you gave thought to this as well.