Don’t Lose Yourself to This Society

By Uyen Nguyen / Spring 2022

Dear Uyen,

I’m writing you this letter from the future as an urgent to save you from your suffering. I know at this moment, you are enduring afflictions and I think it’s time to release them. What I’m about to tell you here may help. Before getting into it, I seriously want you to remember your mission and prepare yourself well because, over time, you will see a whole lot of disparities, unfairness, and suffering from pressures of our society that drain you and change who you are. Just don’t lose yourself to this society. I know you have been sick of this place where materialism dominates over spiritualism. But Uyen, this happens to, more or less, every country in modern society, not just only in Vietnam. When you study higher and move to another country, you will see it more clearly.

I perhaps see the core of what leads to a problematic social life. I see where the value of humans is currently at and why it is drastically reduced over time. While we try to at least balance humanity and kindness with power and money, other forces come to stop us from doing so on the scale of justice. You asked me why poor people are always poor and rich people are forever rich, why people are so careless to each other, and why people are most materialistic when they are poor. We have to understand the history of materialism and how it was derived. Why is our society so materialistic? In fact, it originally wasn't created to be that way. It was human greed, hatred, and delusion that built up this type of society and trapped us (underserved communities) in their dominant ideologies and vicious cycle.

Due to the inequalities in our society, poor people tend to worry more about things that wealthier people never even have to think of. Many underserved people seem to accept their life of poverty. If you ask poverty villagers or in rural areas, how many of them completed their elementary school or achieved high school diploma? Not so many. That's because they don't have time to go to school; working and taking care of families and loved ones already take up their time. With the shortage of resources, how’d they live freely without worrying? They get stuck in a low conditions environment and don’t know how to escape from it. Compared to a bigger city, what do you see? prosperity, luxury, splendor? That’s what attracted them, that’s what made them chase for money and power. From the bottom they look up and dream of one day. These people wouldn't be stuck in this cycle of poverty if society didn't focus solely on money, power, wealth, etc, and if society really gives them a chance without restraining them back. I mean, when you need a job, they give you a job but only if you qualify their specific conditions and skills, and when you can’t qualify, someone will take over that opportunity. You see, wealthy or elite class individuals own more power and rule the society in their ways like playing a game. They care about profits over people. This is where people start to lose themselves in delusion and greed. This cycle and ideologies will continue passing down to generations making them acknowledge that this is how to live a life and accept where they are (rich because they were born to be rich and poor because they are poor), and setting boundaries between lower and upper class that inferior groups can’t play with superior groups. This leaves them no chance to level up their quality of life.

Practically, you can’t live with your golden heart in this society. Money is still a main source to survive here; having money is equivalent to having a carefree life. This is what drew people into the cycle of greed, hatred and delusion. Once you join the game, you are just like them. You compete with others to claim the rewards. If it is not too competitive, you may win, otherwise, you lose. Socioeconomic is also the same, it is a competition; when the competitors are so strong beyond your strength, the floor is theirs. In despair, you may feel angry and hopeless, and let’s just be like that, no enmity nor jealousy because such emotions make  you act unwise. To some people, they will use all sorts of intrigue to get what they want, and eventually end up being slaves of their enemies: greediness, delusions, and hatred, without noticed. I call them as slaves money. At this point, I hope that I have made it clear enough for you to understand why we are trapped in this cycle and why we still suffer day and night. All of these afflictions come directly from our minds, nowhere else, inside each of us.

Our generation is also influenced by this system, that’s why you see lots of disparities in our zone. This is also why I lost so many chances to prepare for professional education. I said the percentage of getting out of this game is low but it isn’t impossible. I strongly believe as long as we stay awake, we know when to stop and control ourselves over the game, we won’t be stuck in this society, but also pull other people out of that cycle and direct them to a better place where there are no disparities or enemies. I understand the environment we grew up is suck and it hasn’t gone better after many years. But do not blame people, they are also victims like us. They are just misguided. So who do you blame now? No one, but instead you would rather share your heart and empathy for them for going too far in that cycle to turn around.

Uyen, despite all odds which distract your journey, please don’t lose yourself just because of the despair in this system. There are beautiful things to see and poor people are waiting for your help, so continue your mission and don’t let it fade out. It's really hard for me to get back our real personality. You have lots of despair in yourself and in society but you will also meet lots of nice people that enlighten you and guide you on the road of making this community become more about common good than privilege, and less possession. You will work with them to reduce the disparities and increase the equity in social hierarchy order, teaching the younger generation to be morally and rationally and growing kindness seeds in them. When you are tired, take a rest but do not give up. You can do it.

Best regard,

Your future self—Uyen Nguyen