Value these feats of the psyche very highly

I've recently and slowly begun digesting "The Portable Jung" edited by Joseph Campbell. (Campbell is must-read for you young and budding western philosophers, by the way, if you're unfamiliar with his work. "Sukhavati" is well worth a watch if reading doesn't fit into our technology-saturated day.)

There's a passage in the foreword where Campbell points out that "nature cares nothing whatsoever about a higher level of consciousness" and that society "does not value these feats of the psyche very highly; its prizes are always given for achievement and not for personality, the latter being rewarded for the most part posthumously."

...which is poses the question: why would you work on yourself? I can't think of a single worthwhile instance of societal or monetary reward for the practice of being nice ..maybe the Nobel peace prize... but come on. Selfishness, greed, ignorance, and intolerance are still so laughably front and center in the business and political world and so clearly holding us back as a global community. The little guys, however well-meaning, must commit daily environmental horrors to barely keep up (think of how many plastic packages you opened today, in order to simply eat). Exceptional kindness, open-mindedness, and compassion should be an absolute requirement for leadership, wealth, and power, and those things aren't even suggested. The individual has seemingly no reason for pursuing any internal accomplishments, and the whole world is (still) burning because of it. That I'm perhaps one of the nicest and most intelligent people you know is completely terrifying, isn't it? :P

Well, fuck that. Let's change it then. It is over due. Change it from within. You'll have to be the beacon, but all you have to do (really) is take deep breaths and have an open mind. It's a practice, just do your best every day. You have my humble blessing, in any case, dear Lightweaver. I can't pay you jack shit, but you have my blessing. ♥