"What We Think, We Become"

“What we think, we become” -Buddha

I was thinking about the differences between Braddock Washington and Gatsby and the way they present their wealth when I came upon this thought: The two characters chose to present their wealth differently due to the capability that they think they have. This obviously isn’t the entire reason for their actions but possibly a factor. Braddock Washington decides to preserve the diamond mountain he found by putting men who accidentally come “in the cage” while Gatsby hosts extravagant parties frequently where “people [who] were not invited… [go] there”. In Washington’s case, it can be reasoned that he wants to avoid unnecessary conflict so that’s why he chooses to hide his wealth. However, if you really look at it, it could be that his actions stem from the fear of being incapable to maintain his wealth. He allows others to acknowledge his wealth and be awed by it, but he quickly eliminates them afterward because he doesn’t want his possessions to be at risk. Essentially, he feels threatened and insecure because he believes that he isn’t capable of protecting his wealth by himself. In contrast, Gatsby is the exact opposite. He flaunts his wealth because he knows that he’s capable of living such a lavish lifestyle. He wants people to come to his parties and be amazed by his wealth and more importantly, he wishes that Daisy would validate him for it. Gatsby is confident because he knows that he built his own wealth and that it’s something that’s completely his.

In this way, we see how capability can lead to various outcomes such as undervaluing human life and becoming obsessed with the past. The capability that we think we have explains why some people are insecure while others are arrogant. I personally think that the idea of our capability affecting our actions is scary and complicated, yet motivating and comforting. When used in the right ways, our views on our capabilities can be a source of motivation to allow us to accomplish many great things.

Song of the week:

Oh Wonder - All We Do // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F30G87zlRPw

The song talks more about the people who feel that they aren’t capable and are trapped in themselves. The lyrics accurately describe what that feeling is like and the song is really calming. Give it a listen and share your thoughts :)