I am not sure which video gave you this impression that one gets depressed because one is unable to keep pace with the Society! On the contrary, – and perhaps this is what may have been misunderstood, there is no need to enter into the lane of competition and race that a society based on competitive individualism generates. It is true that the blossoming and efflorescence of an individual does take place when he faces challenges from the society. When the individual stands his ground firmly against the challenges, his individuality is chiseled. If he goes with the flow of the Society and navigates successfully he remains largely a creature defined by others. He has to face another kind of challenge though which is to maintain his position in the course of which he is likely to move away from his true swadharma and reflect merely the mood and thinking of the group to which he belongs. Though this is a stage in the course of evolution as this need for social conformity tames the wild beast in us. The third possibility is that he is unable to take the social pressure and the challenge of life (which is what may have given the impression of ‘not able to keep the pace or take the challenge). Herein people begin to seek doors of escape by joining either groups that do not generate such social pressures or else some feeling unsupported breakdown and may suffer depression.
Seen thus we have a hierarchy of responses to the challenges that Society imposes. They can breakdown under the pressure which is of course the least advisable response. It is born out of tamoguna, the principle of Inertia. Or they can take the challenge and carve their own place in the Society, born out of rajoguna, the principle of kinetic action. This is the second best. Or else he can try to discover and govern his life by some higher standard, ethical or ideal and live by it even if it is opposed by the Society. This is the sattwic response which creates the high noble type. The difference between this and the blind revolt of the low rajasic type is that the former is driven by the seeking for something higher and truer than what is found in his social mould. The individual is seeking for a new and higher construction. He is the social reformer, the catalyst for a higher change that society follows later. The latter is driven mostly by the spirit of destruction, or revolt for its own sake. True his revolt is driven by some imperfection in the social constructs. This revolt too does serve the purpose of breaking down the past thereby clearing the way for the future. Yet the true individuality is built by centering our life around some higher ideal discovered by our conscious thought.
These then are the various possible relations between the individual and the society. The individual invariably spearheads the social change. But he does run the risk of breaking down and sink into the vortex of depression which is the worst that could happen. It is not that the society is good or bad as much as how much it supports the individual in discovering his own deeper truth and gives him the freedom to explore and live by it. Societies that do not encourage this try to enforce and regulate every sphere of human life from outer behaviour to his thinking and feelings and even hopes and aspirations. Such societies are counter evolutionary and foredoomed to be wiped out after a time. These generate the maximum stress and are ridden with strong undercurrents of depression, violence and anger..
Of course there is a yet higher stage which is where the mental individual begins to enter the spiritual but that is a different subject and it changes everything, almost like a reversal.
Affectionately,
Alok da
Source:
Depression – Causes and Cure (TE 265) Dr Alok Pandey
YT Link: https://youtu.be/DafXghxDzwE
