The Second Mountain

Climbing the second mountain of life transforms emptiness from self-interest into fulfillment through service and deeper commitments.

1. The Rise of Individualism

Individualism, the belief that personal freedom and self-interest take precedence, dominates modern societies like the United States. This worldview encourages people to focus on their desires and ambitions without being tied to institutions or traditions. While liberating in theory, it severs connections with community and mutual duty.

When individuals prioritize their own paths, the once-strong bonds of shared values and communal life weaken. Schools, neighborhoods, and religious groups are no longer the nexus of everyday interactions, leaving people without the comforting predictability of collective living. This isolation isolates individuals into what might feel like freedom but ends up being a lonely existence.

David Brooks describes individualism as a double-edged sword. While it releases individuals from social constraints, it reduces the sense of belonging and shared purpose, hollowing out relationships. People focus inwardly, often failing to feel connected to something larger than themselves.

Examples

• Rapidly growing "unaffiliated" groups that align with no religion or organization.
• Loneliness increasing among older adults, with 35% feeling left alone.
• People engaging with their neighbors only 8% of the time on a yearly basis.

2. The Harm of Weakening Communities

As individualism becomes the cultural norm, communities in the U.S. experience degradation. Social connections grow weaker, leading to emotional and systemic problems. People increasingly report chronic loneliness, as group activities and communal trust falter.

This loss of community trust manifests in several ways. For instance, Americans' belief in their government has decreased drastically since the 1950s. Attendance at places of worship, a key vessel for community life, has also dropped by 50% since the 1960s. The skepticism extends to local neighbors, who were once viewed as allies but are now barely acquaintances.

Without community, individuals feel isolated and untethered. Problems like depression, mental health crises, and even youth suicides grow as lives lack meaning derived from connection. Social unraveling fosters deeper loneliness across generations.

Examples

• A 70% increase in youth suicide rates occurred between 2006 and 2016.
• Religious disaffiliation and plunging church attendance reflect societal detachment.
• Trust in neighbors among millennials dropped as low as 18%, signifying mutual doubt and alienation.

3. Searching for Fulfillment in Materialism

When freedom leaves people ungrounded, material success often becomes their surrogate anchor. Many young adults, facing vast choices with no sense of direction, latch onto wealth and achievement as a measure of purpose and progress.

People equate career milestones—like promotions or hefty salaries—with personal worth. Corporate structures often mimic the schooling systems they left behind, providing schedules and goals to hold on to, but these external metrics don’t provide internal happiness.

Climbing the "first mountain," or chasing worldly success, gives a temporary sense of progress. Yet, it frequently results in burnout, shallowness, or a gnawing sense of dissatisfaction. Achievements, once attained, lack the emotional reward they seemed to promise.

Examples

• A graduate lands their dream job but feels unfulfilled in a year, searching for 'what's next.'
• Workaholism grows as disconnected individuals seek validation through career efforts.
• Many report a "midlife crisis" not of failure, but of succeeding and still being unhappy.

4. The Valley of Suffering

Reaching the peak of material success—or falling off the mountain due to unexpected life struggles—leads people into a pivotal period of hardship. Events such as job loss, divorce, or health challenges thrust individuals into a personal "valley" of pain and reflection.

Though painful, the valley becomes a transformative space where people rethink their priorities. Stripped of their former identity or direction, they realize that material success was never enough. They confront the deeper need for meaning, relationships, and belonging.

This dark period can lead to a rebuilt life focused on connection and authenticity. Individuals who face suffering with openness often emerge with new insights about the importance of love and community in creating a joyful life.

Examples

• A CEO loses their position, reevaluating how much their job drove their sense of worth.
• A divorce leaves one partner searching for stability through stronger family bonds.
• Battling an illness brings loved ones together, refocusing attention on relationships.

5. Chasing Happiness Falls Short

The pursuit of happiness, often seen as life’s ultimate goal, fails to guarantee real satisfaction. Happiness is inherently fleeting, tied to temporary achievements and desires like financial gain or personal milestones.

Happiness fades quickly after goals are reached, pushing people to chase the next source of gratification. This creates a cycle of seeking more, often ignoring the deeper needs of the self.

Furthermore, individual achievements, while gratifying on a basic level, feel small compared to acts of service like lifting others out of hardship. By focusing only on personal happiness, people might miss out on the broader, enduring joy that emerges from helping others.

Examples

• Euphoria over a new car diminishes as routine sets in, illustrating fleeting happiness.
• Celebrating a promotion contrasts sharply with contributing meaningfully to social causes.
• Mother Teresa’s work brings her a distinct fulfillment people rarely associate with small victories.

6. Joy Through Service and Dedication

While a happiness-driven life may falter, a life rooted in service to others brings enduring joy and meaning. Unlike the internal pursuit of happiness, joy grows outward, through connections with others and a sense of self-transcendence.

Joy arises when people stop focusing solely on themselves and engage deeply with the world around them. Acts of giving, like mentoring or volunteering, inspire feelings of satisfaction that linger longer than individual achievements.

This service rewires the way people think about their purpose. By pouring “liquid love” into the lives of others, people discover deep delight and selflessness. This cycle of giving is what empowers joy to endure hardships and shine amid challenges.

Examples

• A mentor feels lifelong joy from seeing their mentees thrive independently.
• Volunteering at a shelter renews emotional strength for many people.
• The Dalai Lama’s profound joy comes from simply loving and laughing with others.

7. Love Alone is Not Enough

While love motivates the choice to serve others, it needs to transform into commitments to sustain service during hard times. The initial rush of love fades, and commitments then act as guardrails, ensuring service and kindness continue.

Life’s challenges demand more than simply warm feelings. Taking care of others or working for societal change brings stress, fatigue, and sometimes conflict. Commitment forms the backbone that keeps efforts going despite strains.

A structure of agreements, rituals, or shared responsibilities makes love actionable. These guidelines hold people accountable when emotions falter. With structured commitment, the promise of a meaningful contribution to others remains intact.

Examples

• Parents nurture children for decades, guided by commitment when tired or frustrated.
• Volunteers join long-term efforts like teaching immigrants English, beyond brief inspiration.
• Spouses stay in difficult marriages by holding to vows and habits that repair bonds.

8. Work as Vocation, Not Career

Moving beyond mundane careers to pursuits of passion—their true vocation—redefines how people think of “success.” Vocational work matches an individual’s passions with dedication to a cause or field.

Vocations require narrowing focus. By closing off other opportunities, people devote themselves fully to something they value. As they hone their craft or contribute to a mission, their life centers on work that benefits not just themselves but also others.

This dedication transforms professions into callings. Writers, teachers, and scientists can find this fulfilling space, as their work serves community rather than prioritizing monetary gain.

Examples

• George Orwell wrote honestly despite political pressures, staying true to his vocation.
• Doctors find fulfillment treating patients even amid grueling labor-hours.
• Artists feel connected to humanity by addressing universal messages in their work.

9. Building Non-religious Community Bonds

For those skeptical of religion, secular approaches to fostering community provide alternative meaningful paths to service. Strong neighborhoods, shared causes, and local projects bind humans in fulfilling ways.

Rebuilding communities in fractured societies means engaging steadily with your surroundings. Taking ownership of a community fosters belonging and joy while simultaneously helping others feel heard and valued.

In practical terms, small initiatives like mentoring teens, hosting fairs, or joining local clean-up drives create ripples of positive change that grow. It’s about weaving back threads of collective faith in each other.

Examples

• Asiaha Butler’s RAGE organization strengthens Chicago’s rough neighborhoods.
• Neighborhood book clubs and food drives create purpose and connection.
• Designing community gardens revitalizes the social and physical spaces in towns.

Takeaways

1. Identify a passion and commit to serving others through it, whether in your job, relationships, or neighborhood.
2. Build rituals or structures—like designated family dinners or volunteering schedules—to maintain service through tough times.
3. Reconnect with your community by starting small: host gatherings, support local businesses, or join like-minded neighbors in shared causes.