This content was created by Dr. Arthur Brooks. This content was uploaded by Dr. Arthur Brooks. This is a YouTube video titled "This isn’t a good way to live" (created 2026-01-21) containing a single-speaker advice/lecture-style monologue. The speaker (labeled SPEAKER A) critiques "positional goals" — living for others' opinions by posting vacation photos and seeking social-media approval — and argues that this behavior undermines present-moment enjoyment and long-term meaning.
Positional goals are that in which your view of yourself is based on what other people think when they look at you. You can't live this way. One of the best ways for you to enjoy your vacation less is to take pictures. I kid you not. Why? Because most of the time these days, people are taking pictures not to enjoy it later. Which is, by the way, dubious on his face. Because if you're taking pictures right now so that you can enjoy your vacation in the future, when right now will be in the past, that time travel is making it so you don't enjoy this. Mom, it you're actually not alive right now when you're doing that. That's bad enough, but it's even worse in modern times when you're taking pictures of your vacation. Why? Because you want to post them to social media. Why do you want to post your vacation pics on social media? So people look at it and go, huh? Well, that's awesome. You want somebody to have a high opinion of you or maybe even to envy you. That's all positional in your motivation. That's a proxy goal. That's positional. That's not going to lead you to a greater sense of direction in life and purpose. That's constructive, that's nutritious. And so therefore, you're not going to get the sense of meaning you seek.
