Be a Nobody — the life affirming message no one wants to hear.

by Gary T. McDonald, author of The Gospel of Thomas (the Younger)

A fine book about the Buddhist Path

Most everyone is out there in life trying to prove to the world they are a Somebody. The Self-Esteem movement indoctrinates kids with the “I am Someone” mantra. It’s nonsense in the long run. If we live long enough, all of us, every damn one of us, is going to grow old and ugly, probably get sick, but in any case, finally die and eventually be forgotten. But you won’t hear anyone shouting that at you. You won’t hear it in all the advertising you’re blitzed with from Day One because it doesn’t sell products. But it’s the plain truth.

And here’s a second truth, the more you struggle trying to defeat that reality, to convince yourself and everyone else that you’re really a Someone after all, the more unhappy you will be. Fighting the first truth will only make you suffer.

And the third truth is, once you finally give up on all that and realize that you, like everyone else, are really a Nobody, then you’ll be much happier.

And there’s a fourth truth — there’s a bunch of things you can do to help ultimately convince yourself that you’re a Nobody. Things you can do to help you get off the psychological torture treadmill that the world has set you on. You can defeat the programming and liberate yourself. But it takes effort.

This is a not a new message. It’s about 2,500 years old. The guy we call the Buddha said all this way back then. (“Buddha” simply means Enlightened One, Liberated One.) He said all this before there was advertising and television and Facebook and iPhones. It was true then. It’s true today.

Jesus said it, too, although the gospels have him say a lot of other things that will probably not help you be a happier person. I personally don’t believe he really said those things, but scholars argue about that. Some say that all those things were put in the mouth of Jesus after he died by the gospel writers who all pretty much followed the Apostle Paul’s weird, new theology. A theology the real Jesus would have probably considered blasphemy. But that’s a whole other argument. You can read more about that and see what I think was the real story in my book. See my website — — www.garytmcdonald.com

But back to my main theme. I’ve probably angered some people by hating on the Self-Esteem movement. I’m sure they mean well. My point is that instead of ranting “I am Someone!” they should be selling “We’re all Nobodies!” Everyone is. No one is better than you. We’re all equally Nobodies whether it seems that way in the moment or not. Beyonce is a Nobody. Bob Dylan is a Nobody. Trump is a Nobody. Bill Gates is a Nobody. Eventually all will die and be forgotten. Just like you and me.

It may take awhile. My best guess is that humanity will be extinct by the turn of the 22nd Century. But, if not, eventually the sun will explode taking the earth with it. And probably the universe itself has a sell-by date. In the long term, we are nothing. The real question is, will be happy while we’re here?

Probably not. The answers have been here for 2,500 years and have largely been ignored. Someone always has to prove he or she’s a Someone and eventually starts a war that leads to catastrophic suffering. But even if that doesn’t happen, just the fact that the world keeps convincing you that you’re worthless unless you make your mark will probably do the trick. How many people have made a mark and it was never enough? How many Somebodies drink or drug themselves to death or kill themselves? How many people spend all their energy trying to convince others they’re Someone and, in doing so, makes themselves so obnoxious that no one wants to be around them?

Okay, at this point, you may be saying “Hey, you’re one of them! You’re shouting at the top of your lungs and want us to read your book and consider you a Somebody!” Well, you’re partly right. I’m still struggling with the same crap programming that you are. But at least I see the light. There’s a way out of this tunnel of suffering. I’m just echoing the same message that’s been out there for centuries and I hope it helps you. God knows, there’s enough suffering in the world. Let’s work toward being happy.

If you’re still reading, now I’d like to dig down a little deeper into my oversimplified version of this ancient wisdom and its sources. The Buddha’s teaching rests on three pillars. Anicca — everything in the universe (every material thing, you and me and all our thoughts and emotions) are constantly changing and impermanent. Anatta — that nothing exists in and of itself, but only exists in a dependent relationship with other things. There is no fixed Self, no Essence (in us or anything else) that exists outside this dependence on causes and conditions. And finally, dukkha — that we see suffering everywhere and it’s caused by a desire to control things, get what you want, avoid what you don’t want and to promote and get validation of a self-image. To make ourselves a Somebody in our own and others’ eyes. Instead of just simply Being.

Once could say that the basis of all religions today is this taming of the ego, reduction of self-centeredness, in favor of a strong identification with something larger — God, the universe itself, all others. Making yourself a Somebody runs counter to what today’s religions teach. They emphasize generosity, empathy, service and sacrifice. But also modesty, humility and self-effacement.

For example, Jesus railed against those who made a big show of praying in public or demanding the best places in the synagogue reflecting their status as Somebodies. He said don’t judge, but love your neighbors, your enemies. Turn the other cheek. Be a servant to all. The first shall be last. Be a Nobody. They’ll be blessed. The Somebodies — not so much.

Now, I’m sure this is going to sound crazy in this world obsessed with “branding”, but if you’re feeling frustrated, angry and unhappy, try telling yourself for a moment that you’re not the center of the universe. Wipe off your frown, find another person or even an animal to look at and identify with for a moment and smile. I bet you’ll feel a small wave of relief, if not happiness. Then do it again. Enjoy being a Nobody.

Want to know more? I highly recommend Ayya Khema’s book Being Nobody, Going Nowhere.

And my own, The Gospel of Thomas (the Younger).

“A convincing faux gospel that challenges orthodoxy. Thomas traverses his world encountering First Century figures from Jesus to Nero bringing his times and the origins of Christianity alive in a fresh, new way with wry humor and exciting storytelling.”

―Winston Groom, author of Forrest Gump

“Gary T. McDonald is a born storyteller, and his research is impeccable. The book is fascinating from beginning to end, and his long-overdue, iconoclastic portrait of the Apostle Paul made me stand up and cheer.”

―Lewis Shiner, author of Glimpses

“An inherently fascinating and deftly crafted work of truly memorable fiction,The Gospel Of Thomas The Younger is an extraordinary novel by an extraordinary writer and unreservedly recommended…”

― Midwest Book Review