Caught in the Middle

I've been somewhat torn in my value system these days.

I am torn between three influences- 

J., who is extremely socially conscious and constantly pushing my understanding of privilege.

My father, whose company employs me and who, driven and hardworking, is finally financially successful and respected by the small circle in which he exerts his influence, after many years.  He is pushing me, perhaps unwittingly, to follow his life model, one which I deeply respect and resist at the same time.

And I am reading of a group of privileged intelligent white males who have all these clever ways of gaming the traditional structure of our society: Ryan Holiday, Robb Wolf, Tim Feriss, etc.  

These guys are perhaps my generation's response to Fight Club, to being torn between the promise of being a rockstar and the reality of being an office workhorse jockeyed by a corporation.  (Are you and I part of the same generation?) Their view seems so deeply flawed however, as it still leaves it up to the individual to fend for himself- man vs world, elite cliques, etc.

***

I have always been good at reconciling diverse viewpoints by mining their core essence, but this time I might finally be stumped.  It is a time of transformation.  I need a way to live that is honest and simple, fulfilling a few key goals:

Continual self-improvement.

Increasing enjoyment of my life.

Health is a key factor, here. 

Actively helping other people.

Working to protect the natural lives of other living things from human interference.

Building a rich social network of interesting people.

I need time to contemplate "great" questions and discipline to enact solutions. 

I need a lifestyle change.