Restricted Ascension

It's apparent that as we age, striving to surpass one another in our skewed, meritocratic culture, we strive to ascend to greatness and recognition.  Regardless of the methods or backgrounds, we're given, from the stairs of life or the wealth our forefathers provided, we ascend without end...but to what end? We are restricted to the material plane--to the limited time, biology, and the physicality of life. So why try so desperately?