To Live is an overrated concept
I just read One Little Twit's post on what it means to live. I'll be doing a back to back post with Raymond and he should be commenting soon.
Life. The one word being mentioned and a multitude of ideals ricochet off my mind. A life well lived constitutes so many different aspects, but it really is beond definition because it's such an ambiguous term. The true meaning of really living eludes most.
Generally, to live well entails raising up a good family, inculcating good values in your kids and training them to be good people, excelling in one's career and being a success, contribute in some tangible way to society. When people think of an ideal life, they think -- financial prosperity, a nice family, active social life, spiritual well-being etc. Preiously I would not have actually given a damn to something as insubstantial as spiritual wellbeing, but the New-Age movement has to some extent invaded my life and jerked me out of sweet oblivion, making me somewhat mindful of such a ridiculous concept. . Spiritual wellbeing. Huh?
Anyway, to me, all the above mentioned things are good, and yes, are things we should strive for. It is indeed a Herculean task to balance a successful career, healthy family life, and an active social life, as well as do charitable works, and the list goes on. Still, to many, it is imperative they do so, because often these things define their lives. These things gives meaning and satisfaction to their lives. It is to them, living.
And yet, even though the above mentioned are so blindly sought for in life, when I mention to live, I mean it more in a stripped down, undiluted manner. Often we all get so caught up with the above mentioned aspects of life like family and career that we neglect the unquantifiable, less pragmatic aspects of life. When have we taken the time to take an early morning stroll in the park? The fresh air, so crisp in your face, and you just bask in the moment, soaking in the serenity of the atmosphere, enjoying the splendour of nature. When have we let go of our 'adult' mentality, let loose our inhibitions, and do crazy stuff like playing in the playground? ( yes, it's embarrassing, but still, who cares?)
Most of all, how many of us still do actually dream? Call me an extreme idealist, which I in fact am, but I will not budge in my opinion that every single human being needs to have dreams. The PAP maintains that we must have a pragmatic approach towards life, but idealism is still damn bloody important to enthuse people! To keep them expectant, so that most of them don't go crazy over their very existence and start blowing their brains out. We need to be idealistic to keep that thin thread of hope of the realization of our dreams still inextricably bound to the fabric of our mundane, dull, tragic existence, and in doing so retain some of our sanity is this screwed up world.
Well, I for one, love dreaming, and I have many lofty dreams and goals. I may not be the kind of person that Raymond, my co-blogger is. I abhor metaphysical musings, I despise the whole notion of religion, the values it extols and the erroneous concept of how it is the answer to your life, the special soemthign that fills the void in one's life. I find the fact that so many people think they were born into this life with a purpose rather deplorable. Sometimes, it's amazing how man is so proud as to aggrandize their very existence, having this false sense of self importance, thinking they were actually born into this life with a purpose. Such inane thoughts are in fact the epitome of futility.
To actually dwell on thoughts of one's purpose in life, to me, would be pointless mental meanderings, because ultimately, can anything we do in life really amount to something? With the notable exception of a few, like the key political players, i.e. George Bush, I think we'd be going to our graves without anything we actually do in life amounting to much. Linkin Park hit the nail in the song 'In the End'. "In the end, it doesn't even matter" they rant away. Isn't that so true? In fact, to simply just live your life following your dream, not pondering on silly nothings, should really be the philosophy we must all espouse. to ponder on metaphysical aspects of one's life would be an absolute exercise of futility. In fact it would be an impediment to actually really just living out one's life.
Which is why I dream. To keep me hoping, to keep me sane, in a world that seems so bleak. to give me the strength to live out a life where death is a certainty.
Or maybe I should just get a girlfriend or some sex.
"The hardest thing in this world is just to live. Be brave. Live. For me."
-- Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to younger sister Dawn
Life. The one word being mentioned and a multitude of ideals ricochet off my mind. A life well lived constitutes so many different aspects, but it really is beond definition because it's such an ambiguous term. The true meaning of really living eludes most.
Generally, to live well entails raising up a good family, inculcating good values in your kids and training them to be good people, excelling in one's career and being a success, contribute in some tangible way to society. When people think of an ideal life, they think -- financial prosperity, a nice family, active social life, spiritual well-being etc. Preiously I would not have actually given a damn to something as insubstantial as spiritual wellbeing, but the New-Age movement has to some extent invaded my life and jerked me out of sweet oblivion, making me somewhat mindful of such a ridiculous concept. . Spiritual wellbeing. Huh?
Anyway, to me, all the above mentioned things are good, and yes, are things we should strive for. It is indeed a Herculean task to balance a successful career, healthy family life, and an active social life, as well as do charitable works, and the list goes on. Still, to many, it is imperative they do so, because often these things define their lives. These things gives meaning and satisfaction to their lives. It is to them, living.
And yet, even though the above mentioned are so blindly sought for in life, when I mention to live, I mean it more in a stripped down, undiluted manner. Often we all get so caught up with the above mentioned aspects of life like family and career that we neglect the unquantifiable, less pragmatic aspects of life. When have we taken the time to take an early morning stroll in the park? The fresh air, so crisp in your face, and you just bask in the moment, soaking in the serenity of the atmosphere, enjoying the splendour of nature. When have we let go of our 'adult' mentality, let loose our inhibitions, and do crazy stuff like playing in the playground? ( yes, it's embarrassing, but still, who cares?)
Most of all, how many of us still do actually dream? Call me an extreme idealist, which I in fact am, but I will not budge in my opinion that every single human being needs to have dreams. The PAP maintains that we must have a pragmatic approach towards life, but idealism is still damn bloody important to enthuse people! To keep them expectant, so that most of them don't go crazy over their very existence and start blowing their brains out. We need to be idealistic to keep that thin thread of hope of the realization of our dreams still inextricably bound to the fabric of our mundane, dull, tragic existence, and in doing so retain some of our sanity is this screwed up world.
Well, I for one, love dreaming, and I have many lofty dreams and goals. I may not be the kind of person that Raymond, my co-blogger is. I abhor metaphysical musings, I despise the whole notion of religion, the values it extols and the erroneous concept of how it is the answer to your life, the special soemthign that fills the void in one's life. I find the fact that so many people think they were born into this life with a purpose rather deplorable. Sometimes, it's amazing how man is so proud as to aggrandize their very existence, having this false sense of self importance, thinking they were actually born into this life with a purpose. Such inane thoughts are in fact the epitome of futility.
To actually dwell on thoughts of one's purpose in life, to me, would be pointless mental meanderings, because ultimately, can anything we do in life really amount to something? With the notable exception of a few, like the key political players, i.e. George Bush, I think we'd be going to our graves without anything we actually do in life amounting to much. Linkin Park hit the nail in the song 'In the End'. "In the end, it doesn't even matter" they rant away. Isn't that so true? In fact, to simply just live your life following your dream, not pondering on silly nothings, should really be the philosophy we must all espouse. to ponder on metaphysical aspects of one's life would be an absolute exercise of futility. In fact it would be an impediment to actually really just living out one's life.
Which is why I dream. To keep me hoping, to keep me sane, in a world that seems so bleak. to give me the strength to live out a life where death is a certainty.
Or maybe I should just get a girlfriend or some sex.
"The hardest thing in this world is just to live. Be brave. Live. For me."
-- Buffy the Vampire Slayer, to younger sister Dawn
