Humans haven't changed much in the last 2000 years. The same cannot be said for our societies, and technologies. Yet, with all the wonders of the modern world, we still suffer the same vices as our forefathers.
In the his essay: "On the Shortness of Life", Seneca seems to address issues, that seem very current. If it weren't for his affective prose, his book could easily be from this century. I just finished the eassy, and it resonated with me quite personally. On a level that I don't often find in writing.
In the his essay: "On the Shortness of Life", Seneca seems to address issues, that seem very current. If it weren't for his affective prose, his book could easily be from this century. I just finished the eassy, and it resonated with me quite personally. On a level that I don't often find in writing.
Waste
Every time I go out, I see people wasting their life. Now hold on! bBfore you judge me, judging them, hear me out. If I'm on the train, I find it facinating to look over peoples shoulder to peek at their phone activity. I don't want to pry, but peoples phones habits fascinate me a little.
Unfortunately, it's hardly worth looking at most most the time. If they aren't doom-scrolling on some Social Media application, they are playing Candy Crush. Seeing it give me "Black Mirror" vibes. People just trying to get time to pass so they can get to the next 'event'.
I don't presume to have everything figured out, and I know this sounds quite pretentious, but I wish they could realize the life they are missing out on. Their life!
They will never get the time back from when they sat in a seat for 14 stops, looking for 3 similar jewels, over and over again. You cannot tell me they will look back at this moment in their life on their deathbed with a smile on their face.
I would argue it is the equivalent of taking your life and just cutting away precious minutes and throwing them directly in the garbage bin. I realize that some people might have miserable lives, and would rather not be living them. The sad irony here, if you ask me, is that their life will never get any better, unless they start living it. A vicious circle I'm sure most us understand.
Unfortunately, it's hardly worth looking at most most the time. If they aren't doom-scrolling on some Social Media application, they are playing Candy Crush. Seeing it give me "Black Mirror" vibes. People just trying to get time to pass so they can get to the next 'event'.
I don't presume to have everything figured out, and I know this sounds quite pretentious, but I wish they could realize the life they are missing out on. Their life!
They will never get the time back from when they sat in a seat for 14 stops, looking for 3 similar jewels, over and over again. You cannot tell me they will look back at this moment in their life on their deathbed with a smile on their face.
I would argue it is the equivalent of taking your life and just cutting away precious minutes and throwing them directly in the garbage bin. I realize that some people might have miserable lives, and would rather not be living them. The sad irony here, if you ask me, is that their life will never get any better, unless they start living it. A vicious circle I'm sure most us understand.
Death
It's a sad state of affairs, but there is hope. There is resistence. More and more people I talk to are steering clear of their phones, but it is no easy task. The phones aren't even the problem. Seneca tells us about our wateful nature long before the invention os smart phones:
It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.
We need to be brave and ask the hard questions in life. Poke and prod to uncover it's secrets. Understanding death. So instead of fearing it, we can welcome it when it is our time to pass. I believe that those who fear death, have reason to.
- Trolz
- Trolz