“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains,” Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
We are conditioned to make friends, become successful and contribute to society. We are conditioned to these things in way that differs from the normal and natural progression of the human experience.
Millennials especially, value themselves based on their achievements, goals and acquaintances more than by who they are.
With school, work, extracurricular activities and friends I keep a pretty full schedule. I enjoy what I do with my time, but I also value who I am based on my time- which isn’t good.
Time is a precious commodity which only endures throughout our lives, but how we spend our time does not determine our value. Spending time on meaningful activities may add value to our lives but but spending time on things that don’t matter is self-defeating.
In reference to Mr. Rousseau,
we are in chains because we think we are supposed to be.
Productivity is the norm. Self-depletion, sacrifice and martyrdom are acceptable; moreover, they are expected in our social media filled world and at what cost?
Life should be lived leisurely, each moment beautiful and appreciated. Through periods of uncontrollable chaos and calmness we would be foolish to add any extra stress onto our selves.
The Persistence of Memory- Salvador Dalí
Leave a Reply