We live in an age of faith — what? This is a nonsensical statement! But wait, we do live in an age of faith — faith in technology, a belief that all will be fine in the future. But conversely, many have lost trust in society and espouse nihilism (1) and despair. The concept of faith, of course, historically has been associated with God or gods — something bigger than myself. This kind of faith was invigorating, and enlightening because it was evocative of an exciting and fulfilling reward after my earthly demise.
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The dangers of the vanity of the body
As I age chronologically, I am reminded of what an Indian doctor once told me in Calcutta. “The body is like an old Mercedes Benz, sir – replace the tires, clean the headlights, and change the oil, and it will run for over 500,000 kilometers.” What he meant by this, of course, is that the corporeal being carries me throughout a, potentially long, life: keep it healthy with prescient and intelligent practices – good nutrition, regular exercise, etc — and it will run for a long time.
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Believing in the goodness
We are always told to be optimistic — believe in the goodness of life. At first blush, this appears nonsensical, leading to toxic positivity. (1) Even before consciousness at 22 or so, we are aware of our body. Everyone remembers the suffering of adolescence. I suffered tremendously from chronic earaches and debilitating migraines. And, I am not alone — many of my students have related similar experiences.
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There awaits an exciting future!
Tomorrow may bring everything I want and desire, but not without its requisite angst because I’m alive and conscious. We are often exposed to loneliness and a sense of isolation. It is a dominant feeling, especially among the young. (1) As we gain experience, however, many realize this does not always have to be the case.
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Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose
Why does anything matter and why should I care about my life? The quick and concise answer is: it doesn’t and you don’t have to. We are, of course, referring to the essence of me – my existence. There is no intrinsic, God-given creed that obligates the individual to care, about anything. These are learned phenomena that come along with the realization, at some point, that we are free to do whatever we want to do in this existence.
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