Amen. LIfe is indeed meant to be lived, not merely survived. It certainly feels like a shift is needed. Were humans ever living life? Or were they always merely surviving?
I have been asking myself questions along with this line for awhile now. How can I filter out the unnecessary demands of modern life (that is, the demands that come through media primarily)? It's not an easy task. Thanks for a thoughtful read.
I think that our bar for “living” tends to be measured externally (with things and achievements) rather than internally (by tying up loose ends and doing right by those around us).
That leaves it open to desire inflation - people want more because they can have more - which makes people unhappier and stresseder than they should be.
Yes, I agree that many people live by those measures but , thankfully, not everyone. I grew up in a large working class family with values that were rooted in education and service to community. I think I was lucky that way b/c I never saw accumulation of money and things as a goal. Sure, I wanted to be able to pay the bills and provide for myself and my family but my satisfaction in life came from the people who were a part of my life, not from fancy homes, cars, vacays, or other stuff. As I say, I think I was lucky.
My background is a lot more prone to the material/experiential arms race, so I’ve seen a lot more of the other side of this. I can tell you that you are, in fact, very lucky.
Amen. LIfe is indeed meant to be lived, not merely survived. It certainly feels like a shift is needed. Were humans ever living life? Or were they always merely surviving?
I have been asking myself questions along with this line for awhile now. How can I filter out the unnecessary demands of modern life (that is, the demands that come through media primarily)? It's not an easy task. Thanks for a thoughtful read.
I think that our bar for “living” tends to be measured externally (with things and achievements) rather than internally (by tying up loose ends and doing right by those around us).
That leaves it open to desire inflation - people want more because they can have more - which makes people unhappier and stresseder than they should be.
Yes, I agree that many people live by those measures but , thankfully, not everyone. I grew up in a large working class family with values that were rooted in education and service to community. I think I was lucky that way b/c I never saw accumulation of money and things as a goal. Sure, I wanted to be able to pay the bills and provide for myself and my family but my satisfaction in life came from the people who were a part of my life, not from fancy homes, cars, vacays, or other stuff. As I say, I think I was lucky.
My background is a lot more prone to the material/experiential arms race, so I’ve seen a lot more of the other side of this. I can tell you that you are, in fact, very lucky.