The Age of Timeless Disregard
In listening to Mark Porter Zasada’s podcast, he raised some points that hold true to the cycle of childhood and adulthood. One might say that children often wonder of what they would become when they grow up. And when they do grow up as adults, they often wish they had not grown yet, for there are inevitable responsibilities that compel people to work. “All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind,” as Aristotle points out. Arguably, routine work absorbs the enthusiasm of the ever elusive childhood aspiration. As a result, adults want to go back to childhood.
Zasada points out that such reversal has been happening. One might notice the fondness of adulthood for video games. Others might argue that game manufacturers market games with ESRB rating of Mature. The point is, what once regarded as an activity for children (gaming), adults are now indulging in those activities. In fact, other examples are reality TV shows. Who derives profound joy on harmless public humiliation? One might say that the developmental stages that derive fun in such activity are the stages of childhood.
As one gets chronologically advanced (translation: as one ages), adults may get as existentialist dread. Arthur Schopenhauer states: “The scenes of our life are like pictures in rough mosaic, which have no effect at close quarters, but must be looked at from a distance in order to discern their beauty. So that to obtain something we have desired is to find out that it is worthless; we are always living in expectation of better things, while, at the same time, we often repent and long for things that belong to the past. We accept the present as something that is only temporary, and regard it only as a means to accomplish our aim. So that most people will find if they look back when their life is at an end, that they have lived their lifelong ad interim […]”
One may realize that happiness is often found in the past, where people deem their lives as simple and pure. A child may never become to this realization, where perspectives are non-corruptible. For instance, a child may forgive without conditions, even he has been hurt many times. One can say Peter Pan was right on the assertion that he does not want to grow up. When one becomes an adult, he may come agree with what Schopenhauer asserts: “the emptiness of existence.” In a nutshell, the emptiness of existence is an essay by that author, where he asserts the meaninglessness of life, and the only concepts that exist in this world are time and decay.
As children, people can be hopeful. Such hopefulness is corrupted by disappointment and failure. One could hope that although people live transitory lives, the legacy that one person will leave will be a meaningful one.
Have a reflective Lenten Season, everyone.
Work Cited:
The Emptiness of Existence by Arthur Schopenhauer
