Hey guys. So an idea about what to write for my next article entered my mind not so long ago, and I decided that yeah, okay, I think I’ll just write about this then.
So basically, first of all I’ll briefly mention a very fundamental philosophical question: what is the meaning of life?
And so I’ll provide a super quick answer for this, okay.
Just a century or even a few decades ago, the name of the game was none other than survival. Like, after our basic sustenance or hunter-gatherer era wherein we just gathered food to live to the next day…
There were like wars and such, and basically living day by day embodied already a struggle to just go put food on the table.
More recently, though, this was through our new prided societal construct, the medium of money.
But, I’d say we’re in a different era now. What do I mean by that?
Well, in a sense, survival is now a basic human privilege. Ever heard of human rights, wherein one of the basic human rights is simply the ability to survive alone? Yeah, now we kind have it secured.
Nowadays, we have first world problems on the table, such as finding your passion in life or even shut-ins who refuse to go out of the house.
Simply put, that wouldn’t have been feasible and thus conceivable just some years ago!
Anyway, my point is…
Several years ago, before I entered university I suppose, I wrote a short story about aliens who were asked what they wanted to reincarnate as. And back then, I wrote that human beings were a top choice since a human being… gets to truly live!
Like, not just survive and merely exist. Atop that as a basic foundation, we get to truly live and thrive in wonder and awe. In that sense, wouldn’t you call human existence, like… a playground?
So yeah, obviously, we’re not exactly there yet. Over in some countries, war is, sadly, still going on and many people don’t even have that most foundational principle of survival secured! They gotta struggle to live!
And yet, even as we do feel sorry for them and try to help them out in some way should we have the capacities, we should still take a look at ourselves. Atop our secured existence, how are we going about our day to day living?
Because in a sense, some would call the current system that we live in a form of self-imposed slavery. I mean, sure, we can consider work a necessary component for survival. But on top of that? With the survival assured? In our free time? What do we do then? Do we truly… live?
And this is where I would deign to call some people into question.
See, you could technically say that your existence is secured. But on top of that secured existence, you do not choose to do something with it that you like, enjoy, but rather, purely exist for the sake of continuing quite a dull, dreary existence?
Anyway, I don’t want to lambast people, so I’ll just quickly draw out this ideal state that I envision, okay.
Basically, the ideal state of life that I envision is one wherein everyone gathers and celebrates one another’s life journey. In a sense, life here is seen more as an adventure. We try new things and throw ourselves into hitherto untried initiatives with no abandon.
Here, I suppose that one rebuttal others might come up with is that this might appear, in a sense, selfish.
But personally, I would say that this could not be further from the truth.
See, many people are driven by ego and fuelled by thoughts like competition and comparison. They want to place themselves above others, to gain the ability to have power and control over them. That is the true selfishness.
Meanwhile, this individualism that I speak of aligns truly with the humanitarian principle. It seeks a liberation, empowerment of humanity… wherein everyone!! gets to live! to the fullest.
Here, everyone within communities are viewed more by one another like characters in fictional stories that they like and support. When something good happens, why of course they’re happy for them!
As for people who are less fortunate, they are viewed more through the lens of inclusivity where everyone is accepted and unconditionally showered with affection to be brought to this fullest potential.
Here, life is viewed through the lens of potentialities!
Everything is not just as they are, but as they can be. In what exists, are there not the potentials to reach their fullest potential?
Therefore, I would say that there is a need to focus less on survival as a whole. Instead, think of the human existence as more of a playground.
Don’t close off our hearts when bad things happen to us. Alongside advancement of years, yes, you may grow wiser. However! Here technically, there is no need for you to grow… more and more tragically!! bitter, and live life on autopilot and just go through the motions purely for the sake of an ensued state of survival alone. No.
Instead, retain the imagination! In a sense, they say the sky’s the limit.
When you live in stagnancy, you’re never going anywhere. And sadly… so to speak, that’s a state that I just very much don’t like, because that goes against the wiring inbuilt in me.
Instead, obviously at everyone’s own paces, I would say that the ideal state of life is one wherein everyone tries to journey like an explorer, boukensha so to speak in Japanese. Obviously there’s no need to be super in a rush or anything!! You can do it while being super content with life and just leisurely stroll around and smell the flowers! But, so truly, even then your story is not written.
Like it’s not that you’re not getting up just to watch the television, eat and sleep everyday. Instead, you try a dab of this, attempt a sprinkle of that etc. And in the process, there’s a kind of childlike wonder as well as adventurousness that remains in play! You simply go along at your own pace, with your arms spread wide and your heart fully open to all those wonders that you’re ready to receive from the universe.
After all, you’re just savouring the experience of the adventure, doing your own freestyle in the playground of your co-creation!
Well, obviously, I don’t judge those who don’t do this. Huh, I don’t see why I can’t still have that oh-so foundational unconditional love for em yo! I simply acknowledge: okay, so that’s where you want to be, so be it.
Because as I see it: the greatest artist of the self is none other than the self! You are the one who paints your own tapestry! What use is a supervisor in that scenario? When a supervisor goes, they stop!
But seriously, I wanna say this. Never forget or shirk your responsibility! as the creator of your own life. You choose!
You wanna help people, you do so. You wanna develop your own talents in a more roundabout way of helping people, you do so. Huh, even if you want to step on people, it is also your choice to do so, really.
But before everything, before everything. How about you think of it this way?
We’re all fellow travellers going on the journey of life together. And, in that case, why don’t we all be our own best supporters and cheerleaders alongside our traversing of this journey? Jealousy, competition, huh???
Meanwhile, it’s not that we’re struggling hard just to ensure that said journey can continue, okay. More like, it’s already foundationally assured that it will continue! So we decide, how best will we progress??? How will we shape this journey to be?
Alright, I’m more or less satisfied with this article already, although I get the feeling that it should be super short! I just had this all pent up and wanted to get it off my chest, see!! Hope it doesn’t offend anyone.
And as for why it was on my chest…
Well, it’s kinda a self-inflicted damage!
See, I was just randomly doing some random designs today, based off my philosophy of life being an adventure where you try out different things…
And basically, my designs had this theme!
And huh, so I thought, why not write about this theme too, hah!
And that’s the story of how this article came to be written! I hope it’s okay enough and y’all will like it! Now it’s back to the drawing board for me, as there’s still some time left to roam about today’s playground, so to speak! Bye!