I thought I'd start my pseudo-philosophical ramblings by taking a look as a classic quote from the father of Western philosophy, good old Socrates. I'm curious as to what Socrates meant when he said, "the unexamined life is no life for a human being," and how that statement can be applied almost 2500 years after his death.
As you may or may not know, Socrates was tried and sentenced to death for basically being an obnoxious old fart and habitually pointing out the ignorance of supposedly "wise men." On top of that, he influenced the children of Athens to question their elders and taught each of them to be a royal pain in the ass. How did he do this? All he did was ask for further explanation until he had stonewalled the so-called "expert." By doing so, Socrates was forcing people to face their own ignorance. This is but a single aspect of the examined life.
I think too many of us lead unexamined lives, especially in this fast-paced, high-tech world. We can set our coffee to begin brewing automatically in the morning. We can have our bills paid automatically online. Machines answer our phones for us. Cruise control, DVR, and sprinkler systems have all eliminated a little bit of thought from our lives. There are even cars that will parallel park themselves now. Is it any wonder that we end up living lives set on automatic pilot? Think about what you do during the work week. Most of us get up and get dressed, go to work, go to lunch, finish the work day, come home, eat dinner, watch some TV, go to bed, and then get up and go through the exact same routine with only the most minor variations. What are you getting from this a priori way of life? How is this helping you to grow as a human being? Think about it for a minute.
Now, I'm not throwing stones from a glass house. I'm the first to admit that I'm as likely as the next guy to dig myself into a happy little rut. Routine can be comforting - I understand. However, abject adherence to routine breeds personal stagnation. Instead of watching a rerun of Lost, I suggest taking a look at yourself. Ask yourself if there's anything you want to improve upon (there always is if you're looking hard enough). Is there something you want to know about, but have never taken the time to learn? Read a book or sign up for a class. Are you unhappy with where your career is headed? Seriously look at changing jobs or figure out a way to shake things up at the job you have. Personally, I've always wanted to play a musical instrument, so I'm in the process of learning to play the harmonica. Sure, it's not the guitar or the piano, but it's something.
Self-examination is never easy. If it were, everyone would do it. We never want to see ourselves as we actually are; we always gloss over our shortcomings. For instance, I tend to see myself as a fairly charming and well-educated person. My wife sees an insufferable jackass. So, I try to see why she would see me that way. It's not always easy for me to see it, but I'll admit that I can be a bit of a know-it-all at times. I tend to have just enough knowledge to back myself into a corner. I know a lot of arcane little facts about history and anthropology, but I'm no expert on anything. But, if people think you are, then it's a big letdown when the truth is revealed. This is why the Mrs. thinks I'm a jackass. In fact, she'll bitch about this post being too long. So on that note, I'll start wrapping up.
I think what Socrates was getting at was the importance of taking a long, hard look at yourself. Point out your own flaws before anyone else can. It's definitely better to know thyself more intimately than someone else knows you. When you see yourself from the outside, you can't help but be a little dissatisfied. This will drive you to become a better person and, while you'll never achieve perfection, the struggle will make you great.
22:29 | Gen. Philosophy | Comments (4)