PHL 200
Existentialism
01-2005
Conscious Living
I believe ‘conscious living’ is a difficult idea to express. I’ve thought about it often, but none of my criteria seem to hold up. For a long time I thought conscious living was simply living everyday as if it were your last, doing whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. I thought that impulsivity was the most important part of ‘true life’. But it’s a flawed theory. I tried to live that way for a while, or perhaps I used it as an excuse for my behaviour, and all it got me was trouble. For me, to live every day as if you’ll die tomorrow, and to act on every impulse that comes your way leaves no room for a future. Every action has a consequence, whether positive or negative, it effects something else. For example, if I don’t go to work today, because a friend I rarely get to see finally has a free day to go hangout, I’ll get fired. Regardless of whether or not it was the last chance I’ll ever get to see that person. If I skip a midterm to go on a trip w/ my family to a place I’ve always wanted to see, I will probably fail that class.
But on the other hand, I don’t believe life is about doing what you’re ‘supposed’ to do either. Society says I’m not living life the way I’m ‘supposed to’ right now. I’ve been taking college classes for 4 years now, and I still don’t have a degree. But I’m happy. Society says I should go to college, get a degree in a high-paying profession (even if I hate it), start a career, get married, have kids, quit work to raise them, then when they’re all grown and have families of their own I can do what I want to. But instead I work, I pay for school (not just to get a degree, but to learn), and I’ve taken all my ‘required’ classes (thought I still need to re-take Biology, I’m awful at science and can’t seem to pass the class). So for the past 3 years I’ve taken classes I’m interested in. Foreign language, mythology, philosophy, comparative religion, etc. I’ve given myself the chance to explore what it is I’m interested in, and met some amazing people in the process. All the while fulfilling my responsibilities as a citizen to work, pay taxes, etc. I’m working on finishing transfer requirements, so I can go to a university and get a degree, but it’ll be in something I love and I know I’ll enjoy doing. Whether or not it makes a lot of money is irrelevant to me.
So in conclusion, I believe ‘conscious living’ is simply creating your own path through life, while fulfilling your responsibilities to society, and being completely satisfied with your actions and their consequences. Knowing that what you did today will pave the way for a better tomorrow. Neither regretting the past, nor wishing to shut the door on it, and neither obsessing about the future nor ignoring that its there. And most importantly, achieving your goals, and following your dreams and passions wherever they may lead. That, for me, is Conscious Living.
I believe ‘conscious living’ is a difficult idea to express. I’ve thought about it often, but none of my criteria seem to hold up. For a long time I thought conscious living was simply living everyday as if it were your last, doing whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. I thought that impulsivity was the most important part of ‘true life’. But it’s a flawed theory. I tried to live that way for a while, or perhaps I used it as an excuse for my behaviour, and all it got me was trouble. For me, to live every day as if you’ll die tomorrow, and to act on every impulse that comes your way leaves no room for a future. Every action has a consequence, whether positive or negative, it effects something else. For example, if I don’t go to work today, because a friend I rarely get to see finally has a free day to go hangout, I’ll get fired. Regardless of whether or not it was the last chance I’ll ever get to see that person. If I skip a midterm to go on a trip w/ my family to a place I’ve always wanted to see, I will probably fail that class.
But on the other hand, I don’t believe life is about doing what you’re ‘supposed’ to do either. Society says I’m not living life the way I’m ‘supposed to’ right now. I’ve been taking college classes for 4 years now, and I still don’t have a degree. But I’m happy. Society says I should go to college, get a degree in a high-paying profession (even if I hate it), start a career, get married, have kids, quit work to raise them, then when they’re all grown and have families of their own I can do what I want to. But instead I work, I pay for school (not just to get a degree, but to learn), and I’ve taken all my ‘required’ classes (thought I still need to re-take Biology, I’m awful at science and can’t seem to pass the class). So for the past 3 years I’ve taken classes I’m interested in. Foreign language, mythology, philosophy, comparative religion, etc. I’ve given myself the chance to explore what it is I’m interested in, and met some amazing people in the process. All the while fulfilling my responsibilities as a citizen to work, pay taxes, etc. I’m working on finishing transfer requirements, so I can go to a university and get a degree, but it’ll be in something I love and I know I’ll enjoy doing. Whether or not it makes a lot of money is irrelevant to me.
So in conclusion, I believe ‘conscious living’ is simply creating your own path through life, while fulfilling your responsibilities to society, and being completely satisfied with your actions and their consequences. Knowing that what you did today will pave the way for a better tomorrow. Neither regretting the past, nor wishing to shut the door on it, and neither obsessing about the future nor ignoring that its there. And most importantly, achieving your goals, and following your dreams and passions wherever they may lead. That, for me, is Conscious Living.
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