Camus was on to something, although I think he was mistaken in believing that we need "one great" love.
To fight despair and remain cheerful, we simply need one love at any given moment in time. It doesn't need to be great, and it can change from time to time—as it often does. If you're feeling down and want to brighten your mood, find something to be enthusiastic about. Something to look forward to.
Relying on one's current enthusiasms seems like a risky approach, like a bandaid approach for minor downs, however to fight significant despair and remain resilient, wouldn't one require a much deeper reliance, beyond oneself?
Of course! But where is the risk? We don't have to choose one approach or the other. They're not mutually exclusive activities. In order to pursue that which is deeper, we must first be able to get out of bed in the morning—to push beyond the minor downs. Pursuing meaning beyond oneself is also something to be enthusiastic about.
Q1: "To what extent can a human existence characterized by mere survival or routine functionality be considered a meaningful or authentic life, and how does our cultural or societal conditioning influence our threshold for what qualifies as truly living?"
'Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.' (Zen Buddhist dictum)
'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it" (Fun Boy Three & Bananarama, 1982).
With each act of love and kindness may be just enough to bring thought, to change another heart. Within all worlds showing Love can not ever be hurtful.
“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it’s your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life.” — Charles Bukowski
I love this one. Our lifes meaning is to find that meaning and pursue it relentlessly. A little rest and a focus on other things is healthy, but we will always come back to our lifes project, if it truly is that project!
Camus was on to something, although I think he was mistaken in believing that we need "one great" love.
To fight despair and remain cheerful, we simply need one love at any given moment in time. It doesn't need to be great, and it can change from time to time—as it often does. If you're feeling down and want to brighten your mood, find something to be enthusiastic about. Something to look forward to.
Relying on one's current enthusiasms seems like a risky approach, like a bandaid approach for minor downs, however to fight significant despair and remain resilient, wouldn't one require a much deeper reliance, beyond oneself?
Of course! But where is the risk? We don't have to choose one approach or the other. They're not mutually exclusive activities. In order to pursue that which is deeper, we must first be able to get out of bed in the morning—to push beyond the minor downs. Pursuing meaning beyond oneself is also something to be enthusiastic about.
Q1: "To what extent can a human existence characterized by mere survival or routine functionality be considered a meaningful or authentic life, and how does our cultural or societal conditioning influence our threshold for what qualifies as truly living?"
'Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.' (Zen Buddhist dictum)
'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it" (Fun Boy Three & Bananarama, 1982).
Love is from within an individual’s heart.
To encourage change to lives.
With each act of love and kindness may be just enough to bring thought, to change another heart. Within all worlds showing Love can not ever be hurtful.
“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it’s your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life.” — Charles Bukowski
I love this one. Our lifes meaning is to find that meaning and pursue it relentlessly. A little rest and a focus on other things is healthy, but we will always come back to our lifes project, if it truly is that project!