Can we reconcile this? First, let me note that I have no particular proof that life is not trivial, I'm not a philosopher, and on a universal scale, anything that happens on this little planet, even, oh I don't know, say the actual genuine son of an actual genuine god being tortured, killed, and ascending to something called heaven (I'm just making this up, of course), is pretty darned trivial.
That's beyond the scope of what I'm prepared to handle here (and in all likelihood ever), so we're left with a couple of issues to deal with. First, let's stipulate that life is not inherently trivial, because otherwise what is the point of writing this. Next, let's make sure everyone understands that with very few exceptions, real life is indeed trivial; it's mundane at its core. I know everyone has big events that happen, and sometimes even things like a math test or needing to go to the bathroom seem really really important, but they're not. Life is not a highlight reel.
It's also important to note that in the age of information, the sheer volume of stimuli that we encounter each day tends to make each individual one less significant and inherently more trivial. That's just math, and it makes it harder to find the meaningful stuff.
So the question facing us as human beings is, how, if you care to, do you construct a meaningful life out of trivia? In simpler times (which really existed by the way, I remember them) it was not as difficult to sort things out. There just wasn't as much noise to contend with.
So the question facing us as human beings is, how, if you care to, do you construct a meaningful life out of trivia? In simpler times (which really existed by the way, I remember them) it was not as difficult to sort things out. There just wasn't as much noise to contend with.
Someone once said to me, I think it was my father, who heard it from someone else, "Spend a life." Spend your life. In other words, treat it the same way you would treat, for example, spending money. How are you going to spend each hour, minute, second of each day to have the kind of life you want to have?
I can't answer that for you. It really isn't even necessary to want to have some particular kind of life. Stuff will happen whether or not you do. I spent 40+ years that way, and though I had some fun and some good experiences, I can't say it was a particularly rich and rewarding way to live.
What I've learned since is that the important part of avoiding triviality is trying to avoid it by seeking meaning, whatever the hell that means. My current motto is "Be where you are, do what you're doing." Although the thought isn't original, I didn't take that line from anywhere. But it seems to me that that's what it's about. Don't be distracted by all the bullshit. Don't spend the day looking at what other people are doing any saying. It's fine to check in, but that's all. Don't be captive to everything going on around you, don't go FOMO, be present.
At the same time, and this may seem to completely contradict what I just said, look outside yourself. Being in your head all the time isn't a path to anywhere. How do you interact with the world around you? Do you take it in? Do you participate in it somehow? There are many things, sounds, messages, videos trying to catch your attention, but you can control where your attention goes. It isn't any more complicated than that.
I feel like I've been very lucky, because I've had good helpers in getting myself out of my head, and teaching has been the perfect antidote, because you have to be completely focused on the students. But that's just what works for me. Everyone has to find their own way. Just be where you are and do what you're doing.
I can't answer that for you. It really isn't even necessary to want to have some particular kind of life. Stuff will happen whether or not you do. I spent 40+ years that way, and though I had some fun and some good experiences, I can't say it was a particularly rich and rewarding way to live.
What I've learned since is that the important part of avoiding triviality is trying to avoid it by seeking meaning, whatever the hell that means. My current motto is "Be where you are, do what you're doing." Although the thought isn't original, I didn't take that line from anywhere. But it seems to me that that's what it's about. Don't be distracted by all the bullshit. Don't spend the day looking at what other people are doing any saying. It's fine to check in, but that's all. Don't be captive to everything going on around you, don't go FOMO, be present.
At the same time, and this may seem to completely contradict what I just said, look outside yourself. Being in your head all the time isn't a path to anywhere. How do you interact with the world around you? Do you take it in? Do you participate in it somehow? There are many things, sounds, messages, videos trying to catch your attention, but you can control where your attention goes. It isn't any more complicated than that.
I feel like I've been very lucky, because I've had good helpers in getting myself out of my head, and teaching has been the perfect antidote, because you have to be completely focused on the students. But that's just what works for me. Everyone has to find their own way. Just be where you are and do what you're doing.
