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| Bringing out the bare. |
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| Smoothing. |
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| Skeleton. |
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Five: Planning.
Part 1.
"Live life, like each day is your last day"
I've heard this quite a bit. It sounds nice - the idea that we are but mortals and death is unavoidable and sometimes unexpected, so embrace every day you have, as if it was your last day to live. This motto may lead to a warm, fuzzy feeling (i.e. Joy) due to the presumed lack of responsibility and ensuing freedom to indulge various vices, but in reality its entirely impractical. If you live every day as if its your last, you never get anything done. It would be completely unproductive. And after a while, I think, it would be unfulfilling. Humoring every indulgence is enjoyable for a short time, but as most millionaires and lottery winners can attest to, this style of life leaves you feeling hollow and empty. There is a haunting lack of purpose and meaning in a life lived solely for personal pleasure.
Of course, living every day as your last doesn't necessarily mean "buying want you want" or "doing what you want". I think you can live with purpose and spirit in this mindset. Those with even rudimentary wisdom understand that it is much more fulfilling to give, than it is to receive; and greater satisfaction is achieved by living with less and acquiring less, while experiencing more; and spending quality time on relationships is far more valuable than what any amount of money can buy. However, if I knew that this was my last day to live, I probably wouldn't go to work. Or bother with paying my bills for the month. Or buying food for next week. Clearly there must be a balance between forfeiting all responsibilities while still enjoying life in its impermanence.
The question is: How far ahead do you plan? Two days? Two weeks? Two years? And what of the value of long-term projects? Projects that I've invested lots of effort into are often the most rewarding. The reward of completion is much more sweet after years of investment, compared the short-lived high from a two-day project. These are valuable experiences and help to shape a person. If I only plan ahead for two weeks, there is limit to what I can accomplish. Living only for the day, and only experiencing short-term rewards seems akin to immaturity. Immediate pleasure response is the motis operandi of children. Delayed gratification is a learned skill, and a necessity for adults in our culture. So we find ourselves at the crux, in a space between planning and working for the future (sometimes years or decades), and a future that is never certain and may disappear in an instant.
"Live life, like each day is your last day"
I've heard this quite a bit. It sounds nice - the idea that we are but mortals and death is unavoidable and sometimes unexpected, so embrace every day you have, as if it was your last day to live. This motto may lead to a warm, fuzzy feeling (i.e. Joy) due to the presumed lack of responsibility and ensuing freedom to indulge various vices, but in reality its entirely impractical. If you live every day as if its your last, you never get anything done. It would be completely unproductive. And after a while, I think, it would be unfulfilling. Humoring every indulgence is enjoyable for a short time, but as most millionaires and lottery winners can attest to, this style of life leaves you feeling hollow and empty. There is a haunting lack of purpose and meaning in a life lived solely for personal pleasure.
Of course, living every day as your last doesn't necessarily mean "buying want you want" or "doing what you want". I think you can live with purpose and spirit in this mindset. Those with even rudimentary wisdom understand that it is much more fulfilling to give, than it is to receive; and greater satisfaction is achieved by living with less and acquiring less, while experiencing more; and spending quality time on relationships is far more valuable than what any amount of money can buy. However, if I knew that this was my last day to live, I probably wouldn't go to work. Or bother with paying my bills for the month. Or buying food for next week. Clearly there must be a balance between forfeiting all responsibilities while still enjoying life in its impermanence.
The question is: How far ahead do you plan? Two days? Two weeks? Two years? And what of the value of long-term projects? Projects that I've invested lots of effort into are often the most rewarding. The reward of completion is much more sweet after years of investment, compared the short-lived high from a two-day project. These are valuable experiences and help to shape a person. If I only plan ahead for two weeks, there is limit to what I can accomplish. Living only for the day, and only experiencing short-term rewards seems akin to immaturity. Immediate pleasure response is the motis operandi of children. Delayed gratification is a learned skill, and a necessity for adults in our culture. So we find ourselves at the crux, in a space between planning and working for the future (sometimes years or decades), and a future that is never certain and may disappear in an instant.
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