By Eric Boggs
“The most intelligent men, like the
strongest, find their happiness where others would find only disaster: in the
labyrinth, in being hard with themselves and with others, in effort; their
delight is in self-mastery. They regard a difficult task as a privilege; it is
to them a recreation to play with burdens that would crush all others.”
- Friedrich Nietzshe, The
Antichrist
We live in an era of anxiety,
detachment, and extreme consumerism. People, particularly of my generation, are
constantly looking for some sort of distraction from the world that’s in front
of them. Perhaps the greatest evidence of symbol of humanity’s detachment from
reality is our addiction to technology, particularly in cell phones. It seems
to be a common thread that just before a lecture in nearly every classroom,
every single student is staring down at their cell phones, though few actually
communicate with each other.
Our attention spans have been
drastically reduced by the disposable entertainment that we’ve subjected
ourselves to throughout the years, a great example would be the brief YouTube
videos that eventually fade out memory just as quickly as they came into
popularity.
We spend all copious amounts
of money on clothing, and material possessions in an effort to impress other
people. We invest most of our energy in short term pleasure that decreases long
term fulfillment.
Are we really experiencing the
highest quality of life that we as a species want for ourselves? Are we really
as happy as we can be? The answer may be subjective, but I would argue that
things could be much better if people would embrace alternative views of
thought.
The website “High Existence”
which can only be described as a “self-improvement/philosophy” site has come up
with a solution to the fast paced society we live in.
They’ve developed a 900-day
journey made up of 30 challenges that each take 30 days to complete. The challenges are divided into 6 stages that
have roots in Eastern spirituality, Western philosophy, and psychology. The
goals of these challenges are to:
- Learn and grow as much as possible.
- Liberate yourself from unnecessary suffering.
- Overcome destructive habits and conditioning.
- Find deeper meaning and purpose in life.
- Become one who can help make our world a better place.
I believe that now, more than
ever, the values and discipline that this course prescribes are needed in our
fast paced, apathetic society. For more information on this life experiment
check out 30 Challenges to Enlightenment
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