Last night, for maybe the 18th time, I watched the movie Katie and Leopold (Hugh Jackman, Meg Ryan). It's a fluffly movie about chivlary and romance, but as I watched, I couldn't help but note the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) references to societal woes.
At one point in the movie, "Leopold" (Jackman) asks "Kate" (Ryan) why everything in the modern world is so busy and fast-paced. We have "every convenience" he says, but we enjoy nothing. This is a cliched argument, so don't think I've stumbled upon some great deep truth or anything, but what he asked is true. Why are we in such a hurry? Why are we running around like there's no tomorrow?
Then, of course, it occurs to me that-- duh! We've trapped ourselves into a "carpe diem" attitude. We've built up this wall of self-pity that says, "If I don't take the risk now, I may never get a chance." What we are essentially doing is justifying rash actions as well as enabling ourselves the delusion that Death is coming swiftly, so we need not be responsible for ourselves.
See, "carpe diem" (or "seize the day") doesn't have to mean rush out and work as hard as you can because you may not get another shot. It can simply mean: enjoy. Enjoy life. Enjoy one another. Enjoy the things that make you happy.
Of course Death is coming. It comes the moment we are conceived. It waits, it hibernates even, ready to strike when we aren't expecting it. But so what? Does that mean we need to "live like we're going to die tomorrow"? No. Because we could die tomorrow... but we could die next week... three years from now... fifty years from now. Everyone dies. We are all, at this moment in time, dying. We've been dying since birth and we will continue to die until, well, Death.
But why should that make us hurry? Why should that impact how we act or speak? What would it be like to, say, live like we're going to live forever? Hmm?
Run with me here. Say a man follows the rash interpretation of "carpe diem" and decides to go forth and do everything he wants before Almighty Death comes and stops him. He travels, he dates, he lives life to his idea of "the fullest." His neighbor, an equally smart and capable man, decided to toss out the irrational notion of "carpe diem" and instead, he invests some time into things. He marries, maybe has some kids, settles down in a nice neighborhood. Okay, so we've got two men, totally different perspectives. Which one is right?
Well, of course I'm going to argue for my own point. Guy B invests time: he views life as a giant road to travel, not some bridge to cross. Life isn't a bridge to cross; it's that old proverbial highway. It's an opportunity to explore, to really plan and dream and accomplish. How much more could we, as humans, accomplish if we took the time to develop ideas instead of hastily built skyscrapers and acted on whim?
Back to Kate and Leopold. Kate says that even if she has to "peddle a little pond scum" to get some rest, she'll do it. Is that how we want history to remember us? So much in a hurry that we forgot to enjoy the things we produce? Why are we in such a big hurry? Death will come. Let's not invite him over for dinner too early.
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This it going to sound strange: I live on a semi-truck with both my parents. We go home like every 3 months or so. So I spend a lot of time with them. They are always rushing, no matter what we are doing. But me, I am a very calm person. So for a long time I thought I was just slow. But my friend came on a short trip with us and told me that my parents act like they are on speed. Finally! Someone else noticed! My friend and I are both very calm people and do not feel the need to rush about. But we also both live knowing that we could die tommorrow. As Christians, we know that death is not the end, and living life to the fullest just does not appeal to us. Carpe diem can be applied in so many ways that you could say anyone follows the idea.
I agree. I am also a Christian, and I always wonder why everyone rushes about. If you're Christian, then it absolutely makes no sense because this life is temporary anyway. If you're an Atheist (just as an example) and you believe there is no afterlife, why are you rushing towards your view of the end? It's often craziness. Fear, really. Carpe diem should just mean enjoy, but some people tend to take it and run with it (as someone inevitably does with every idea in existence).
Love comes like surprise ice in the water. --Kings of Convenience
I'm not sure that I agree with your interpretation of "living life to the fullest" because, I think that both men have done precisely that, by their own standards. So long as they are happy with the decisions that they have made, who are we to decide which one is right? For example, I tend to be a fairly relaxed person, but am involved in a lot of things, therefore, I often am rushing around. It doesn't mean that I don't take the time to sit down with a cup of tea and watch the rain outside (actually a top priority in my life) and it doesn't mean that I necessarily view my life as full. I just enjoy doing all of these different things, and don't want to give them up quite yet. But I'm not racing death and that is why I have to stay so busy, I'm simply enjoying all of the things that I like to do, and eventually, when I decide to get married and have children, I can say that I've done everything that I wanted to in my life, and that is just as full as someone who married right out of high school and has known nothing else, so long as he or she is satisfied with the decisions that they've made. To make my point shorter, because I know that I am rambling. I think everyone should just do what they want to do in life. Have children, don't have children; have a career, or not; decide to travel all over the world, or never leave your home town. So long as you are happy with the life you have lead, I believe that your life is full. It's all about being happy with the decisions that you have made, not what others would perceive to be the "right" decision.
*Laura Lea*
You took the words right out of my mouth. I had the same response. My major is journalism, and thus hurrying is the name of the game! But it makes me happy. I like living life in the fast lane, and its really nobody else's business. I believe in the saying in the bible that says before you take the speck out of your neighbors eye, take the plank out of your own. Instead of focusing on how everyone else is ruining their lives etc . . . we should be focusing on the problems in our own life and of society.
Francesca Chambers
"I think everyone should just do what they want to do in life."
I would recommend becoming the person you want to be, and the rest will follow...
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Partisanship...so 20th Century
First off, love "Kate and Leopold". Great movie, but I never thought it could be looked at like that with the whole carpe diem philosophy! Nice points.
However, I have to agree a bit with lauralea. I think "living life to the fullest" differs from person to person. If a person finds that they can live life to the fullest by filling up their schedule, then it's how they think; no one should stop them if they're happy doing a million things at once. Yet if someone sees that taking the easy road is more their style (already by saying easy I'm being a bit biased... oops), then that's just them.
I see "carpe diem" as not chasing after opportunities but rather taking them when they come your way. For example, if you're living a monotonous life where the schedule is the same day in and day out, if there's a chance to go do something you've never done before, you seize that moment. I think that nowadays, the meaning gets a bit jumbled up and people tend to instead go after any opportunity they can find. I see that while walking down the path of life, some things get thrown at you. Some people take chances at new things given to them while others walk away. Others just take everything that is thrown at them. Because "seizing the moment" is such a broad phrase and can be interpreted in many ways, it just varies from person to person.
Ever seen "The Dead Poet's Society"? Robin Williams plays the teacher who lives by the philosophy of "carpe diem". It's a great film and teaches some good lessons, so if you haven't seen it yet, I suggest you should go out and rent it. :)
I have seen The Dead Poets' Society (it is in fact an excellent movie). My point was not to bash carpe diem; my point was to offer a more mellow interpretation. Taking the less frivolous route isn't "easy." It actually becomes harder to stick with things when they pile up and become hectic. Our society is such that it's almost impossible to "stop and smell the roses" every now and then. Good points, though (both of you). I just get a little worried when people are so upset about tiny things (like a traffic jam) since there are bigger fish to fry.
Love comes like surprise ice in the water. --Kings of Convenience
Strange that we'd adopt such a mind set when people live so much longer no adays. Not that freak accidents and stuff don't happen... Just a thought.
"Seize the day" is not an exhortation to be short-sighted or to rush out and do whatever you feel like. It is an exhortation not to keep postponing your life until...whatever it is you are waiting for before you start doing the things you are going to do "some day." This doesn't mean you have to rush out and do all of them at once.
Much of the rushing around is an avoidance of...different things for different people, but I would say much of it is to avoid life....the risks, the disappointments, the pain. People say they are going to do this and that "some day," but often they are just putting off engaging life and reality.
Ironically (sort of like strange, only different), the longer we live, the harder it becomes to maintain that illusion. Year after year after goes by, year after year after year stretches out ahead, and still they wait for some day. I think it becomes harder and harder to pretend that they don't really want "some day" to come. They prefer to sustain the fantasy of "some day" rather than doing something today that might lead them to some day. So they rush around doing other things instead.
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Partisanship...so 20th Century
You would be surprised how many freak accidents happen . . . and my fear of death is not so much of immediately, but the idea that I am going to all of a sudden be 60 and realize that I never accomplished any of the things that I wanted to in my life. Not because I didnt have the ability, but because I put them off or was not confident enough to pursue them.
Francesca Chambers
It seems that in today's world, as technology becomes more advanced and things are created to make life easier, we try to cram more things into our days. This can be a good thing, as long as we still ARE enjoying the life we've built. I for one, don't know what to do if I'm not busy for most of the day. I hate being idle when there are so many productive, wonderful things to do. But I also relish the down-time I have to pursue hobbies and spend time with those I love. I think as long as we don't lose sight of what we are living for - the connections we have with people, love and happiness - then a fast-paced life isn't that bad.
I think keeping occupied with useful tasks is mentally healthy. Conversely, I think that, when you overload yourself and frantically take up task after task without any thought to whether they are useful or not, is unhealthy.