What are we supposed to do?

A modern human life is usually divided between work and leisure. Besides keeping a job, “work” would be all you HAVE to do: studying, child rearing, and…, I’m too lazy to think about other examples. Leisure would be whatever you do because you feel like it and you can and may. I guess our far ancestors were busy most of the time, trying to survive, but when not, they would go “leisure mode”; but their days were not so rigidly structured.

Modern humans are so conditioned to their productive quota that their free time feels weird. Maybe their holidays feel like being unemployed or retired, somehow, so they try to work hard on resting in a productive way. The unemployed must feel a great cognitive dissonance. They certainly have a lot of free time, free time is supposed to be enjoyed, but of course they can’t—unless they’re psychopaths, or whatever. The retired (at least the affordably retired) may either be like the productive employed on vacations; or the burnt out worker after a hard day, brain rotting with their phones or streaming videos (do people still watch TV?), or just looking at the ceiling.

In the book I’m reading, A User’s Guide to the Brain by John J. Ratey, M.D., the author says that mental, physical and social activity are essential for the brain’s health. You could feel/do all that in a work or leisure way, but in reality they are not only a mix of both but they also occupy a third division of a human’s life: self maintenance (like hygiene, grooming, sleeping, etc.). See the implications? You do have an additional “work”, one that you need to do regardless of the amount of money you have, and at the same time one that you can choose to do in a pleasant way.

Then we have another problem: What for? Meaning, purpose, sense… Sometimes there’s a why, but taking in to account what is needed to get there seems to kill it. The existential crisis for the people who care. You may choose to ignore the abyss, and just enjoy the experience of being you. Some people will tell you to see ways to help others, like they do, or to raise a family, like the do; not so different from the rich one telling you to be “entrepreneurial”, or the six pack suggesting you to exercise.

A human life is really short, and feels even shorter as you grow old…, wait, that sounded like if I were a grandpa, I mean, as people in general grow old! So, naturally, you feel the pressure of experiencing all the good stuff, however you can. But then, what “the good stuff” is supposed to be? And, what if all you want is just to look at the ceiling on your sofa—at least for a while? What if everything else seems just an excuse to consume? These are the days you have to pay for drinks or assist a paid event just to talk to people. Those exotic and beautiful places in the world are just products for sale on the tourism industry.

I was trying to keep writing, but for some weeks until now I just couldn’t. Writing is my non work related activity that gives me purpose, entertainment, and makes my life special. When my “superpower” went off, I tried to focus on work (no choice) and leisure. It’s like just trying to afford and entertained and comfortable life outside the working hours. Then, everything seemed like it has to be done because “what if I don’t?” or “what if I couldn’t?”. I don’t really know what it is what I’m supposed to do in this life; I would go with “enjoying the experience of being you”. Should I try to imitate the other people? Ugh! Make a family, like in being all the time with people that at some point will be like another job? Ugh!

Well… Now that I was able to write something, I suddenly don’t care about anything else, so…, bye!