From my little box of philosophy
Sometimes I wonder when was the first time that human beings asked themselves: What is life? What is the purpose of life? What is life all about?
What did trigger this sort of internal curiosity?
It could have been the result of something bad happening, some sort of chain of unlucky events, melancholy, or the boredom before the invention of agriculture tools. Maybe the men and women were sitting in a cave around the fire, eating meat and contemplating the nature. They were relaxed and satisfied with the things the nature was giving them. It was the first time that people realized that since they are born and until they die, all the other events that occur in between, all the moments that you live must have a name, and they call it LIFE. Discovering this must have been very worrying. How can you make all this LIFE be beautiful and meaningful? Dividing it into moments and live every each of it intense, take it as something that happens without having control over it like birth and death or maybe treasure it as the biggest gift one can receive.
People decided that they must do more than just hunting and sitting in the cave. They invented tools for agriculture, women starting cooking and redesigning their lives bringing innovation in cooking, cleaning, making clothes and taking care of children. They were growing vegetables and they discovered that eating meat is not the only option. Hunting was dangerous while corn never bite you back. Humans started develop their settlements, moved out the caves near their crops so that they can protect it. They noticed that seasons change and they must have a plan in which they are doing work. They started working more during warm season and rest in the cold one. Humans were taking control of the way they live every moment, they had plans. From sunrise to sunset it was time for living an intense life, while in the night it was a time for resting. They invented time and harmonized the moment with their needs. Some of them were better than others in living their lives effectively and started growing more crops, building more houses for families. Life become a competition between people.
….. the moments of reflection around the fire became rare, people were to tired “living their lives”
Nowadays.
For thousands of years, human beings struggled to grow more crops, build bigger houses, compete with others, in one word LIVING LIFE according to the ancient philosophy which is passed over from generation to generation. We don’t know if work is in our genes, or is just socially imposed.
But every year, all around the world, before the cropping season starts, people stop working and celebrate Labor Day. On 1st of May we stop everything that is taking most of our sunrise- sunset activity and we gather around a fire. We go into the nature, far-away from our “crops” and we burn some meat. After eating and drinking, we lay there contemplating the nature and we feel satisfied with what the nature has given us. Every time the discussion about life and What is the purpose of life? starts concerning us and challenges to find new ways of fill the time between birth and dead with something meaningful…