Speculation on our future
We all are going to die!
Who are we? Society, civilization. This is going to be a speculation on our future.
Lets talk about philosophy a bit as we all love wisdom...
A French writer, feminist, and social theorist, Simone de Beauvoir in the beginning of
the 20th century advanc
ed four pairs of opposites on which society, even civilization are founded. These four pairs were physical body and mentality,
an individual and society, nature and culture, personal desire of survival and survival of species.
Physical body and mentality. How can these opposites affect “our” and “my” future? ! Let`s start with contemporary society. Most part of this society adore a physical body- real fiesta for plastic surgery and manufactureing of cosmetics and clothes . Instead of going to church we go to the cosmetologist or shopping. Mental needs of most part of our society are limited with watching cheep serials and films on TV. We should do something about it! Otherwise in near future we all could awake adoring some skinny overfried in solarium super model , a plastic surgeon and jeans from some trendy brand... Thanks God there is crisis! It makes people think more about spiritual values. So you can't afford going to the cinema for to see the latest and also most shallow film? You may try to find an old poetry book and read it- who knows you might find there some brand new meaning of life? In the end try to go to some kind of culturally bohemian event which is for free and where you have a chance to meat some very wise people?
The individual and society-the most important pair of opposites in the contemporary world. Relationships between the individual and society are meanings which my vision of future is based on. The individual aims and aims of society should be connected. For example, society of Latvia does not have even a direction of development not even talking about one aim. Society and especially the government must not ignore each and every individual’s “my vision” of life and things. Individual, do not become egoistic! You are also connected with “our vision” of society. Yes, it's very fashionable nowadays to preach revelation – you can be what you want and live as you want... What does it mean? Society does not have any principles and value system. If we are going to live like this further all of this “as you want” will cause global misunderstood hedonism. “What is hedonism?” you might ask... Its a way of antique philosophy. The main idea of this philosophy is: what makes you feel good is good and what makes you feel bad is bad. This belief could be a slogan for all the now-a-day addicts of any kind. Well... they have not heard the other idea of this philosophy-it is not shame to go into a pub, it is shame you cannot come out . In other words- you should not become a slave of things what make you feel happy.
About opposites nature and culture I am not going to talk just because at least 10 of you have already talked about the nature a bit too much.
Personal desire of survival and survival of species. Balance of this two opposites in Latvia is very solemn issue. Most part of young people are trying to survive and to live better and better so hard that they forget about their duty in front of society and continuing human species. Personal desire of very many “my” is danger for “our” society. An individual once heard “ you can be what you want and live as you want” forget about their duty to create new individuals- children. So our society is getting older and more passive. A family-the steam cell of society is becoming less and less notable. If we do not have “our” value system in society we should at least respect family which gives us “my” individual value system. Too bad that we do not have a value system in society- individual and society balance is going to end very soon. Consequently, when the balance of some of four opposites do not exist any more society and civilization is starting not to exist too.
So in the end I have come to the conclusion that our civilization is going to fall, in other words our civilization is dying. Recently I read about A. J. Toynbee`s theory about falling civilizations. The main signs of a falling civilization are people’s trying to avoid problems, there is some kind of drift and of course indiscrimination
or uncritical attestation of everything
. As you can see in contemporary society there definitely are all of these signs- trying to avoid problems- becoming a cosmopolitan, hedonist. Drift- people are not thinking about their future in family and children, indiscrimination
- globalization.
Our civilization is dying and ,sooner or later, absolutely everything is going to metamorphose irretrievably, but do not be sad-it is natural. I mean - you are not fussing about your 105 year old grandgrandmother`s death in a very close future “Oh my God! Granny you are going to die! Pleas don't die! Why are you dying?” Am I right? So let’s just taste the last convulsions of our old and weak civilization...
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