Luxury of thinking

September 20th, 2024

So that is how it goes. Our myths and our complete symbolic collective unconsciousness were formed soon after we as humankind learned to talk. It was at the same time we had time to think. And time to watch. And time to feel. And time to experience. Nowadays, thinking is a luxury that only a few can afford. And they are making damn sure we will never get the same luxury of time to think as they do.

I don't think it is a concentrated effort of the ruling class to work us to the bone, to squeeze all the energy we have, to keep us constantly busy. No, we are doing it ourselves and quite willingly so. Hell, we even look at constant busyness as something to be proud of. Idleness is something to be ashamed of, to be scorned at. If you are not busy, if you are not doing side hustles, if you are not trying by any means to better your station, you are just a loser. So we keep hustling and accepting constant motion as something natural and admirable.

And at the same time, we are too tired to think. Not only to think for ourselves, but mostly to think critically or in depth about any subject. We slide by on tidbits of knowledge and soundbites and memes and regurgitated opinions. We lock ourselves in echo chambers where everything and everyone fits our point of view. Or maybe it is us who adjust to the particular point of view because it is convenient and easy and we just don't know any better.

Clear and personal thinking? Ain’t nobody got time for that.