After class this week, I was looking back at my notes and noticed what I had written on the bottom of the page. It reads: "Postmodern life makes us feel schizophrenic; trying to do too many things at once/being busy." I thought about myself when I saw this note and took a look at the reading once more. There is definitely a recurring theme of busyness in the development of modernity over past years. Humans in general are beings constantly in need of stimulation. Whether it be from work, academia, or in a personal sense, we are always hungry for that which will keep our minds occupied. Even when we say 'we're not doing anything,' we really are--we're watching TV or hanging out with friends or checking our phone.
Personally, I am constantly busy. Every semester since I became a college student, I've been very involved and trying to do every possible thing I can get my hands on. When I studied abroad, I was often busy with exploration but I was never quite as busy as I am here on campus. I feel unoccupied, unproductive, and lacking in some way if I'm not operating with an on-the-go schedule. Modernity has affected us in such a way that we see nothing wrong with being this busy. We complain about how hectic our lives are, but we don't really set aside time for mental health days or hours or moments. We are endlessly bombarding ourselves with materialist culture.
If it's one thing I realized this week, it is how much I entrench myself in this postmodern way of life. As a people, we have engrained ourselves in this busy life and have accepted it. We're constantly moving faster and encouraging others to move faster. I know for myself that no matter how much I tell myself I will step back and take a moment, I will continue embracing this postmodern schizophrenia.
So my question is- Does modernity force us into this fascination with being busy and constantly occupied or is this a product of ourselves?
Personally, I am constantly busy. Every semester since I became a college student, I've been very involved and trying to do every possible thing I can get my hands on. When I studied abroad, I was often busy with exploration but I was never quite as busy as I am here on campus. I feel unoccupied, unproductive, and lacking in some way if I'm not operating with an on-the-go schedule. Modernity has affected us in such a way that we see nothing wrong with being this busy. We complain about how hectic our lives are, but we don't really set aside time for mental health days or hours or moments. We are endlessly bombarding ourselves with materialist culture.
If it's one thing I realized this week, it is how much I entrench myself in this postmodern way of life. As a people, we have engrained ourselves in this busy life and have accepted it. We're constantly moving faster and encouraging others to move faster. I know for myself that no matter how much I tell myself I will step back and take a moment, I will continue embracing this postmodern schizophrenia.
So my question is- Does modernity force us into this fascination with being busy and constantly occupied or is this a product of ourselves?
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