I believe that the Nineties can be truthfully described as an ‘age of alienation’. I also consider it a period in history, where man has sought to conquer space and time, through all the new wonders in the field of communication, including of course Internet. Man seems to want to branch off to others, to increase the span of his world, to ‘reach out’ to more than was ever possible. However, at times I believe, that he has almost lost himself in the process. So, when I consider the fact that even the ancient Greeks, who compared to us seem to have lived a more placid sort of life, yet nonetheless still felt the need for inner introspection, I wonder at how much we, especially people in the Western world, profoundly need ‘self-retrieval’. In my opinion, a consciousness of oneself, ultimately contributes towards a better quality of life. Knowledge of your own virtues and limitations, is essential in coping with the everyday frustrations offered by the stressful lives we lead. ‘Know thyself’ is indeed a precious piece of advice for the 20th Century man. As I watch television, and see endless accounts of murders and senseless crimes, my thoughts often stray to the person/s who has committed the crime in question. In the majority of cases, I consider the offender to be as much of a victim, as the ‘real’ victim. Many of the gruesome stories we read in our daily newspapers look like desperate cries for help to me. We stare with disapproving eyes towards these people, and are quite happy to condemn them, yet they are the product of a society we have created. Our scale of priorities screams out for help. We have lost sight of what is indeed important, and the individual without a name is secluded behind the figures in statistics.
I have chosen to conclude these few thoughts with this quotation: “ He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich... ” ( Taken from Thomas Merton, The Way of Chaug-Tzu. )
For any reaction please email me.