Edit: 07/11/22 —This essay is now obsolete.
Edit: 02/02/22 — changed “temporal savouring” to “complete savouring”, removed “the” from “the self”, critical mention of Netflix Party and the rhetorical question related to it, re-added reference to compassion in spiritual traditions, changed “The Western mind” to “Western minds”, corrected categorisation of guilt and shame, loosened reference to shame as a totally negative quality, edited wording to be more compassionate.
Edit: 17/12/21 — reverted description of suffering to ‘unsatisfactoriness’ from “an ‘unsatisfactoriness’” after reading Leigh Brasington’s Dependent Origination and Emptiness to avoid reification.
Edit: 16/12/21— developed sections on guilt and interdependence, decapitalised “middle way” and changed stance on technology.
Edit: 09/12/21 — added subheadings for better reader experience and updated views upon further reflection, with particular focus on the section on China and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Edit: 05/10/21 — edited wording to be more compassionate and removed the usage of ‘junky’.
Edit: 14/06/21 — changed the title and made a minor addition to the piece.
Edit: 05/06/21 — changed the translation of homo laborans to be less sexist.
Edit: 13/06/20— made some revisions to improve accuracy and tone.
Edit: 15/05/20— changed ‘Meditation’ in the title to ‘Contemplation’ to avoid appropriation and semantic confusion.
Edit: 05/05/20— made some revisions to the original piece to convey more clarity and accuracy.
As we brace ourselves for an unprecedented period of economic, social and political turmoil, an opportunity arises to reflect on the active lives we live — what the German-American philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt called the vita activa. The vita activa is a life devoid of contemplation and enduring moments. It is a life that is so hyperactive that nearly all time is spent jumping from one thing to another without complete savouring.
In The Scent of Time, South Korean-German philosopher and cultural theorist Byung-Chul Han makes a case for the need to revitalise the contemplative life — the vita contemplativa — and a goal to move towards life of a middle way of the vita activa and the vita contemplativa. Whilst the vita contemplativa can refer to either the life of the contemplative intellectual or the spiritual/religious practitioner, I will be referring to it as the union of the two. Drawing largely from 20th century German philosophy, Han argues that time no longer contains any meaning and that we are in a temporal crisis. The heavenly salvation that the Western world strived towards for millennia no longer exists in this secular age. As such we have transformed into a homo laborans — a labouring human, constantly working and maintaining active lives to avoid the existential angst born from lives devoid of meaning or purpose. It is a deeply rooted angst largely characterised by a desire to be valued in society, a fear of self and aversions to loneliness and boredom, thinly veiled by compulsive activity.
Rising unemployment and decreasing in-person socialisation forces us to find a way out of facing existential angst through the most convenient avenue: technology. Whilst technology and social media is certainly polarising, it has become clear that some sense of community can be derived from it. In Berlin, clubs are uniting in solidarity and offering live streams of DJ sets in an attempt to keep the city’s musical heart beating. Twitch streams and Discord communities are sprouting up like digital storm shelters and soup kitchens. However, Western life is becoming eerily similar to that of the Japanese, where hikikomori — a phenomenon where people unable to handle the stressors of society become extreme social recluses — is becoming increasingly prevalent. Our obsession with activity and a need to constantly have our attention captivated highlights a need to slow down so that our lives are not forced into the digital realm.
With technology interwoven into the fabric of our lives, we must consider the importance of ethics. The Lean methodology that many companies now use, focuses on a build first, think later mindset. It is a manifestation of the vita activa. As competition in the tech industry grows and startups continue to optimise efficiency, ethics are being sacrificed and consequences being handed off to society. As people undoubtedly turn to dating apps like Tinder and Bumble and social media apps like Facebook and Twitter to avoid feeling lonely, technological dependency will simply strengthen. Instagram, Youtube and Netflix have similar powers to shape our behaviour with their recommendation systems. Given that the algorithms behind these apps and websites directly alter who we might meet, what we consume and therefore the lives that we ultimately live, it follows that without some form of regulation, tech companies and startups must at minimum seriously assess responsibility for their technologies, much like news outlets and journalists. If technology is supposed to benefit humanity, this is a no-brainer. Algorithmic integrity is a necessity.
Moreover, with online information being increasingly unreliable, what responsibility do companies like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit have in the circulation or regulation of inaccurate information, particularly during times of crisis such as this? Misleading or delayed information could be an indirect cause of mass death. In Future Ethics, product designer and futurist Cennydd Bowles states:
As our first ethical step we should abandon the comforting idea that technology is neutral.
This pandemic has created just the right conditions for developing addictions to technology, and for existing addictions to become even more deeply entrenched. Just as a bartender holds responsibility and must make a judgement call for not serving overly drunk patrons, tech companies and their employees must factor ethics into the process of design and development before serving users. The tech industry is with good reason fighting against using that term — users — because of the drug use associations, but we are becoming just that: a society addicted to social media and content consumption, craving the next dopamine rush of a phone notification or the release of an enticing online series. Technology and our addiction to it are beasts that we are yet to learn how to handle. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is well aware of our addictive behaviours and even considers sleep as Netflix’s main competitor “on the [profit] margin”, although it is unclear whether he or the company has malevolent intentions. As consumers and users of these technologies, we must also apply pressure on these companies, such that ethics becomes tied with profits and operational efficiency. Companies employing unethical practises must be held responsible.
Turning inwards as a way forward
A turn inwards — and to be clear, not a withdrawal — to ourselves and out of the social and cultural void that has opened could be one way forward. Maybe this pandemic is a necessary catalyst to find solace within ourselves. Maybe pandemics are the earth’s version of having a nervous breakdown or a resistance to continuous exploitation. A sort of evolutionary revolution — a necessary challenge to overcome and from which to learn important lessons so that life can sustainably continue. Then again, maybe it has no inherent meaning at all. Regardless, the need for an improvement in our treatment of animals has been thrusted into our hands by the forces of nature. The flaws of our — collective human — consumption habits have been illuminated and our vulnerability exposed as the global death toll rises. It is inconceivable that we can live satisfying lives when consumption is society’s priority. Consumption never ends until death. Perhaps we should reprioritise society around sustainability and ethics instead. In Stoic philosopher Epictetus’ Discourses, he emphasises that:
the good lies nowhere else than in choice
If we are to learn from the Stoics, clearly we cannot continue to consume with disregard for how we are consuming. Our choices dictate whether we live good or bad lives.
A turn inwards could also lead to the discovery of greater creativity and beauty found in the arts. In American philosopher Dennis Dutton’s Ted Talk he argues that beauty and art is a driving force of human evolution and that “beauty is an adaptive effect which we extend and intensify in the creation and enjoyment of works of art and entertainment”. Dutton believes the first works of art were created millions of years ago as stone hand axes, even prior to the development of language. With regressive acts like the Australian government recently removing the federal arts department, perhaps this may sow the creative seeds necessary for a new wave of artistic expression, a recognition that the arts are essential to human evolution and therefore a revaluation of its societal importance.
An opportunity for reflection
This is an opportunity to reflect on our values and worldviews amongst seemingly irrational behaviour. The systems in which we live have revealed problems that can arise when we are left to govern ourselves in a free market where panic is also present. The phenomenon of toilet paper hoarding is what is known as a ‘tragedy of the commons’ — a problem where resources must be shared and individuals act out of self-interest against the common good of the group, thereby depleting the resource. This problem largely stems from a lack of sense of community and lack of shared understanding. Due to our hyperactive lives, we are left with no time to consider our roles — if any — as neighbours, citizens and even as human beings. If we view the earth as a shared resource, it follows that to break out of this tragedy, we must cooperate as a species such that the earth is not depleted. If we held the view that peaceful action and cooperation would lead to the best outcomes, no individual nor even nation would hoard.
Han aptly concludes The Scent of Time with the words of Nietzsche:
From lack of rest, our civilization is ending in a new barbarism. Never have the active, which is to say the restless, people been prized more. Therefore, one of the necessary correctives that must be applied to the character of humanity is a massive strengthening of the contemplative element.
This barbarism is abundantly clear from today’s outrage culture (or cancel culture). A significant amount of people have called racism at anyone making any jokes linking COVID-19 with Asian people. Many have demanded the removal of those making these types of jokes from Facebook groups. The line between appropriate and inappropriate humour is disintegrating with diminishing informational context. With it, the line between ‘racism’ and ‘racial’ is disintegrating with it. It is of course understandable that people feel a need to defend others from potential cyber bullying but when we set boundaries on comedy we dangerously approach limiting freedom of speech. Counter intuitively, racial jokes might in fact encourage more inclusiveness than less depending on the context. Humour or ‘banter’ entails a closeness that extends beyond being mere strangers and into the territory of acquaintance and friendship as an adult form of play. Outrage culture is leading to the over politically correct redefinition of what constitutes as racism.
It can be easy to feel as though we are powerless in this world, but I believe we — all of us, not only people of colour or any other minority group — have the power and responsibility as individuals to respond to challenges thoughtfully and peacefully. And what greater power is there than to have the ability to create a peaceful world? It can also be easy to feel a need to vilify discriminatory behaviour but I believe aggressive responses more often than not lead to the internalisation of guilt, the perpetuation of a cycle of violence and consequently more issues in the long term. The vita activa leaves no time for the consideration of those we do not directly need in the functioning of our lives, nor does it provide time for the consideration of our worldviews before voicing them. Lack of time spent contemplating, reflecting and understanding are manifesting as outrage.
Who holds responsibility?
This outrage is being loaded up and fired at whatever target is at closest range. With the world at our fingertips and screens, this not only includes fellow citizens but even more so celebrities, politicians and governments. Thousands of people descended upon Bondi Beach in Sydney on a sunny day despite government and media warnings about the dangers of contagion. Consequently, the Australian government closed the beach. So who holds the responsibility for the problems that we are facing? The government can only respond as best as they can to how citizens respond to warnings. To be clear, At the same time we — including individuals, companies and governments — must be mindful of the mistakes we have made in dealing with this pandemic.
We could trace the problem back to the Wuhan wet market vendors where the virus spawned. In Vox’s video How wildlife trade is linked to coronavirus, Chinese animal trade expert Peter Li says the consumers of these animals are wealthier individuals, largely consuming for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) purposes. If they are to operate at all, perhaps animal vendors should undergo animal ethics or animal disease transmission education or training to avoid similar incidents as well as treat the animals that they want to sell with more care and respect. Going further, we could find fault in the Chinese government and the laws placed on wildlife trade and consumption. To their credit they have banned wildlife trade temporarily and pledged to change laws, but they have not banned the consumption of animals - including endangered species - for TCM. The question of whether animals can be ethically used for medical purposes or not must be raised here, especially given the scientifically questionable nature of TCM.
However Daniel Kahneman, expert on psychology of judgement and decision making and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow said that:
when faced with a difficult question, we often answer an easier one instead, usually without noticing the substitution.
Here, the question of blame is the easier question to answer.
So what is the difficult question? I believe it is: How do we progress without blame?
I propose a renewed emphasis on compassion. Compassion for ourselves, others, animals and even the earth itself. We need a sincere intention to turn towards and listen to that which might be different, triggering or outrageous. We need to view the earth as a quasi-living entity of which we are apart of rather than just a source of resources; with the earth also being apart of the greater cosmos. Compassion is of course nothing new. Various religions, spiritual traditions and contemplative practises have long held this as a virtue, however increasing secularity has lead to its fading into the background. Therefore one of the necessary correctives that must also be applied to the character of Western humanity is a massive strengthening of the compassionate element.
This is no easy feat. Western minds have long had guilt as a motivator for improvement and wholesome action, which I hypothesise has been instilled as a side effect by the Christian notion that we must be saved from our sins. That is not to say that there is anything inherently wrong with Christianity and Jesus is of course an embodiment of compassion, but in Tibet for example, the word for guilt does not exist (not that Tibet is a utopia but it shows that guilt is not necessarily inherent in human conditioning). Guilt, as opposed to its healthy counterpart remorse, as well as unhealthy or toxic shame are some of the unwholesome feelings that habitually arise in today’s society. They are the psychosomatic equivalent of whipping or hurting oneself when a mistake is made and are responses that can be reprogrammed.
The cultivation of compassion and more specifically self-compassion are means to do so. Compassion is undoubtedly slow moving because it is more time consuming to develop the necessary understanding compared to its close relative, empathy. Consequently, it will struggle to generate fast change at a political level (unless maybe political/business leaders suddenly have some Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings(SSAs)) but as we begin to shape our views, it will flow into our words and actions. Compassionate consumption will support ethical companies such that unethical ones must adapt or die. In the long-term, an increase in compassion entering the sphere of politics and positions of power will lead to more compassionate policy and decision making.
To complement this, there is also Effective Altruism, a contemporary approach to maximising the good that we can do. In addition, 80000 Hours is a supporting nonprofit organisation that addresses the world’s most important problems.
I have to give a caveat that I could be overstating the issues at hand or that I could be disillusioned. My views are also seen through the lens of non-duality. Kahneman and Tversky’s research has demonstrated that human behaviour is inevitably coloured with some form of cognitive bias. Kahneman has also noted:
The psychologist, Paul Rozin, an expert on disgust, observed that a single cockroach will completely wreck the appeal of a bowl of cherries, but a cherry will do nothing at all for a bowl of cockroaches.
Nonetheless, the COVID-19 Crisis reminds us of the fragility of the world in which we live and a time that calls for reflection. With increasing secularity in the 21st century, humans believe ourselves to be masters of the earth. This crisis demonstrates that we are subject to forces significantly stronger than us.
In Existentialism is a Humanism, French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre considered contemplation a “luxury” and therefore an activity for the bourgeoisie, but with all the time that technology affords us today, surely this can no longer be the case. However Sartre is right in that we must draw from German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Kant suggests that we consider whether behaviour is universally appropriate before acting. Cennydd Bowles succinctly simplifies Kant’s most important theory to the question of:
What if everyone did what I am about to do?
This question is incredibly powerful if we apply it to our daily actions. It has the power to save lives during a crisis like this. To build on this, if cooperation is to be the optimal path of progress — and I think we can all agree that we are generally stronger as a group than as individuals — I believe there is another question that we must ask ourselves before acting: Is what I am about to say or do creating more unity or division?
Or better yet:
Am I creating a world that everyone wants to live in?
Fittingly, COVID-19 has removed all of our breathing room. We are confined to our homes and presented with an ultimatum: to shift closer towards the vita contemplativa and reflect on our worldviews and to rid ourselves of the ignorance and hyperactivity of the vita activa, or to suffocate in naivety, compulsive activity and similar crises in the future. A balance between the active and contemplative life provides the necessary time to actually savour each moment and transforms the fleeting into the enduring. It provides meaning to the meaningless. It releases us from the shackles and chaos of hyperactivity and allows happiness free of overconsumption and unwholesome choices. A newfound opportunity presents itself to cultivate understanding, gratitude, joy and compassion from community and technology, or to turn inwards and find it in creativity and introspection.
Most importantly, in each new moment an opportunity arises to make the most of that which is priceless and irreplaceable: time.
Whilst the Buddhist definition of suffering differs to the conventional one and refers to what can be best described as ‘unsatisfactoriness’ or what is known in the Pali language as dukkha, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s words of wisdom will surely still be a consolation for us all as we endure extended social isolation:
The lotus cannot be there without the mud. Likewise, happiness cannot be there without suffering. Looking deeply into the suffering, we gain an understanding of it, which enables happiness to have a chance to blossom. Thus, the lotus does not have to reject the mud, and the beauty of the lotus actually gives value to the mud.
Note: Byung-Chul Han does not explicitly use the term “middle way” in his writing. This is my own interpretation and whilst I do not identify as strictly Buddhist, is taken from the terminology and Siddhartha Gautama’s (aka Buddha’s) teachings.
