Leisure and Existentialism

 One of the things from Chapter 26 that stuck out with me was the discussion on leisure we had as a class. Dr. Redick brought up an example from Farenheight 451, but I also thought it was a very similar idea to the famous existentialists like Heidegger. For example, he comes up with his own philosophy that is not only one of my favorites, but one I think perfectly connects with leisure and why it is important.  

The core of his philosophy is that typically, most people go throughout their lives living day to day. Their minds are on the things they can see and feel: taxes, school, deadlines, waking up, going to sleep, stresses, joys, highs and lows. However, if people do this constantly, it means they are not making a life for themself. They are not defining themself by their choices and actions, because they are just cruising along, not thinking about meaning and their place in the world. For example, it is only until someone realizes that they are going to die at some point in life that it creates a feeling of purpose. If we lived forever, we could do anything and everything. But since we are mortal, we only get each day once. We have to make the most of it. 

Thus, we can't just waste time with leisure. We have to slow down, take a deep breath, and remember why we are here. People need time to actually think about their life. We cannot just go quickly throughout lives, rushing things and trying to speed up this fragile process. We have to take moments each day to view things in our life, take notice of little things, yes, but it does not stop there. If we do not think about the things we have seen, felt, and heard, why they are important, what value they have to us, then it leaves a carelessness and void in our life. 

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