Is the unexamined life worth living?
By Robert Gerzon
I've always been fascinated by Socrates' bold statement that "The
unexamined life is not worth living."
He doesn't mince words. He doesn't say that the unexamined life is
"less meaningful than it could be" or "one of many possible responses to
human existence." He simply and clearly says it's not even worth living.
Why does he make such strong, unequivocal statement?
Socrates believed that the purpose of human life was personal and
spiritual growth. We are unable to grow toward greater understanding of
our true nature unless we take time to examine and reflect upon our life.
As another philosopher, Santayana, observed, "He who does not remember the
past is condemned to repeat it."
Examining our life reveals patterns of behavior. Deeper contemplation
yields understanding of the subconscious programming, the powerful mental
software that runs our life. Unless we become aware of these patterns,
much of our life is unconscious repetition.
As a psychotherapist, I see so many tragic examples of the effect of an
unexamined life. I remember Melissa, a sensitive, attractive woman in her
late forties who realized that a series of repetitive,
doomed-from-the-beginning relationships had used up so many years of her
life that it was now too late for her to realize her dream of a husband,
home and family of her own. I recall Donald, a caring, hard-working man
who ignored his wife and family for too many years and found himself
depressed and living alone in an apartment by the time he came to see me.
If only Melissa and Donald had taken the time to examine and reflect
upon their lives as they were living them, they could have made changes
and had a different experience during their lifetime.
The good news is that it is never too late to start examining our life
more thoroughly -- and to reap the rewards. Melissa never had the child
she wanted but she stopped recreating her past and eventually married a
loving man who helped her heal her childhood wound of a father who
deserted her. It was too late for Donald to get a second chance with his
wife, but he was able to build strong relationships with his children.
We all have blind spots. Sometimes when I examine a chronic problem in
my life, I have that unsettling feeling that I must be missing something,
but I can't quite see what it is. We try to examine ourselves, but none of
us can see our own back side (our "shadow").
That's why Socrates' method of self-examination included an essential
element that became known as "Socratic" dialogue. Dialoguing with a close
friend, a spouse, a skilled psychotherapist or spiritual adviser helps
reveal those blind spots we cannot see by ourselves.
Our society discourages self-awareness with a weekly cycle of working
and consuming that keeps us too busy to slow down for self-reflection.
Consumer capitalism's game plan prefers an unaware and vaguely
dissatisfied populace that tries to fill the emptiness inside with shiny
new products.
It's a radical act to stop and contemplate your life. But according to
Socrates, it's the only game that really matters.
Read more articles by Robert Gerzon online at:
http://www.gerzon.com
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