Writer: Hazem Ashraf
Editor: Ahmed Ashry
Graphic Designer: Maram Mohammed
Being alive is a gift that we received like other creatures. But unlike most other beings, besides this gift we’re given consciousness, which allows us to recognize our environment, the dominant elements that surround us, how we analyze our past, and how we look at our present that will transfer us to the next moment in the future.
Born to Die
We could call it a journey as Tony Stark once said: “Part of the Journey is the end!” It’s obvious once a human is born s/he is a step closer to his end. Is this a depressing truth? We can’t deny it is, but we always ignore it. Even if we don’t know that we do, how does happen? Could be a race? The time we’re living is consuming our lives as it gets wasted quickly, no one can refuse that it’s a ‘live or die’ race: if you ran faster, you could get the life you wish to have. That’s the truth that Capitalism carried us to.
Sisyphus
Our entire life is a complete chain in which we ignore losing it at every stage. People do the same things daily to live the rest of their days. They need money to have the life they’re seeking by paying some bills. These regular people are living this condition of ignorance to go on and continue doing their role. Most of us are like Sisyphus who, according to the Greek myth, carries the large stone to the top of the mountain which takes the whole day, but it rolls down in the end to repeat the mission the next day. Sisyphus once succeeded in escaping from death, which made Zeus so angry that he obligated him to do this endless task. He made him wish to get the mercy of death.
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust
We all know this common phrase. During their ignorance for death, Humans found out many methods to escape from mortality like Sisyphus. Reproduction was one of these ways; they discovered that genes transfer from one generation to another. Some dominant traits will be last for many generations in the future, which makes the original an immortal in a way. That’s why races still exist even if we do not mainly carry in our DNA one pure race. Drawing was one of the coolest inventions humans created. They needed to record some precious moments they passed through, discovering fire, how big their hunt today was, a big circular disc appears in the sky, (which needs another article to explain), and other daily routines. Drawing made them feel satisfied with what they’re doing, like a personal journal. These drawings transferred from one generation to another as a reference for existence; how the ancestors lived and what this generation is living. Drawing turned out to be insufficient: humans needed to tell about how they feel, what they’re thinking about, and what they’re exploring these days. That’s when humans invented what we’re doing now, writing! Drawing and writing were the marks that prove the birth of civilizations and the development of the human consciousness, which lead to the appearance of all sciences we’re having today, which, if we break them down, we’ll find them trying to answer this question: How to deal with existence?
The Finest Distraction Tool
Cinema could be the most enjoyable distraction tool: it gives you the best opportunity to ignore any pain you’re suffering by living the lives of others. It’s good by the way, seeing another protagonist having his own issues, problems, and challenges, make you feel satisfied. “Yeah, I’m not the only one suffering here!”, even if it’s a comedy, it carries a drama within which is the truth. I remember the interview Woody Allen had at the 68th Cannes Festival when he talked about life as he always talks, but that interview was the main motivation for writing this whole article.
You can click here to watch the interview.
The French philosopher René Descartes once said: “Je pense, donc je suis!” which means “I think; therefore, I exist!” What makes you feel that you exist? Leave a comment that ends with “therefore I exist!”. Stay tuned for another juicy article! Au revoir!
