Tag: philosophy

It is truly commendable the effort of Unamuno to try to verbalize the feeling he experiences, perhaps discovered only after a careful look inside himself, that there is an indescribable force always present in the decisive moments of his life, in which he had to make decisions. Noticing it is not a simple task, and sometimes it is only possible when time passes, and the irreversible effects of the decision are drawn in the past. It is even more difficult to admit, since the evidence is concentrated in the nebulous field of subjectivity, which rejects the possibility of clear and rational understanding. The hardest thing, however, is to try to express it: words seem insufficient, never corresponding to the real feeling. To do so is necessarily to expose oneself to ridicule; it is to say something and then immediately want to take it back. Of all that can be said about Del sentimiento trágico de la vida, the most important thing is this: this book is a demonstration of courage.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to experience in this life the pedagogical sensation that “time has passed.” This sensation, which varies depending on circumstances, usually points to the consequences of having postponed a decision. However, there are times when it shows very clearly that a decision has indeed been made. This happens to those who, after a certain age, observe their old acquaintances, some of whom were close until just yesterday, and realize that they have all taken a path, accepted what life had to offer, made choices, continued their parents’ work. Few can experience this, for they are precisely those who did not act as expected, transgressing the natural course of life, breaking with the pattern. Then, “time has passed”: one can no longer go back, nor reintegrate into the norm; one has decided without realizing it. And how quickly it all happens! Now, everything becomes very clear, and the fortunate one who experiences it can finally commit to his decision forever.

It is necessary to have compassion because, as Buddhism says, suffering is very evenly distributed, and we almost never know what motivates an action. We judge automatically, and rarely reflect on our ability to judge, which is non-existent when based on mere conventions. Man is nothing. He benefits himself, not his neighbor, when he tries to understand. And when he does not understand, something can be gained by pity; nothing by condemnation.

All long-term planning involves accepting the unpleasant feeling that will surely arise during the process, and it will seem to do everything to ensure that the plan is quickly abandoned, since the goal is very distant and it may be better to engage in something more rewarding. The worst, without a doubt, is when the plan aims only to create conditions for another plan to be executed, and this other plan alone seems to have true value. Here, one feels the full weight of the universe, blocking possibilities, unfair and antagonistic; one feels the pain of apparent stagnation, powerlessness in the face of the world, the inability to do anything effective to speed up the process. And so a terrible frustration arises. However, by mentally moving forward in time, visualizing the completed goal, it is possible to arm oneself with the certainty that everything will have been worth it. But first of all, it is necessary to be aware of the effort required, because not everyone will be willing to endure the bad days.