Monday, September 28, 2020

The Philosophical Usefulness Of Leisure

Some things are casually dismissed as if they are antithetical to philosophy despite the fact that they are just other parts of reality to dissect.  Leisure, while it is clearly less central to the nature of human existence than many other existential and spiritual issues, still plays a role in life that can be stabilizing, rejuvenating, and inspiring.  Although leisure is on some level less philosophically intensive than other subjects, how a person enjoys leisure is not separated from their worldview.

After all, each person carries their worldview into whatever leisurely activity they choose to participate in.  A rationalistic Christian will not cease to be a rationalistic Christian if they watch a lighthearted film, and the same is true if that person engages in some other relatively trivial activity.  Rest and the leisure it can provide are not enemies of thorough, sound intellectualism.  If anything, leisure provides people with an entire category of concepts and experiences that themselves need to be understood, all while allowing the psychologically or physically weary an opportunity to recharge.

Of course, some people not only naturally think about explicitly philosophical matters no matter what they are doing in a given moment, but they also enjoy doing so and feel empowered by it.  These people carry their worldviews into whatever they do in an additional sense: they are consciously reflecting on, analyzing, or revisiting philosophical concepts of some kind all throughout their day.  It takes little to no effort for them to constantly focus on matters of reality and worldview.

Not everyone has this characteristic, and not everyone has to have it.  It is not a moral fault to not possess it.  However, all should be prepared to consider an important concept wherever it might be brought up.  If a situation demands that one contemplate an unexpected experience or any philosophical issues directly associated with it, leisure needs to be postponed.  Philosophical reflection is more important thing than personal relaxation, after all--even though the two are by no means mutually exclusive.

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