Archive for the ‘Arete’ tag

Existentialism

I now realize I see life and the importance of contemplating about life and it’s correlation with God because I’m in constant pursuit of ‘happiness’ to say the least. The Greeks had the arete to pursue – the quest to be a better person; in all aspects. And I subscribe to that ideal. It reminds me of humanity’s sentience.

Sure, we do not fully mimic Plato’s cave of ideals, but hey – we NEED to try. Maybe not exactly, Plato’s version of ideals, but it’s a start. Eventually there are universal traits of love, faith & hope. I also realize it’s the same way I look at what I do – my work. If there is no meaning in the work I do, then it’s quite futile. If the work is not God send – then why waste time. Jesus never knew a distinction between ‘the world’ vs the ’spiritual’. Life was recognized as spiritual. We are in constant debate with outselves and with the world around us. We need to find identity and recognize our essence.

Branding takes on a whole new meaning when you realize the need to spend enough time, and more, when it comes to nurturing your ‘brand’s’ essence. It may seem frugal to dismiss this at first, and go about the life cycle with a generic statement of fact, but one will surely miss out on the potential of a fulfilled meaningful, purposeful existence without first scrutinizing and immersing one’s total proposition in line with your brand’s essence.

Life is like that. Without knowing who you are, you are less. Know thyself. It may take another to realize that, but be active about it. Pray. Listen. Wonder. Rebrand. Revolt. Rebirth.

If you’re like me, and you have thousands of things running around in your head pleading to be heard, start with being kind – start by loving. Realize eros, storge, xenia, philia, agape: in all it’s splendor, moderation, sacrifice, balance, ideals, practicality, honour, trust, faith, and hope. I say this with all the love in the world – to which I vouch for both brand (product/service) and master (human) – both capable of rebranding.

Be saved.

Today, to love is to exist – more.

Read “Socrates in Love, by Christopher Phillips”

Two Books in a Day, and More

I finished the novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Song of Songs today. What a combination huh. That inter-spliced with a segment of Socrates in Love about Eros and eros, and the animation Grave of the Fireflies. All this, coz I couldn’t sleep. But managed to catch a seemingly long fifty winks during the day.

I have this to say about Breakfast at Tiffany’s… I wish I could tell more though, but I cannot.

Everything else I had privy to today, illustrates in one way or another – one of the following forms of love; eros, xenia, philia, storge, agape. Some in more striking fashion than the other, but these juxtaposition of literature and art, today, compounds and builds upon my lingering thoughts over the past few days.

How we struggle with life. And love. And the battle of accepting that tis’ better to have loved than not to have loved at all. Speaking of which, that saying… was in reference to a more brotherly love than a lost lover – I found out. Google “In Memoriam”.

In the end, it seems – we all seek love to find arete. To emancipate to a higher state of being – holds some truth.

Arya… what a nice name. Comes from the same root work for arete.