I heard a report yesterday that with the turn down in the economy and more people unemployed a survey company thought it would be interesting to find out what people are doing with this new extra time they have. Guess what the survey showed? I’ll be back at the end with the answer.
Ever remember being in the middle of this dialog as a kid or an adult? “I am bored, there’s nothing to do.” the kid says. The adult responds: “Well, quit sittin’ around pickin’ your nose and go find something to do!”
Basically that is what this world famous literary giant (Jose Ortega y Gasset) is saying. It isn’t about being unemployed at a job. It’s about being unemployed in life, job or not. If your entire life was employed, what would it’s job be? Is it employed on behalf of something or? Your family, charities, friends, causes or? Is it employed in the pursuit of beauty, or truth, or the meaning of life, or the meaning of death, or the meaning of meaning or? Is it employed in creating art or science or a beautiful back yard or a great neighborhood park or?
The survey showed Americans are spending this new ‘extra’ time watching TV more and sleeping more. In other words, picking their noses. Don’t let that be you.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“An ‘unemployed’ existence is a worse negation of life than death itself.” – Jose Ortega y Gasset, 1883-1955, Spanish writer and philosopher
>Someone told me earlier this week that "bored" is just another way of expressing anger. This can be anger that we're not getting our way or that we're not having our expectations met, or not getting whatever we "need". We can avoid this by entering into each day with no set expectations and enjoying the gifts that each day brings us.
>Very interesting Marty.