At certain times of the year, it's difficult not to be washed away by the exuberant festivities. Everybody is held captive by the flurry of activities; some rituals are so integral to people that you would be regarded as a social outsider in not recognizing them. Everybody does it, everybody enjoys it. What defective upbringing did you have that you don't?
These things ruthlessly demand our attention, time and energy; so if you have started reflecting philosophically on your life, meanwhile (and why else would you still be reading this?), then you're probably asking yourself what attitude to take towards them. Are these necessary elements of social life in which we have to engage? Or a nexus of pointless rituals and blatant excuses for yielding to bad habits, to drinking, bawling, wasting time? Should one try to be fully abstinent and thus exercise the greatest possible self-control; or should one take part demonstratively, but with good measure? Which ability is more valuable: to keep your ways even in the face of the strongest blasts, or to exercise balanced judgment and find the right degree of participation? Take care.
These things ruthlessly demand our attention, time and energy; so if you have started reflecting philosophically on your life, meanwhile (and why else would you still be reading this?), then you're probably asking yourself what attitude to take towards them. Are these necessary elements of social life in which we have to engage? Or a nexus of pointless rituals and blatant excuses for yielding to bad habits, to drinking, bawling, wasting time? Should one try to be fully abstinent and thus exercise the greatest possible self-control; or should one take part demonstratively, but with good measure? Which ability is more valuable: to keep your ways even in the face of the strongest blasts, or to exercise balanced judgment and find the right degree of participation? Take care.
