My Philosophy On the Past
Updated: Oct 11
"Philosocom is the brainchild of Tomasio Rubinshtein whom I met many years ago. Those who will tell my story, will tell that I got to walk among one of the giants of philosophy. From Socrates to Martha Nussbaum" -- Mr. Daniel Paez.
The Past: The Graveyard of Time, Launching Base of Actions
The past is the ultimate graveyard. Every whisper of a moment, every grand event, every tear and triumph - all lie under the inevitable possibility of becoming but yet another relic, whether remembered or forever forgotten within its shadows, never to be revived again.
The present moment, a fragile candle flame, dances dynamically and chaotically between the devouring teeth of the past, and the uncertain fog of war of the future. Everything that is happening, everything that will ever happen, will logically conclude to a singular, inevitable fate: becoming forever buried in the vast cemetery of history.
And it's only a question is whether or not your fair shares in that cemetery will be visited as often, or be forever left to rest in the peacefulness, and irrelevancy, of obscurity.
This universal march towards this only chronological certainty, intensifies with each passing year, as more and more things and beings fall into obscurity, in their own ways. And death is the definitive part of it, as a point of no return.
How come? Fail proving your worth to the world, or not try doing so at all, and you have sealed the obscure fate of the legacy that is your life. Death is the defining part of how you will be remembered by others. This means that every moment of your life, might as well count to that definitive conclusion, and the implications that may result from it.
Contribute more, and your name will be something to be proud of, by those whom are related to you, or those who have acknowledged you. Cause more harm than good, and those who are related to you, whether by blood or otherwise, might forever disdain and be ashamed of being part of your presence in any way.
Thus, morality can play a great part in the past, and in how some aspects of it -- including your own -- will be perceived by the world. And although you cannot control the choice of perception in others, being alive allows you to alter it through the power of making an impact and through influence.
The older we become, the vaster the bigger the past that grows behind us, gathering the actions that we've done, and their impact on the world for days and even years to come. This is the cruel truth of time's passage: there is no escape from the endless collection of the past. Presidents and immigrants, sages and lol-cows, all find their destinies gathered upon the same timeless gravestone -- the past.
And it is from this abstract gravestone, the past, where both present and future launches, to whatever destinations, based on our actions and behaviors. And the greater our influence, the more involved you can get, at the shaping of this global ecosystem, to further be of your design, of your mark.
Imagine the past as a colossal factory grinder, its iron jaws chomping relentlessly on every second that has slipped through our fingers. Yet, although it makes every existing moment a past reminder, the past is not without its firm grip on anything that might and will happen. Thus powerful is the past in the determination and of everything possible.
The past forms landscapes of nostalgia that glorify what once was, and lament of what could've been avoided, with regret. The longer an era stretches behind us, the more remote it becomes, its borders fading into the mist of memory, preserved only through genetics, media and other remains that themselves can be forever gone from this world. Our descendants may walk those paths again, but for us, they are forever lost, although serving our lifeforms, in our very genes.
Countless collaborations and conflicts of actions mark the beings that we have become today, and the beings that we might become. These collaborations involve countless bodies and people we might as well never even get to think about. But should we ever bother to consider them, perhaps this existence would be seen by us as far more valuable than otherwise...
My Chronological Graveyard
My own personal graveyard house consists of old consoles, forgotten discs whispering lost melodies of adventure. Some of them are now immortalized this site's articles. A particular game comes to mind, with its hero, forever considered in my heart, partially the inspiration of the man I today became.
It is through the art of being alone, that I am capable of much work. My greatest strength which can fuel an industrial complex of my plan to preserve and promote my philosophical legacy. And there is no legacy without preservation of the past.
In this waltz with time, we are all dancers, swept along by the relentless rhythm of the universe, dancing through uncertainty, and yet, still try to build plans for a future we can never truly determine as certain. Those unable or unwilling to plan for the long term, embrace the bittersweet symphony of experience, as their hearts are built and broken in the name of either love, hedonism, or impulsivity.
How to Accept the Fading of Experience
We are all either victors or victims with the bittersweet, chaotic reality of time's passage, which is not only prone to actions, but to the various changes that may stem from it, as well. The past stretches behind us like a fading trail of an always-regenerating bridge towards an inevitable end in a vastly-empty universe. Every sunrise marks another array of potential, which I practically regard as a "problem", while every sunset whispers of what could've been, and never was, and at times, will never get to be again.
The desire to defy this universal law of chaos is undeniable in some, for it is a threat to their psychological safety. Dreams of immortality dance before our eyes of an ideal world, forever remaining in the realm of fantasy. And what of time travel? With all of its potential horrors that I found in my contemplations, wouldn't a chance to replay past moments, rewrite mistakes, or relive forgotten joys be an eternal relief to the disturbed minds of many?
Yet, these solutions remain nothing more than ideals we can never claim for our own. Science fiction may entertain us with visions of defying time's straight-forward arrow... But at least for now, they are just that - stories told in media of both traditional and anarchistic nature. In the harsh light of present reality, we acknowledge the truth: The past, once engraved, cannot be altered. I digress, but the few exceptions are re-edits of articles like this, and other such works where renovation is included. And some things, and people, are beyond repair.
Yet, the past's hands extend beyond grand historical events. It resides in the quiet corners of personal narratives, forever embedded in the present, in one way or another.
The answer to the lost cause of the past, lies in embracing the transient nature of experience, and the fact that it is always built on the past events, and past forces, which can be anyone, and anything. Recognizing the sanctity of memory, can enhance life with beauty, a reminder to savor the present moment before it too fades into the tapestry of the past.
Accepting the past, and moving on, doesn't erase its impact. Denying that past and even minimizing its true influence on us, as enticing as it may be, would be to deny a part of ourselves. Instead, the past is an ever-expanding mine of gold whose insights we can always dig, by being strong enough to face its adversity and a desire to once again rejoice in its memories. The past, may someday extinguish the light of our world, until every memory and every human and their legacies are gone for good...
Until the curtains fall, let us appreciate the ever-changing build-up of life, with all of its laughter and tears, triumphs and regrets, for they are subject not only to the past but to our perception, and thus, to their future developments, through our represented actions, and combined forces.
How to Value the Fleeting Dance of Experience
To blame the immortal power of the past on our temporary lives, feels futile. For we cannot cheat its spell. We can learn to embrace its rhythm, or whine as we persist in telling ourselves how powerless we are, even though we're capable of more.
In this sense, the past becomes a double-edged sword. For those who have lived lives rich in joy and wonder, there is a bittersweet tragedy in its fading glory. For those burdened by hardship, the past holds the solace of knowing the worst has passed, and in the future, that it will all end some day, and the pain -- the pain will stop.
Let us not cling too tightly to the echoes of yesterday, while we ignore the melody of the present it unfolds before us. Each moment, contains a degree of potential, unavailable if it weren't for the past.
Thus, cherishing the present, embracing its fleeting beauty, is the key to enriching the memories we create, and a better future, for either ourselves, those we care about, or both.
The cycle of experience is a continuous one that begins and ends with us. Your joys and sorrows, your triumphs and defeats, are but variations on a theme that has been played out countless times before. We are our own historians, should we possess enough power over our lives from the external forces that are involved in it.
To expect absolute understanding from those who have walked different paths is a recipe for disappointment, for most might as well not possess such foresight. Instead, focus on what you can control and influence in the name of better making your dreams as close to reality as possible.
That way you would, at a later date, look at the past and won't regret it as much.
.jpg)
Comments