In his work ‘Poetics’, the Greek philosopher Aristotle thought highly of tragedy, considering it a greater art form than comedy. Tragedies had depictions of the downfall of the protagonist, who suffers misfortune mainly due to their own flaws. Aristotle deemed it a higher art form than comedy, which, on the other hand, was considered cheap, unserious, and lower-level entertainment for the common masses. The purpose of a tragedy was to purify and enlighten the viewers, done through ‘catharsis’, a point where the audience feels pity for the character and fear of some similar tragedy that might befall them.
To watch and laugh at something is easier. When it comes to thinking, that is where the struggle lies. Struggle is unappealing. When I used to think so, life was fine. But then I realized that the problem with being all “happy and cheerful” isn’t simply being so. It is also that it is the only thing one cares about. This in turn leads to a set of illogical beliefs, unhealthy mindsets, and an unrealistic way of living life, which is not sustainable in this ever-growing world of ours. So, the more people indulge in such mindless, thoughtless content, the more they will keep drowning themselves in mental darkness. It is this issue that is most concerning right now.
Social media nonsense and overly commercial movies are ruling the hearts and minds of people. Influencers and actors are more popular and respected than people who make a difference. There are many who run NGOs for unfortunate beings such as the poor, the old, the forgotton etc are not known to us. Those trying to come up with innovative ways to undo the damage done to the environment get mere encouraging words in the comment sections. Those words have value, but they can only do so much.
But wherever has the time gone? Our minds are being trapped in the narrow lanes of mediocrity through the consumption of useless data, while our eyes take in ten times the amount of blue light from the screens than they take in from the sunlight, which is actually worth something good: our health. This trash is what breeds a diseased society that abandons morality and logic by making flawed ideals and false justifications, such as “Everyone does it.”
Ritualism, fanaticism, mob mentality, and discrimination are only emboldened by such content that we consume. The more people get trapped in it, the more disastrous it will be for everyone. So, advice for those who might not be willing to lead would be to keep your own heads clear, do the most you can to support those who are trying to make a difference, and keep living. It’s not the end of the world. Not yet, anyway. It is said that the world will end after the Kali Yuga ends. But what if we can save it? Isn’t that the type of question that people should focus on answering?
