Like him, many thinkers have reflected on the nature and the purpose of our life as humans and there are some themes that emerge very clearly from this thinking. One of these themes relates to our transience; the ephemeral nature of our existence, our inescapable mortality. Another one relates to the notion that we're not fully in control, that the script of our lives is being written (or has already been written) by something or someone other than us.
In other words, we lead an uncertain life that is hurtling towards a certain death. How does this knowledge affect our view of life and how we relate to the world around us? One response is what I call the 'guest mindset', in some ways similar to being an actor on a stage. There is this sense that we are just passing by, that we don't really belong here, that we're visiting on a tourist visa. By extension, this would mean that the world also doesn't really belong to us, that we are just guests here. An actor may play his part with the fullest of sincerity, but the costume he wears and the props he uses don't really belong to him, the lines he speaks are not really his, his relationships with the rest of the cast are make-believe and even the emotions he feels are conjured or manufactured by him in response to the demands of the script. An actor is invited to play his part, he is a guest: the play and the stage do not belong to him.
The "guest mindset" makes our world a little less real for us, because nothing really matters that much to a guest, nor is the guest in full control of his surroundings. So the guest does not need to take ownership or responsibility, either; after all, he is just a guest. He checks in, stays for a while, and then checks out. By this token, the world's problems are not really ours and the task of making the world better should belong to someone else - to the host, whoever that is.
Wait a minute - if we are all guests, who is the host? Yes, I know, God; but the guy seems to delegate almost everything back to us. So now it seems we're guests with at least some of the responsibilities of the host. Or are we, in fact, the hosts?
Does our reality become less real just because it is short-lived and not eternal? Is our control useless just because it is partial and not absolute? Perhaps not. A positron might exist merely for a millionth of a second, but it is real for that duration. And while it does not control its destiny, it can still make a contribution (PET scanners powered by positrons are saving many lives today).
I think a "host mindset" is more empowering and useful. We own this place, albeit on a short lease. We are not just visiting on a tourist visa. It is both our privilege and our responsibility to do what we can to make this place better, as opposed to just checking in, staying for a while, and checking out. We fulfill ourselves by investing ourselves fully and engaging completely with our world and with all its issues, as opposed to being a mere actor or even worse, a spectator. We create the next generation of hosts and bequeath to them our life's work, for them to take forward. We enrich our soul by enriching our experience of life, long or short.
As you think of how you relate to your world - your work, your community, your country - how do you see yourself, as a guest or as the host?
in my view we are actors and the world is a stage. but only those actors become eternal who bring out truth and reality in whichever part they play.they are well aware of the imaginary script but their role is real,thus they become master of the game
ReplyDeleteYour views are very thought provoking,keep sharing.
i feel we are only hosts in the huge cosmos ,its a cycle of lives...many masters many souls..we need to learn our parts/lessons and deliver...for only then we are deliverd.we have the freedom of tohught and action to such a large extent the we could be 99.9% host0.1% wait for reslts of our actions ..what say? be my guest!
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