Prioritising congenial intermingling above other aspects of humanity such as racial, religious will ensure safety of all
By B Maria Kumar
Some time ago, Nigerian fearologist Osinakachi Akuma Kalu shared a thought-provoking insight online. He cited a saying by Marcus Tullius Cicero that implied studying philosophy is essentially a preparation for death. This proposition, put forth by the first-century BC Roman statesman and philosopher, piqued my curiosity, leading me to explore the postulation further. The 16th-century French essayist Michel de Montaigne helped clarify Cicero’s thoughts by stating that to philosophise is to learn to die. This interpretation sheds light on the explicit significance of the philosophy of life. It reveals how the nuances of human existence are perceived not just within academic realms but in a broader context. We often view the metaphysics of our living as a complex and abstract concept, one that is richer and more layered in our minds than what can be easily expressed in words.
Extreme Uncertainty
The notion that ruminating on the unknowns of life is to gear up for death becomes particularly profound during times of extreme uncertainty and acute distress. Cicero’s statement may have been influenced by the most turbulent period of his life, culminating in his assassination at the orders of Mark Antony during intense fights for power over the Roman throne following Julius Caesar’s murder. Cicero’s outlook was strongly felt among most westerners during and shortly after the devastation of World War II.
The war ended in 1945, but it left a deep scar on the European continent. Millions of people lost their lives, which forced almost every family to face the absence of loved ones or the wounded and to question the logic of their hopes and beliefs. The aftermath of the war saw fractured cities and societies; it was a time when nations and humanity at large had to navigate through broken relationships and a widespread erosion of mutual trust. The vast destruction brought a wave of disillusionment, compelling people to reconsider the values, ideals, virtues and ethics that humanity had long held dear.
As we reflect on the tumultuous events, we can draw parallels that not only deepen our understanding of life’s priorities but also enhance our resilience in facing life’s inevitable trials
Right at the moment, we too find ourselves at a similar juncture. The ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, along with the persistent threat of nuclear warfare, prompt us to reevaluate the philosophical foundations of our very existence. These situations challenge us to address the perplexing questions about life, death and what it means to be human.
Engaging with these existential inquiries can help us appreciate the crucial, albeit enigmatic, role that philosophy plays in guiding us through life’s most challenging instances. As we reflect on the tumultuous events of the past and those unfolding today, we can draw parallels that not only deepen our understanding of life’s priorities but also enhance our resilience in facing life’s inevitable trials.
Purposeful Pursuit
In the shadow of World War II, as the tragedy left lives feeling meaningless, largely across Europe, many intellectuals searched for answers to infuse life with optimism and purposeful pursuit. Among them, two prominent 20th-century Nobel laureates from France greatly shaped metaphysical perspectives on the human way of living, lighting the path towards finding contentment in life. Jean-Paul Sartre advocated exploring freedom, making choices and seeking meaning through the consequences of the decisions made.
Albert Camus, on the other hand, encouraged confronting absurd conditions by rebelling against them, thus discovering freedom and reason to live. Their philosophies remain pertinent, especially given the volatile global circumstances to date.
However, the stakes are higher now than during World War II. Back then, the impact of nuclear technology was limited to the first-generation atomic bombings in Japan in August 1945, which did not affect other regions of the world. Today, a thermonuclear battle in any part of the world spells disaster everywhere, magnified by the effects of nuclear fallout. This highlights the necessity for a life philosophy better suited to contemporary realities.
Fearlessness
Recently, Desh Subba, a Nepali thinker based in Hong Kong, has developed a philosophical model that markedly deviates from Sartre’s, yet builds upon his ideas. When discussing Sartre’s concept of existence, we tend to contemplate that our relentless struggle to exist often leads to friction and tensions in human relationships, which could inevitably threaten our existence. Camusian absurdism too fails to account for the fact that the conditions of absurdity normally stem from human actions, whether calculated, unintended or accidental. These repercussions place human existence in a state of anxiety and uncertainty that needs to be addressed.
Hence, Subba appropriately introduces the question of the fear problem and argues that the fear of existence precedes essence, contrasting Sartre’s world-famous assertion that existence precedes essence. While Sartre’s focus on existence is empowering, it overlooks the importance of a support system to ensure the survival of the individual. Here is where Canadian philosopher Robert Michael Fisher comes into play, with his framework of fearlessness aimed at liberating humanity from both instinctual and learned fears, paving the way to a fearless life.
However, the challenge of securing safe human existence remains, exacerbated by irrational fears and reckless fearlessness underlying the current conflicts primarily between Russians and Ukrainians or Hamas and Israelis. These scenarios underscore a lack of amicable integration, pointing to a potential solution rooted in the benignly fearless state of cooperative living. Therefore, prioritising congenial intermingling above other aspects of humanity — such as racial, religious, linguistic, or regional differences — could ensure the safety and security of all individuals across the globe. This approach posits that peaceful coexistence undoubtedly prevents several complicated existential risks, ranging from egotistical to sociopolitical and ecological to technological, and thus it precedes individual existence.
(The author is IPS [Retd] and a winner of National Rajbhasha Gaurav Award for the year 2022-23)