Restlessness

Restlessness

1. External forces in society can make individuals restless

   • Capitalistic society wants individuals to be restless to sell more

2. Religion x belief traditions taught us to prepare for death

   • The key is to have a relaxed attitude towards death
     • Have a nonchalant attitude to death
       • Learn how to live
         • Imminent contentment
           • Enjoy the goodness of life, as it is and don't have expectations that are too high/unrealistic
             • Don't take things too seriously
               • This is key to happiness
                 • Solves restlessness

3. Rooted in unhappiness

   • Why is happiness so evasive? Why are we so obsessive with happiness?
     • "Man transcends man" - Pascal
       • It is in human nature to be both capable of being happy and sad
         • Human imagination drives desire, to want more
           • Even when we are happy, or are in a good financial position, etc, we still may have hidden miseries
             • We cannot stop this imagination and desire, it must be channeled or pathologies will occur
               • So if humans desire change, constant amusement, it must indicate that we are unsettled within
                 • Thus, sadness is okay, restlessness is okay.

4. Man is different from other animals because of reason or imagination.

   • Imagination fuels desire
     • You desire what you don't have
       • You have high expectations and hopes
         • Sometimes this is unrealistic or difficult to achieve, which can bring unhappiness
           • Thus, be content with what you have
       • E.g. Change

5. Defined as: Being active, yet being devoid of purpose