This Life, Why Mortality Makes Us Free is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read. Swedish philosopher Martin Hägglund writes about politics, the economy, capitalism, religion and the meaning of life, all through a consideration of time. He argues that it is only through accepting the finite nature of human existence that we come to see our life, and the lives of others, as inherently valuable. It is because our time is limited, that the freedom to decide for ourselves how best to spend it is so vitally important. Hägglund is not suggesting hedonism but a deep sense of responsibility to other people and commitment to the values and causes that drive us. Such a commitment is difficult, he notes, in an economic system that values profit rather than time.
What I read in May...
What I read in May...
What I read in May...
This Life, Why Mortality Makes Us Free is one of the most thought-provoking books I have ever read. Swedish philosopher Martin Hägglund writes about politics, the economy, capitalism, religion and the meaning of life, all through a consideration of time. He argues that it is only through accepting the finite nature of human existence that we come to see our life, and the lives of others, as inherently valuable. It is because our time is limited, that the freedom to decide for ourselves how best to spend it is so vitally important. Hägglund is not suggesting hedonism but a deep sense of responsibility to other people and commitment to the values and causes that drive us. Such a commitment is difficult, he notes, in an economic system that values profit rather than time.