You have a drug problem
and you don’t even know you’re addicted.
The drug is called Distraction.
You’ll go to great lengths
so that you don’t have to think
too hard about yourself
— desperate measures —
like staring at your phone,
watching TV, reading books,
exercising, educating yourself,
falling in love, helping others.
You’ll do anything
to distract yourself
from the notion that
you don’t really know
the meaning of life,
your real purpose,
or who you are.
You refuse to entertain
the possibility that there is
no real significance to any of this,
so you find as many distractions as you can
and call it life, meaning, purpose.
You’re afraid to face actuality,
so you live in a fantasy world called reality.
This is why you have a drug problem.
Trail Wood,
11/19
Reflecting on the Addiction to Distraction
The poem “The Drug of Distraction” confronts us with the idea that our constant engagement with various activities may be a form of escapism from deeper existential questions. It suggests that our relentless pursuit of distractions is an attempt to avoid confronting the fundamental uncertainties of life.
Distraction as a Modern Addiction
The poem opens with a stark statement: that we are unknowingly addicted to distraction. This ‘drug’ takes many forms – from technology to hobbies, education, relationships, and even altruistic acts. It implies that these activities, often deemed productive or beneficial, might serve as mechanisms to avoid introspection and existential contemplation.
Avoiding the Unanswerable Questions
At its core, the poem delves into the human tendency to shy away from the profound uncertainties of existence – the meaning of life, our true purpose, and the essence of our identity. It suggests that our daily distractions are a defense mechanism against these daunting, perhaps unanswerable, questions.
The Illusion of Meaning and Purpose
The poem posits that what we often label as ‘life, meaning, and purpose’ could merely be a collection of distractions, a way to imbue our existence with a sense of significance that may or may not be inherent. This perspective challenges the conventional understanding of meaning and purpose as intrinsic elements of life.
Reality Versus Actuality: The Fantasy of Normalcy
The final lines of the poem draw a distinction between ‘actuality’ and the ‘fantasy world called reality.’ This distinction suggests that our accepted reality might be a constructed fantasy to shield ourselves from the starkness of actuality – the possibility that life might inherently lack the significance we strive to assign it.
Summary
We consider that our engagement in various activities might be an unconscious effort to distract ourselves from existential uncertainties. It raises the question of whether our pursuits for meaning and purpose are genuine or just a way to avoid facing the possibility that life might not have an inherent meaning.
Glossarium
Existential Distraction: The act of engaging in various activities to avoid confronting deeper existential questions.
Actuality Versus Reality: The concept that our perceived reality might be a constructed distraction from the starkness of actual existence.
“People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own souls.” – Carl Jung
A Poem of Existential Distraction
In the bustling world where distractions reign,
We run from silence, from existential pain.
Each activity, a mask, a clever guise,
To shun the questions that in our depths arise.
Phones, books, love, and altruistic deeds,
In each, a drug for our existential needs.
Yet in this dance of distraction, we might find,
A deeper calling, an awakening of the mind.
In embracing stillness, we may uncover,
The truths of our being, yet to discover.
A journey inward, to truly see,
Beyond distractions, our essence free.
Thoughts on this introspective journey of recognizing and moving beyond life’s distractions are welcomed.
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