Journeyman Philosopher

Quote for thought:

“If one were to imagine a house consisting of basement, ground floor and first floor, tenanted or planned in such a way that there is, or is meant to be, difference of social class between the occupants of each floor — and if now one were to compare being a human being with such a house, then the sorry and ludicrous fact with most people is, alas, that in their own house they prefer to live in the basement. Every human being is the psycho-physical synthesis planned as spirit; this is the building, but he prefers living in the basement, that is, in the categories of sensation. Moreover, he not only prefers living in the basement — no, he loves it so much that he is indignant if anyone suggests he occupy the fine suite lying vacant for him; after all he is living in his own house!” Soon thereafter “The truer a person’s conception of despair, while still remaining in despair, and the more clearly conscious he is of being in despair, the more intense the despair”

These excerpts are found in the book ‘The Sickness unto Death’ written by Soren Kierkegaard, in which he examines the concept of despair in our person (’despair is the sickness unto death’). He makes some very interestingly relevant observations. What immediately jumps to my mind is the use of narcotics and intoxicants in our societies to cover despair, or as Kierkegaard would put it ‘living in the categories of sensation’. I find it very interestingly true, as well, that the deeper our conception of despair the more intense; hence why one must acknowledge that they are the creation of their own despair thus freeing themselves from it (although I believe Kierkegaard would disagree with me).

What do you think?