Brief Habit; The Sigh of the Weak…
We
are living in the world that adores capitalism, materialism, individualism and
much more inconstant-life. One of the
questions that existential thinkers tried to answer is; how can one live a fulfilling
life? Life that is true to oneself, and life that one is even ready to live and
die for. In this article, the existential thinkers; Soren Kierkegaard and
Fredrick Nietzsche will help us to build a stance
of life and awake us from the slumber of our ignorance.
In
any serious academic writing; a thinker does not presume knowledge to the
addressees rather does he take for granted that common sense is common to all.
And so, I would like to clarify what I mean by, “Brief Habit; the Sigh of the
Weak.” In Brief Habit I mean temporary commitment. The generation of today
prefer brief commitment in order to avoid any sort of pressure that might come
as result of commitment. Surprisingly, others prefer a life of no commitment. The
sigh of the weak, means a relief of those who choose to live a life of temporary
commitment and even those who negate commitment at all. This is one of
the gigantic challenges confronting young people in our contemporary Africa. The
generation of today prefer a brief habit life, just as on the other side
majority lead a life of no commitment at all. This is what I call; the sigh of
the weak differently from what Nietzsche propagates in his book “The Gay
Science”. Those who choose life of
no commitment, or brief habit life, are the people I call; “The Weak.” These
are people who lack strong will in themselves. Strong will in this sense,
implies having a constant-self, leading a stead life and much more choosing a
style of life among many, and a thought among many thoughts that one is ready
to live and even die for. In reference to Soren Kierkegaard; living a
fulfilled life is to have a constant self; self that longs for continuity even
when life seems to be scattered and devastating. Anything else outside this
thought leads to despair as Soren Kierkegaard states.
Nietzsche on the other hand actually speaks
the opposite. For him, leading a constant life, is a sigh of the weak. These people are
cowards because they are scared to face life as it presents itself to them and
therefore, their sigh is to close their conscious to a particular life. He believed that brief habit, inconstancy and
unsteadiness in life bring satisfaction and happiness. Nietzsche must know that people are not programmed animals who only respond to environmental stimuli. People are rational beings that require active participation of rationality in any sort of action. Nietzsche's mentality has actually blinded millions young people in Africa. Today one marries,
tomorrow he divorces simply because time is up. He wants to choose another life
because married life demands commitment and certain standard of conduct. Today
I am John, tomorrow I want to be Francis or even Janet if possible. This is life that lacks moral risk and
discipline.
Looking at the ancient Africa,
marriage was a sacred union between a man and a woman, making them one just
like the Creator who is one. It was made once and for all. Thus, in traditional
African understanding of marriage, man and woman becomes
one like the Creator who is unique, and indivisible. This is the reason why
divorce was not a good option in the African vision of the marriage. In case of
problems, people could only reconcile the couple by mediation. What is happening in
Africa today is a new tread that has never been there. Marriage has become a
problematic whereby the great number of the young choose a life of brief habit.
The number of those who endorse commitment in marriage is rapidly dropping down
in our contemporary. Recently in Kenya, according to Daily Nation February 9th
2018 Marriage experts, family lawyers and clergymen who come in frequent
contact with married couples have raised the alarm over rising cases of divorce
and separation among Kenyan couples. They are worried that too many marriages
are unable to stand the test of time and agree that today’s marriages are
facing numerous challenges; commitment over occurring.
Brief Habit life is a life of immediacy and phenomenal. A life
devoid of active rationality because one satisfies his immediate and demanding
desires. If this is the case, then one lowers the standard of his being and
forgets his outstanding element of rationality and therefore allows immediacy
of the senses to drive his life. This is a big challenge that needs an
immediate response.
It
is the sigh of the strong to lead a life of commitment. Commitment is to say yes
even in the time when you are not able to get out of your bed. The Strong in
the mind of Kierkegaard, chooses to lead a certain life because he has under
gone a process of self-affirmation and finally having known the prerequisites
of such life. One decides to embrace a certain life unconditionally hence
living purposely. Unconditional Commitment gives us existential identity and
even changes our walking style in the face of the enlightened.Get committed to something.
The Gay Science.
Translated by Walter Kaufman, New York: Vintage Books 1974.
Just a piece of my mind on the contemporary Africa
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