Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” So, let’s examine it together. In Etymology, I’ll be presenting a word each week with its generally accepted definition and riffing on this word as a way to get us to talk about life together. This is meant to be a discussion based article, with emphasis on “together.” In one sense, these articles will be written and complete when they are published, but they will not be whole without your input. All of us could use better words to describe our lives. So, let’s go through life together in words. Helping each other and improving together and always remembering to breathe.
By Brianne Leith
As I watch my laptop engulfed in figurative flames never to rise again and my car having numerous issues, and a general source of difficulty in everything I do, internally I am screeching a blood-curdling scream of frustration.
Complications.
Complication is defined as:
1. The act of complicating.
2. A confused or intricate relationship of parts.
3. A factor, condition, or element that complicates.
Life is complicated. I have heard this phrase throughout my life. It is probably one truth I can swear by. Over and over, time and time again it is proved correct. I even say it to people who are complaining, or upset or just need an answer to an unanswerable question.
Life is complicated.
This week when I hear it, when I write it down, it makes me want to vomit.
This week started off on a plummeting slope of despair. As I had finished Alex Peters’ article for Decibel, a virus called Vista Antivirus 2012 took over my laptop and destroyed my internet access. I was on GMail. If I had been on a questionable site at least I could have taken the blame and felt I had deserved it. Slap in the face; I was just working. So, I took it into the Geek Squad at Best Buy. Now my HP computer would not turn on at all. “You are getting no power, it is probably the motherboard. You will have to send it away. Do you still have the warranty?”
I get three notices about my car in the mail. Registration renewal, Downtown parking permit renewal, and a recall notice from Honda. I work all day on weekdays. I have no time to do these things.
Complications.
Why can’t life go smoothly? Is breathing easily unacceptable? Is a stress free existence not truly living?
I am torn. I love simplicity. I love complexity. But simple becomes boring. But complexity can overwhelm my mind and life, making everything difficult and dark.
“Extreme complication is contrary to art.” – Claude Debussy
“Everything is complicated; if that were not so, life and poetry and everything else would be a bore.” – Wallace Stevens
Where is the line where our lives can be comfortably complicated and interestingly simple? Complicatedly simple. Simple complication.
Or is it either one or the other? Which one is better then?
Life is complicated.
We just need to make the best out of it.
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