I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.
Ahead of his time, the late British philosopher Alan Watts was a famous counter culture celebrity who played a large part in popularizing Zen Buddhism in the West. When he was alive, Watts inspired audiences at universities and growth centers across the U.S. and Europe in 1960s. Even after his death, Watts continues to inspire the world with his great speeches.
In this incredible video, Watts asks simple questions like “What do you desire?” “What makes you itch?” and “What if money was no object?” before giving a profound advice — do the things you love doing, instead of trying to do things just because there’s a paycheck attached — that not only stirs emotion, but also prompts a call to action. Here are some of his wisest words:
“You’ll be doing things you don’t like doing in order to go on living, that is to go on doing things you don’t like doing, which is stupid. Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way… It’s absolutely stupid to spend your time doing things you don’t like, in order to go on spending things you don’t like, doing things you don’t like and to teach our children to follow in the same track.
“What we are doing is we’re bringing up children and educating to live the same sort of lives we are living. In order that they may justify themselves and find satisfaction in life by bringing up their children to bring up their children to do the same thing, so it’s all retch, and no vomit it never gets there.”
Watch the video yourself and share it, if you think it can really make an impact:
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