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The Terror of Convenience

Section 11

Convenience is a part of all of our lives. It makes life easier for us, and one wouldn't typically think that it could be a bad thing. Immanuel Kant said,


 "Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why such a great part of mankind … made it so comfortable for others to set themselves up as their guardians. It is so easy to be immature."


Doing thing simply because it is the convenient way can lead to consequences that, in the end, make it not worth the short cut. Sometines, one can make life better if they simply sacrifice a few conveniences in life. Convenience is something that can make life lise meaning. Think about the Pixar film, Wall-e. The characters in the film have everything in life handed to them, simply living convenience incarnate. They hover around in floating chairs and eating all day long. This is shown as a pathetic and sad existence, and we as a society are pretty close to becoming dangerously similar. An article fron the New York Times sums up a good amount of the issues with convenience in the modern day


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/opinion/sunday/tyranny-convenience.amp.html



Plato also saw the dangers of convenience on society. When speaking to the person that created a system for written language, he gave the warning,



 "Forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is written, calling things to remembrance no longer from within themselves, but by means of external marks. What you have discovered is a recipe not for memory, but for reminder. And it is no true wisdom that you offer your disciples, but only its semblance, for by telling them of many things without teaching them you will make them seem to know much, while for the most part they know nothing, and as men filled, not with wisdom, but with the conceit of wisdom, they will be a burden to their fellows."



Think about it in means of the goals of convenience. People want to make everything easier. If that goal is achieved, then life wouldbe a series of things being done for you, while you sit back and do nothing at all. At this point wouldn't that lead to existence being pointless? When you play a video game, beat it, and get all the powrful stuff, theres no more point in playing if it is ungodly easy now. Life can be similar if we aren't careful. Sometimes it can be more beneficial to walk to the store, or make a sandwich instead of going out to eat. It could save you money, or give a little workout. Sometimes, not giving into convenience when it won't be too troublesome can be quite benefcial.

Convenience Quiz

1. What Pixar fim showed the consequences of total convenience?

2. What did Plato think about the invention of writing

3.What philosopher said," It is so easyto be immature."

4. Food for thought question: What did Kant mean by that?