“Don’t Look Up!” — A Philosophical Reflection
What is the Good Life?
What would you do if you had a couple of days left to live? Such a question can immediately stop you in your tracks and force you to contemplate what matters to you and, equally important, what does not. Such is the fundamental question behind the latest Netflix movie, Don’t Look Up! I’ve heard many say that they didn’t enjoy this movie. It’s a profound statement because, in some lights, I didn’t “enjoy” it either. I found it very deep and thought-provoking, but it was far from pleasant. Indeed, this would never be cause for avoidance for a Stoic. Therefore, what lessons can we take from this movie?
What Is The Good Life?
First, it is worth explaining what can constitute a good life. Broadly speaking, philosophy as a way of life moves you towards something better and away from something worse. Different philosophies have different ways of achieving this “better” life, but generally, they agree on what it means.
The Greeks used the word eudaemonia to describe what constituted a good life. Modern interpretations include happiness or flourishing; I prefer to use the term meaningful. I believe a meaningful life in which the suffering inherent to life ceases to be relevant is ultimately what eudaemonia was to the Greeks. Stoicism and…
