Being able to sit down in a room with three renowned philosophers is quite the privilege. More so, wandering into a quaint, cozy riverside café alongside such brilliant, perhaps even eccentric minds, feels almost too good to be true. A faint instrumental echoes inside the beige colored walls, scents of freshly baked muffins and warm cups of coffee wafting throughout the room. Our small group of four shuffles towards an empty table perched beside a large, rectangular window that acts as a see-through barrier between the inside of the café and the outside world.
Both myself and the only other woman in this ragtag group, Susan, sit next to one another on one side of the table while John and Slavoj sit opposite of us. We all order something to drink before settling into a bout of silence. I awkwardly set my tiny notebook in front of my person, twirling the ballpoint pen with my fingers. I never though I would get this amazing opportunity to interview such interesting philosophers, and yet, here I was; knowing my best course of action would simply be to rip the Band-Aid off.
"My first question... what does it mean to grow up? Why should we?"
"I believe that, when we try and cling to our more youthful days, we are not allowing ourselves to mature. We always seem to tell the younger generations that their youth are the best years of their lives - and yet, don't many people have great, if not better years, once they grow up?" Susan answers first. I remind myself that she is probably the most well-versed on this particular topic - after all, in her book "Why Grow Up?" Susan herself wrote on how the largest problem in maturity is trying to find a means to an end.
"As we grow up, grow older, I think we are able to more clearly say what is on our mind - and more fluently, on top of that," John echoes off of Susan's response. "In our youth, we are far more vulnerable to the thoughts and ideals of those we considered our elders. By allowing ourselves to finally grow up, we begin to understand that maturity truly does come with age, as does the ability to become what you are."
"Exactly my point, John!" Susan replies with a quick nod. "The way we believe the world should function is something we learn as we age. That is why we should grow up, isn't it? To better understand our world and who we are as simple people?"
"Well, you two seem nice and joyous, don't you?" Slovaj laughs heartily, taking a rather massive swig of his demure coffee. "Listen - humanity is ok, but 99% of people are boring idiots."
"... Why do you say that, Slovaj?" I ask after clearing my throat.
"Nothing we learn about as we grow up truly means anything, you know. Nothing is ever what it appears," he continues. "Maturity wise, nothing we think of as ethical, good or bad, whatever, changes anything, now does it? I mean, look at me! I live like a madman and do as I please."
"That certainly is an interesting concept on the matter, but... I agree with Susan and John here. Growing up isn't all bad. I mean, we get to form our own thoughts based on experience, you know? Being able to be our own person makes life worth living, even if we have to leave a more peaceful youth behind." I add in my own thoughts on the subject matter, feeling comfortable enough with the group to share. Thankfully, John and Susan seem quite happy I chimed in, smiling warmly; even Slovaj lets out a soft grunt of acknowledgment. I blush and look down to the next and final question in my notebook. "One more question; what makes life worth living?"
"Being able to do and think however I want," Slovaj is the first to respond this time around, to which I take notice of how his coffee cup is now completely empty, a smidge of brown splatter on his checkered shirt telling me he was frantic with his drinking. "I can do whatever I want because I want to! I don't want to fake it and say I somehow have proper solutions to life - I sure as hell don't - I just live my life however I feel like it every passing day."
"I love to live life each day because I get to talk to new people," John speaks up. "This aligns with why I love the world of philosophy, too; because everyone has different viewpoints on, well, everything! Whether they be deep, metaphorical views, or silly ideas on if the Earth really is flat, we all encompass a greater idea of humankind."
"Life is worth living because we get to make connections, because we get to see more and more people rely on us for something or another. It's quite a rewarding feeling, isn't it? To feel as if you are the one responsible for another person?" Susan sighs dreamily, taking an elegant sip of her own black coffee. She turns to me, then, quirking an eyebrow. "What do you think, dear?"
"To me... to me, life is worth living because, like you said, I get to experience the strange, wonderful feeling of someone else relying on me for something. As I grow up, I feel more responsible for teaching my little brother how to navigate the world, how to express himself as he wants to - it's a very rewarding notion, I think." I say with a small smile, scribbling down my final notes on our interview before gently shutting my notebook.
Fun exchange, and Slavoj Žižek is an inspired choice. And I like your perspective on what makes life worth living: the opportunity to impact other lives.
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