The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living (And You're Not Living)

Mariza Lendez

Editor

Chikicha Quality Lifestyle is a Choice

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Socrates' ancient warning was a death sentence to complacency. Today, we've buried his challenge under notifications, curated identities, and illusions of busyness. This isn't philosophy--it's an intervention. You claim to be alive, but where's the proof? The unexamined life isn't just worthless... you're not even living one.

A DIRECT DECLARATION OF WAR

They're lying to you.

Every productivity guru, every 'mindfulness' app, every TED Talk bastardizing ancient into bite-sized bullshit--they've turned philosophy into a luxury good. Meanwhile, your soul rusts.

Socrates didn't sip' hemlock so you could 'live your truth' between instagram ads. He died screaming WAKE THE FUCK UP at a civilzation too cowardly to face itself.

And here you are... swiping past his corpse like it's just another TikTok.

1. THE GREAT BETRAYAL: HOW HUMANITY CASTRATED WISDOM

Then:

Philosphers bled on parchment.
Truth was a matter of life and death.
Reflection meant standing naked before existence--no filters, no safety nets.

Now:

'Self-help' is a $11 billion industry because we pay to outsource our thinking.
We've replaced the examined life with the curated life-performative introspective for likes.
The average attention span (8 seconds) is shorter than a goldfish's. We've devolved.

THE UNCOMFORTABLE SCIENCE

fMRI studies show avoidance of self-reflection lights-up the same brain regions as physical pain (Nature Neuroscience). It means that your mind treats deep thought like a hand on a hot stove.

2. THE THREE MODERN EXECUTIONERS OF WISDOM

A) Dopamine Dictatorship

Your brain is hijacked by slot-machine apps designed by neuroscientists.
Variable rewards = sustained thought

Sources:

"Self-help is $11 billion industry" Marketdata LLC (2023 report) "The U.S. Self-Improvement Market Size Was Worth $11.6 Billion in 2022" www.marketdataenterprises.com

STOICISM POLL RESULTS "How 'Stoic' Are You Really?" (3,217 votes)

ANALYSIS

The 3% who picked option 2? Two were historical reenactors, one was fasting for a blood test.
Marcus Aurelius Score: 97% of you would've been flogged for cowardice in Rome.

"Your 'Stoicism' is a scented candle with delusions of granduer. Tag someone who needs to hear this."

"Socrates chose death over sleepwalking. You wont even choose silence over scrolling."

Mariza Lendez

Mariza Lendez is a DBA candidate at Philippine Women’s University, diving deep into the world of aging populations and purpose-driven retirement. With decades of hands-on experience in real estate and business, she now focuses her research and writing on how we can build more thoughtful, inclusive systems for older adults. Her work is rooted in both lived experience and a deep passion for helping society rethink what it means to grow older.