Carpe Diem is at the top of my dead language metaphor list. It’s like a war cry for, warriors of the present moment. Poets and philosophers have expressed the sentiment for millennia and plenty of folks in the present age must connect with the sentiment as well. The phrase gets used extensively in the names of businesses and organizations.
Obviously we can only look to the written word for its origins and that’s likely the Roman poet Horace’s “Odes,” published in 23 BCE. The entire injunction was “carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.” The actual translation to English is; “pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the next one.”
Metaphors and Dead Poets
I’m not sure when the translation got skewed to the violent and forceful “seize” over the mellow and sensual, “pluck.” One possibility is the award winning 1989 film, (Dead Poets Society) featuring Robin Williams as an English teacher at a prep school, who encourages his students to “make your lives extraordinary”, summarizing the sentiment with the expression “carpe diem.”
Metaphorically an argument can be made either way I suppose but for me the mental imagery of gathering or harvesting the moment is much more in tune with nature and spirit. “Seize the day,” however seems to better fit into the present paradigm at least in the U.S., compelling folks to seize or steal time; to consume it before someone else does or something like that.
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” ~ Mother Theresa
In the movie Williams jumps onto his desk, impressing upon the students to look at things in a different way and to teach them to value their individuality over conformance to the rules. Yet to “seize the day” rather than plucking it; like a cherry or a beautiful flower, are we not conforming to hidden cultural values.
Hijacked
I find it interesting that even a 2000 year old poetic phrase can be hijacked and transformed into something completely opposite of what the poet intended, to sell a lifestyle that is extravagant and unsustainable. A lifestyle centered around consumerism and instant gratification. Honestly though, we don’t know exactly what Horace had in mind.
“Everlasting pain is often caused by the pursuit of fleeting pleasure.” ~ Mokokoma Mokhonoana
A 2000 year old poem in a dead language can be difficult to decipher but I judge that society was much mellower back in Horace’s day. The language wasn’t so aggressive and industrial. “Pluck the day,” I judge was more about enjoying than seizing. You don’t seize a flower or a fruit, you enjoy them. Gently plucking and savoring each moment.
Slow Down
Life in the present paradigm moves at such a hectic and fast pace that you feel like it’s passing you by. It’s ironic that technology is constantly created to save you time and you use all that extra time to do more and more things and you still feel like life is passing you by. “Carpe Diem” gets skewed towards grabbing at time in an attempt to seize your life back.
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Maybe it’s time to slow down and rebel against the hectic lifestyle, that has become a societal expectation. Pluck the day, instead of seize the day. Let “Carpe Diem” be your war cry. Become a warrior of the present moment. Savor each day as if it were a delicate flower. Create a life you love.
I so enjoy reading your blog…it made me think back to the story of how John Wesley was stuck inside the rectory as it was burning. The story passed down is that upon his rescue he quoted Zechariah 3:2 saying: I am a brand plucked out of the fire. So I am pondering plucked as “savoring” but also as “chosen”…or maybe even intentional. Just pondering…