The Burnout Society Killing of Heart, and The Sound of Silence

Existential Espresso Vol. 35

What I read:

“Are We Living in Byung-Chul Han’s Burnout Society?”

Whenever I wrote a short-form post or an essay criticizing modern society’s obsession with productivity and efficiency, one contemporary thinker that I knew nothing about was recommended to me. After dozens of comments saying, "You should definitely read Byung-Chul Han," I had to finally listen to my audience.

Byung-Chul Han is a South Korean-born, German-based philosopher and cultural theorist. His most notable work is "The Burnout Society." The title of the book is self-explanatory as well as descriptive of one of the main, underlying concerns that is present in all of his works.

Before picking up "The Burnout Society" or any of his other works, I wanted to get a better understanding of his main ideas.

The article "Are We Living in Byung-Chul Han’s Burnout Society?" is a good introduction to Han’s work.

After reading it, "The Burnout Society" placed pretty high on my reading list.

You can read the article here.

What I’ve been thinking about:

In a recent lecture, I heard that the Chinese character for "busy" means that "the mind perishes." In some other sources, I see the same character interpreted as the combination of the words "heart" and "killing."

I have no experience studying Chinese, so I don’t know which interpretation is more appropriate.

But as a human being who often falls victim to the modern epidemic of busyness, I don’t think, but I have felt that both interpretations are spot on.

As much as I criticize our society’s obsession with productivity, I am no sage who sits and meditates on top of a mountain the whole day. I am, to a certain extent, a product of this society. And I am participating in it. That’s why I’ve been feeling this perishing of the mind and killing of the heart lately. Learning about this Chinese character, as well as finding out about Byung-Chul Han’s work, served as a much-needed reminder to take a step back, or at least stop sprinting forward with everything that I got.

What I’ve been listening to:

Silence.

I think it is fitting with the theme of this Monday’s Existential Espresso to recommend listening to silence rather than another podcast or lecture that you will play in order to use your time more efficiently.

In fact, it doesn’t have to be silence. Listen to the rain, the birds, or even the city bustle. But listen to something that is right where and when you are.

Thank you for reading.

Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.

If you get value from my work and you are interested in becoming more consistent, consider checking out my new book “The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency,” by clicking here.

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