Carpe Diem: ‘The Dead Poets Society’
Who can assure you that tomorrow will dawn again? Given that we live immersed in a universe of enormous proportions, full of chaos and entropy, taking it for granted that tomorrow is absolute turns out to be a serious mistake.
This situation gives even more importance to the sentence that leads the title of this article, Carpe Diem, an important lesson that the great film The Dead Poets Society showed us.
What does Carpe Diem mean?
First, let us look at what Carpe Diem means… As they tell us in the aforementioned movie, this is the Latin expression to say, “seize the day.” That is to say, live each moment as if it were your last, because maybe it will be.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
-Henry David Thoreau-
Thoreau himself, when he is quoted in the movie, gives an important key about what life should be. Juice it for all it’s worth, take everything you can from it. Do not leave anything in your pot, because one day, the final moment may arrive and, looking back, you will not want to see how much you could have done but instead let get away.
The Dead Poets Society
The Dead Poets Society is a movie directed by Peter Weir that explores the question and theme of happiness in life.
Throughout the movie, an observant teacher in love with teaching, played by Robin Williams, helps a group of young people take a step forward in their lives and not let themselves be another in the masses. He encourages them to make their existence something special.
One of the central messages of the film is that you don’t need to be a celebrity, politician, or rich man to have a special life. One must simply know how to enjoy the moment, be happy and loyal to oneself, and enjoy each second of life as if it were the last.
Juicing life for all it’s worth
So then, the expression Carpe Diem should be an obligatory lesson in schools. Teaching and educating children does not have to remain the mere transmission of mathematical, linguistic, and scientific knowledge. We must go beyond that. It would be wonderful if we tended to show our little ones how to take everything they can from life.
If we managed to create an entire network of free thinkers, people who seek something more in life than a mere job, a house, and a car, maybe some day we will manage to have families that educate their children with enormous values of respect for their neighbor, for the natural environment that surrounds us, for the love for everything that is dear to us, for solidarity, friendship, and equality.
A society that puts Carpe Diem into practice is a healthy and friendly society. Enjoy life, take everything you can from what is beautiful and nice, express your feelings without fear of what others will say, be yourself at all times, ask for help from those who love you…
The passing of time
The passing of time is fast, perseverant, and tenacious. We cannot fight against it. It leaves to never return. However, we can turn it into our ally. In this sense, the phrase Carpe Diem is perfect for finding a true friend in it.
Do not let that ill-fated day come to you when you have to leave thinking that you did nothing rewarding and beautiful with your life. Take advantage of each moment, feel each instance with passion and energy, and make the marvelous expression Carpe Diem your own. It is in your hands, and you and only you can make a fantastic world of happiness from your life.
“Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying.
And this same flower that smiles to-day,
To-morrow will be dying.”-Robert Herrick-