There was this debate on social media about people being 34 years old in various situations. In the suburbs with kids or with a big truck or whatever else, and people were spending time to give their opinion on what was a good use of life and what was a waste of time.
In my head, the only correct answer is engaging in such a debate is a waste of time and not engaging in a debate is not a waste of time.
Today I saw something about the JLPT and N1 grammar and people were in English discussing the merits of the test and their opinions on whether they could look down on someone for their opinion on some of the grammar on the N1 test.
In my head, the answer is the same: engaging is a waste of time and not engaging is not a waste of time.
When I was a young man I believed in the dialectics. Communication was the only way to reach the higher truths is what I saw. I now see a majority of communication, well, specifically communication in text via internetal waves as a waste of time. It all seems disingenuous to me now. Maintaining sanity and reaching alpine meadows is something different. It’s not being alone with your own thoughts, as that surely leads to insanity as well, but action is involved in the solution for maintaining sanity and gaining metaphysical altitude.
Giving an opinion on N1 grammar and what 34 year olds should do to strangers chips away at sanity and is running down the mountain.
At least that’s how it seems on this buzzed train ride home, sitting in front of some western guy with way too good Japanese and his partner who LOVES him.
Klingsor's First Winter 