Definition of Carpe Diem

To express that we must take advantage of the time, sometimes a Latin phrase is used, Carpe diem, which can be translated as seize the moment. Is expression It is used as a cultism but it is used quite frequently in the language daily.

The Philosophical Approach to Carpe diem

Suppose someone is very concerned about his personal future and professional and, as a consequence, he does not enjoy the present. In this circumstance it is very likely that a friend remind this person of the Carpe diem held by some thinkers of the ancient world, especially in the civilization Roman. Thus, defending the Carpe diem is a approach philosophical based on vitalism and the idea of ​​enjoying the present time as attitude ideal to achieve happiness.

The Carpe diem is an eminently vitalist position, since with this statement the idea is transmitted that life is the only thing we have and that we must cling to it and leave aside others vital approaches (for example, the idea that in another life we ​​will obtain a real reward for our actions or the consideration that destiny is already written and we do not have a authentic

margin of acting or free will).

Carpe diem also implies a call to live in the present time

In fact, the present is the only moment that is fully true and on which we can act. Recreating ourselves in the past can be a mistake, because we can do nothing to change it. In the same way, worrying about the future is another mistake, since the time that has to come is unknown and it makes no sense to anticipate events about which we know nothing. In this sense, the Carpe diem message bears a similarity to another Latin phrase, tempus fugit (time slips away).

Messages that connect with the idea of ​​Carpe diem

There are set phrases, everyday expressions, and song lyrics that convey the same message as the Latin phrase. Thus, the phrase "Live fast, die young and leave a beautiful corpse" is another formula to express the need to take advantage of life with intensity.

We find something similar in the lyrics of the song "Don´t worry, be happy", in which the message that is communicated is evident: don't worry and be happy.

In advertising language, images and messages are often played with suggesting that life should be fully enjoyed. In the proverb, in popular sayings and in some philosophical phrases we find many references that communicate a message equivalent to Carpe diem (learn from the past but live in the present, time is money, time flies or yesterday no one will return it Let's see). On conclusion, the idea of ​​Carpe diem is part of our culture and connects with the vital approach of some people.

Photos: iStock - shironosov / Kikovic

Themes in Carpe Diem