"Alexandria was a lot like Manhattan. There's an offshore island, it's the seat of all learning and culture in the ancient world. At a certain point in the 4th century, people start to leave. People wander off and they seem to want something else. The city just doesn't do it anymore."
This quote explains nihilism by using an actual example to relate it to modern times. By stating that Alexandria simply got bored with their culture paints a great picture of the idea of nihilism, that things in life/life itself are meaningless. Alexandria was, like the quote mentions, "the seat of all learning and culture in the ancient world". Alexandria was an advanced civilization and had advancements in learning, yet people still left. People were becoming bored with the same thing, and it had become meaningless to them. I think the point that Simon was trying to make was that the city of Alexandria was desiring more in their lives and as a city, and everything else was meaningless. Expanding on that, I think that if they found that "something more" to fulfill them, they would get bored with that as well and move on. In today's culture, people tend to get in a routine of doing the same thing over and over, and get bored with it, therefore it becomes meaningless for them. Likewise with how I think Alexandria was, they will find something else to fill the void, and then become bored and move on again.
No comments:
Post a Comment