Best Self Magazine

The Inverted Trojan Horse: COVID-19 and the Healing Power of Introspection

The Inverted Trojan Horse: COVID-19 and the Healing Power of Introspection, by Samantha Glorioso. Photograph of man sitting on dock by Simon Migaj.
Photograph by Simon Migaj

The era of coronavirus is ushering in pain, loss & distance; but it’s also providing an opportunity to develop a new sense of responsibility in our lives

In the 17th Century, the French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote that all of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.

Judging by recent data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unconscious urge to immerse our attention in external things still exists today; 83% of a group of surveyed subjects stated that although they found time to exercise or fit leisure activities into their days, 0% had dedicated any time to being alone with their were given the choice between spending time alone in the exclusive company of their thoughts or receiving a small electric shock. Sadly, 67% of men and 25% of women chose the latter.

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