Philosopher: Constant Productivity Pressure Undermines Happiness, Embrace Epicurean Peace

Philosophy offers a vital therapeutic escape from the relentless demands of modern life, according to philosopher Darío Sztajnszrajber. In a dialogue with LA NACION, he explained that this discipline allows individuals to distance themselves from the everyday pressures and the imperative to be constantly productive.

“

There is something in that performance, performance as profitability, where every step we take we have to take advantage of it, generate a gain, that produces some kind of accumulation.

Sztajnszrajber critiques the societal push to monetize every action, where each step must yield a profit or accumulation. "There is something in that performance, performance as profitability, where every step we take we have to take advantage of it, generate a gain, that produces some kind of accumulation," he remarked. He finds this way of thinking about life unappealing, preferring an approach that questions common assumptions and seeks more sensitive, critical perspectives.

“

Epicurus said that happiness, Epicurean ataraxia is the imperturbability of the soul. Very linked to this idea of being able to find that nothing, in a way, takes us out of a certain axis, of a certain inner peace, of a certain tranquility.

He draws on thinkers like Epicurus to define happiness not as a pursuit of intense pleasure, but as "ataraxia," the imperturbability of the soul. This state is achieved by minimizing disturbances and finding inner tranquility. Sztajnszrajber explained that for Epicurus, the greatest disturbances stem from dependencies, particularly those built on what he called "false infinities", the belief that things last forever.

“

For Epicurus, what disturbs us most are dependencies, and those dependencies are structured from what he calls false infinities, which is thinking that things last forever.

"Epicurus is trying to associate happiness with pleasure, but with pleasure from the smallest things. He said, flee from pain, seek pleasure. Even if there is a contradiction between the two, happiness is not to hurt, to summarize it that way," Sztajnszrajber stated. He rejects the notion that existence must be geared towards constant output, arguing that life is too brief to be solely dedicated to accumulating results. He advocates for embracing the "useless" to open up new perspectives.

“

Epicurus is trying to associate happiness with pleasure, but with pleasure from the smallest things. He said, flee from pain, seek pleasure. Even if there is a contradiction between the two, happiness is not to hurt, to summarize it that way.