Carlos De Guzman

02/16/16
121188

TH

151 J
Narcissism, Pragmatism, Unbridled Restlessness, and the NonContemplative Personality
In his article, Ronald Rolheiser explores the different and significant
factors that temper against a life of contemplation amongst Christians
today. To be contemplative, as Rolheiser expresses, is to fully experience
God in our lives. A pre-requisite to this experience however, is to have
purity in our hearts to be more open and aware, to be less self-centered
and imperceptive. Yet there are three critical factors that seek to diminish
this purity in our culture today: narcissism, pragmatism, and unbridled
restlessness. Narcissism is defined as an excessive preoccupation with
ones self. Now more than ever, in a society and culture that has
progressed commercially and economically, a multitude of different
choices and options are offered to people each and every day. As an
effect, the inclination to look towards ones self becomes stronger and
more apparent. People today are so concerned with the supposed
blossoming of the individual that they fail to see the full value and virtue
in all the things around them. Pragmatism, characterized by its roots in
the Greek meaning of business, is a philosophy that affirms that the
truth of any idea lies in its practical efficacy and consequences, and that
any unpractical idea is to be rejected. This way of thinking is prevalent in
todays culture wherein people find quality and value in things that work

and give them satisfaction, relegating contemplation and the objects of

our faith to the background. Unbridled restlessness is perhaps a
culmination of the first two factors, because of our concern towards our
own selves and the objects and things that are useful and satisfying to us,
we become increasingly restless towards searching for things that we
believe will change our lives for the better. In the end, rather than
contribute to a life of contemplation, these three constraining factors lead
to a life lacking of genuine faith and fulfillment.