I was looking back at the essays I have written until now. I noticed that, despite some occasional roughness, there are many parts where I have written quite meaningful things. Nevertheless, I have continued to push my thoughts forward, constantly thinking, “It’s not this, and it’s not that.” Yet, looking back, I realize that some of the answers I was seeking were already lying there.
My journey of reflection may have fallen into an infinite regress. Judgment precedes indicators. However, this is more about drive and order than about stopping the regress itself. Indicators emerge through the drive of judgment. The fact that judgment always precedes indicators does not mean the chain between the two is broken.
As long as one continues to think, this chain will not stop. It persists as long as thought is possible. However, after undergoing a considerable amount of reflection, a suspicion arises: in the context of life, are we perhaps overthinking? On the other hand, there are certainly moments where reflection remains insufficient. This watershed likely depends on the “resolution” of one’s life or the scale of the framework set for one’s stage.
In essence, it is a matter of scale in life. The scale necessary for living is not actually that large. But when living in relationship with others, the size of this framework fluctuates. At that moment, the “stock” of one’s past reflections may be called into question.
The larger the scale of life, the more insufficient that stock of reflection becomes. For instance, thinkers and philosophers cannot escape reflection because their very social titles demand a connection between society and their own thoughts. Society is not only vast but also constantly shifting.
However, in an individual’s life, a large scale is not essential—nor should it be. Society is too vast for the capacity of a thinking brain. It is inevitable that one’s stock of reflection will run low. While it is better to have a wealth of reflection, it is also necessary to adjust the scale of one’s life. When the stock runs out, one can simply replenish it again.
