Artificial paradises

While reading the biography of the French writer “Charles Baudelaire” what came to my mind was “Wow, this man does crazy things”, but then I thought “Wow, how many things this dude went through” and then the title of one of his books “Artificial Paradises” made sense to me.

What is an artificial paradise? 

Artificial: something produced by human beings; not occurring naturally. Paradise: a place or condition of great happiness where everything is exactly as you would like it to be or an ideal place or state.  So it can be said that an artificial paradise is a place or state people create in order to feel good.

"Drugs are not the only ones that create artificial paradises"

 In his book, Baudelaire describes the effects of the drugs and discusses the way in which they could theoretically aid reaching an "ideal" world ; however, there are other things in life that can create artificial paradises and are not considered as harmful as drugs, at least to some extent. Among these things can be: social networks, platforms, games, food, sports, etc. Some of these things may be good and beneficial for people,  but that doesn't mean that these are not used as a means to clear the mind, distract oneself or perhaps "take a break from reality". Hmm, isn't it a happy place? Hmm, maybe a paradise?

 “I just want to think in other things” 

Said my friend when I asked him why he spent so much time on tik tok. “ It's my distraction” he told me a few minutes later then I realized he looked like he was starting to remember something so he took out his phone and started watching videos and in a matter of seconds he started laughing, he seemed happy; he managed to forget his reality.

“It’s my happy place”

Last month, I was talking with an old friend and in a moment she told me “You know, the best part of my day is when i go to the gym; I turn on my music and start training”, “that’s good” I said, but then she added “it’s my escape, there I don’t think in my problems, in my responsabilitites or in the things that are overwhelming in my day” “it’s my happy place”.

"I needed another place to go while I was stuck at home"

There was this time when I was sick and I didn’t know what I had the doctors didn’t know either. I spent my days watching series, sometimes I finished a series in just one day, I didn’t want to think about my state of health; I needed another place to go while I was stuck in my house. So I found a place in which I didn’t remember my sickness and that place was the television in my room. 

In brief, the concept of “artificial paradises” is not something that only involves toxic substances and a fatal destiny, and although this concept may vary according to each person's perspective, I believe that sometimes we don't have the slightest idea of the many things that happen in the lives of others. So, from time to time everyone needs to disconnect from reality for a while and go to their “Artificial Paradise”. Take care