It seems an especially hard time to be alive - for those in The West who experience the alienation propagated by modern culture.
We are in a thought-world where subjectivity can poison but not heal. Where we believe the nihilistic promptings of imagination and readily accept the idea of futility - yet reject the good news brought us from that same quarter.
The resistance of this problem, decades after its formulation, is the resistance we have to a metaphysics of meaning - and that even the problem of the problem is a challenge, a learning experience potentially - indeed it is perhaps the learning experience of all.
Because the modern predicament is the crux of all things: Is the universe Good - was it created, is it meaningful, purposive - does it have a place for each of us specifically, a destiny, a path, and an achievable goal? Does death render everything futile or is it an essential step to a great gift?
All these characteristic, modern, alienation problems; are forcing us to confront the most essential of all questions. They bring us to face the ultimate choice, which all must face.
Because reality is a participated reality - reality just does not force itself upon us; we must always decide, choose, to make reality.
The 'facts' are insufficient, the facts are always insufficient to compel choice. That is the nature of things.
Reality is as reality is; but we cannot make sense of it without our-selves evaluating and interpreting - and rejecting or endorsing.
For each Man it is as for Jesus and Lucifer. The facts are the same; the difference is a personal act of understanding those facts. Ultimately it is a choice between alliance with the creator, or imposing our-selves on creation.
Is the world a family to be part-of; or a situation to be made the best-of?
The modern predicament brings us to this situation, unavoidably - although part of the reality of the situation is that understanding the nature of our personal predicament is exactly the point at issue.
