Abstract

One can observe that modern man already is in a society where achievement becomes the main, even sole, goal. Neoliberalism highly influenced people to see themselves as subjects of achievement. The society becomes the one that dictates the activities of man, leaving him without freedom. It is observed that in today’s world, man submits himself easily to the demands of the particular situation without even thinking. In this paper, we look at the ways of life, namely, Vita Contemplativa and Vita Activa, as means towards liberation from the achievement society. The relevance of Vita Activa is acknowledged as a reminder of our true selves as homo faber, but still looks upon the primacy of Vita Con- templativa. Contemplation and these ideals both feature prominently in the ideas of the contemporary philosopher, Byung-Chul Han, and the Christian thinker St. Thomas Aquinas. This paper shows an approach towards revaluing contemplation, especially as actualized in prayer. The value of taking time to rest and pausing for a while so as to contemplate and encounter the Divine amidst the ever-rising reality of the busy contemporary world is appreciated once more.