To Be & To Do
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jun 18, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 19, 2024
FADE IN
Act 1
Sitting in a sofa, PETER scrolls the Facebook Feed on his mobile.
PETER (V.O):"To be is to do" or "To do is to be"...
Peter researches with his mobile.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): "To be is to do" is associated with Jean-Paul Satre. The statement reflects the view that existence precedes essence or nature.
Reading.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): We create our own meaning and essence through the choices we make and the actions we take in life.
Reading.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): "To do is to be" is linked to Socrates, who is quoted as saying "The unexamined life is not worth living".
Reading.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Self-actualization comes through the pursuit of knowledge, virtue and active engagement.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. STUDY, PETER'S FAMILY HOME - DAY (1976)
Peter (22) sits at a small desk, thick books on Philosophy scattered around him.
PETER (V.O.): The Socratic notion emphasizes the importance of an examined, engaged life.
Peter reads underlined passages in books.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): By actively pursuing knowledge, virtue and self-reflection, I come to a deeper understanding of myself and my place in the world.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Such active doing is what ultimately defines my being ie my authentic self and how I live out my existence.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Similarly, the existentialist view holds that we aren't predetermined beings with a fixed essence.
Peter reads underlined passages in books.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I've the ability to make independent choices that shape the trajectory of my life.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Whether it is "to do is to be' or "to be is to do", the notion challenges humans as passive, predetermined beings.
Contemplating.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): With free will comes with responsibility.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): As I'm the author of my own existence, I can't blame my circumstances for who I'm.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I'm personally answerable, responsible and accountable for the choices I make and the actions I take.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): So, I set out my short-term objectives and long-term goals, strategized and executed them relentlessly.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Back then, I was so certain, so eager to assert my freedom and responsibility.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I thought the only restraint was myself.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I accomplished nearly all of my short-term objectives, but just a few of my long-term goals.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Adapting to circumstances, I made the most of the situations.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Still, I've come to accept that I'm shaped not just by my own choices, but also by a vast array of external factors.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I can't control my genes, my upbringing, my social and cultural contexts etc that contribute to who I'm.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): And I can be the right person in the right situation, but at the wrong time.
Peter gazes thoughtfully out the window, lost in contemplation.
Act 3
INT. LIVING ROOM - 21:45
Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "To Be & To Do ..." to a draft.
PETER (V.O): The "to be is to do" and "to do is to be" perspectives are often presented as binary opposites.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I fully acknowledge that external factors do play a significant role in shaping my identity and my life paths, despite my desire for self-determination.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The investigative process to find everything in between individual agency and systematic influences never ends, but that's what makes it worthwhile.
FADE OUT
THE END
Comments