An affect, which is a passive state, ceases to be a passive state, as soon as we form a clear and distinct idea thereof. — Spinoza, Ethics, pars V, prop. III
The ultimate principle of human life is to be present in it—to act out of awareness. What this means and what the alternative would be is pointed at by the following table:
| activity | passivity |
|---|---|
| awake, aware, mindful | asleep, unaware, mindless |
| doing what you truly want | doing what you happen to be wanting |
| driven by reason | driven by emotion |
| insight | ignorance |
| flourishing | suffering |
| agency, autonomy | addiction, compulsion |
| grounded in personal values | directed by social pressures |
| self-determined | culturally programmed |
| taking responsibility | being a victim |
| able to detach | involuntarily immersed |
| freedom | bondage |
One could also speak of being at the cause rather than the effect, but this would require a free will, which we do not have. What we can have, however, is strength and clarity of will.