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Zohan's avatar

I agree that routine is stable, and when everything seems to be changing, in our lives, in the country, and around the world, stability means comfort. I hesitate to endorse performing rituals, however, because the tendency for people to lose track of the original purpose of a ritual, one that has been performed numerous times over, through years, centuries, and generations, makes me uncomfortable. The argument that the comfort is worth the effort can be used to justify small rituals such as coffee, but when the purpose of larger rituals such as going to church transforms from one of enjoyment, faith, or purpose to one of comfort and routine, is it still worth the effort to continue the routine? That is, should you continue routines because they are comforting even if you have lost the original purpose, or is it worth reconsidering the benefits of pursuing something that has almost become second nature to you? A good example to consider is Shriv at Deerfield. Many start going because it is enjoyable to both swim in the morning and to spend time attempting a common endeavor with other members of the student body. But soon, the purpose transforms into one of routine and resistance to breaking habit. Is it still beneficial to keep going? I am not debating your argument of creating routine for the sake of comfort. I think routine is something that I never thought of until now, and I realized that life before Deerfield was one giant routine for me, but my life right now is extremely unpredictable. The most routine I have is brunch on Sunday, and I do think adding routine might help me feel more grounded. But the converse argument of breaking routine to optimize utility is an interesting one to think about.

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