It’s no secret that I hate the phrase ‘YOLO.’ People think ‘You Only Live Once’ and that automatically gives them a free pass to do whatever they want. So I’d like to suggest a new slogan for you #adrenalinejunkies out there, one with more substance and meaning: YODO
You Only Die Once.
I personally believe that you don’t ‘YOLO,’ that there is an afterlife and the things that you do in the life you live now affect what happens after you die. But even if you don’t think that this is the case, that instead you do only get one chance to live and nothing matters afterward, I think this phrase YODO could still be of use to you.
YODO implies that, while the goal of fun can still be achieved, the person recognizes the responsibilities they have. ‘You Only Die Once’ calls into play the fact that the ‘YOLO’ choices made do have an end result. “Meth? YOLO!” “Shoplifting? YOLO!” “Hot babe that I could do for a night? YOLO!” Live in the moment, right?
And then that moment ends-
And you’re dead, in jail, or she’s pregnant.
I’m not saying that bad things always happen and I’m not just a cynical human being out to put a damper on the world, because I’m not; I’m simply being practical, realistic, and honest. Our society and culture has ended up in a place where the ‘feel good’ thing is acceptable no matter what it happens to be. This mentality is selfish and it’s disgusting.
. Using acronyms like ‘YOLO’ and statements like: “I’m not hurting anyone, I just want to be happy!” are what cause people to lose sight of life and the future.
Life isn’t about you, it isn’t about me, it’s about everyone. What you do does matter, who you are does matter, you matter and so does every other person. If we all ‘YOLO’, who will be left to pick up the world?
#YODO
By Madelyn Tapp
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Rebelution
You only live once is so unoriginal! In addition to being unoriginal, overused, and ambiguous in intent, it’s an insulting reminder of a self-evident truth. Yes, time and time again it has been proven that our birth is a surefire ticket to death, but do we really need to be reminded of it all the time?
Jack Black has notoriously pointed out that YOLO is just “carpe diem for stupid people.” He’s right. It’s not a new sentiment. It’s not even a clever observation; anyone with half a brain knows life’s only guarantee is death.
However, the ambiguity of the statement is problematic.
Does YOLO mean we should think through our decisions carefully, choosing only the best and most well thought out options? After all, if I only live once, what is worse than living a life filled with regret? Or does it mean we should live spontaneously, maybe even recklessly, because we might not get another chance?
It would seem the echoes of those living out the motto would favor the latter option.
The Glamorization of Regret.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers had a line in their 1995 song, “Deep Kick,” that cried, “it’s better to regret something you did, than something you didn’t do.” The lyrics leading up to the line depict a bunch of mischievous and even criminal acts committed by a couple of teenagers. The theme isn’t much different from Drake’s 2011 hit “The Motto” which popularized the YOLO slogan.
One can admire the philosophy that we should live life to the fullest as we only get one shot at it, but are we really to buy into the idea that reckless living should be celebrated because we only live once?
It would appear that many popular musicians would want us to believe that.
They glamorize a life in which one takes advantage of all of life’s “opportunities” regardless of who will pick up the tab or who will suffer the consequences.
On the one hand, there is truth to the thought that regretting an action is better than regretting a lack of action. To use an example that almost everyone can relate to, the teenager who asks a girl to a dance only to be rejected may have his share of humiliation and looking back upon the event may regret “putting himself out there.”
Nonetheless, in hindsight he may have great peace about the event rather than being a single thirty year old who always wonders, “What if she said yes? I could be married to her now…”
However, the other hand inflates this truth to a non-negotiable way of life.
One can imagine a day in the life of a teenager who wakes up and says “yes” to every opportunity that comes his way only to end up overdosing, flunking out of school, getting venereal disease or driving his car into a telephone pole.
Exaggerated? Probably, but these are the logical consequences of the YOLO philosophy if we indulge ourselves at every opportunity.
There’s a better alternative.
You Only Live Twice and the Second Time It’s Forever
Source: By therebelution
