February 01, 2003

The Essence of Bojon

the Tao section of the bojon website sets forth the range of definitions for the term "bojon," and it touches on the concepts behind the bojon philosophy. nevertheless, as a starting point for the content that appears in the Buzz section of the site, it makes sense to elaborate a bit upon the basic tenets that make up the bojon way.

bojon possesses both a literal and a figurative meaning. on a literal level, bojon means having no job.

that's right, no cubicle, no hours, no boss, no PowerPoint presentations, and no TPS reports. in the glory days of the Dot Com rise in the late 90's, being bojon meant that you cashed out, you hit the jackpot. hasta la vista, baby, you were set for life.

but this literal sense of bojon can come with a downside. with the downturn in the economy and the demise of the Dot Com pipe dream, being bojon more likely meant you were laid-off.

plenty of free time, but no steady pay check, no stock options, no PTO days, no health insurance, no sure way of paying the rent, etc. perhaps fun for a bit, but definitely not long-term sustainable.

it is not until you consider its figurative meaning that the true essence of bojon begins to take shape. on a figurative level, bojon means inner peace, the type of solace that comes from pursuing your passions and dreams.

in this sense, bojon is about finding your calling and going after it. it's about asking yourself what makes you tick, what gives you inspiration, and chasing it down. it's the fulfillment that comes from determining what you want to do with your life and trying to make it happen.

identifying one's calling is hard enough; having the courage, the confidence, and the gumption to pursue it is harder still, but this is the heart of what bojon represents.

the no job aspect of bojon is the lighter side of the equation: hey, eternal recess, what a concept. nary an eight-year-old would turn it down.

but the quest for more, for that sense of accomplishment, for that sense of inner peace is where the bojon concept gains some substance.

in many ways, bojon can be viewed as an ideal, something that sits on the horizon, perhaps, acting as a guiding principle. no doubt, there will have to be compromises along the way. reality, circumstance, and chance all have their say.

the bojon call to arms is to keep yourself honest: compromise is one thing, capitulation is another.

get out there and live. make things happen, thrive in the successes and learn from the defeats.

the bojon way is a celebration of life, and the hope is that the content on this site reflects this...


Bojon


Posted by bojon at February 1, 2003 01:06 AM