"Left my assignment till the last minute #YOLO"
"Shaved my all hair off #YOLO"
"Just ate my entire birthday cake #YOLO"
"Put a knife in the toaster #YOLO"
"YOLO" is an abbreviation for the phrase "You Only Live Once". The celebrity-driven mnemonic device, which is predominately used on Twitter, has become widely accepted as a slogan to describe ones motivation to push the boundaries.
The abbreviation is said to have started after Rappers Lil Wayne and Drake made the phase famous. However to get technical it may have been the Strokes, in 2006, that first used the phrase as the title of their hit "You Only Live Once."
Notably, the philosophy surrounding the phrase can be likened to that of "Carpe Diem," (Seize the day) for the reason that it implies that people should make the most of the moment, because we only have one life to live.
"Make YOLO a recognised religion"
Over the past week, New Zealanders have been filling out their census forms. I personally find such a task quite riveting and of high importance. However other citizens of my country do not seem to see the task as of the same significance. In the time leading up to the census, I received three invitations to join a Facebook campaign to "Make YOLO a recognised religion".
The aim of the campaign was to get a bunch of New Zealanders to write, on their census forms, that they followed the "YOLO" religion. If a certain percentage of New Zealanders wrote this, then Statistics New Zealand would be obligated to review the question.
I can't say how many people wrote YOLO on their census forms but if it was ever reviewed by Statistics NZ, then what life philosophy would it entail? How should Christians respond to YOLO?
Clichéd interpretation
In the hype of procrastination I once found myself following a link and surfing a webpage called "100 Tattoo fails". It was great Saturday night entertainment (just kidding… I actually have a social life… sometimes) and scared me enough that I am completely set on living a tatt-less existence.
Personally, what petrifies me the most about tattoos is that they last forever. The decision we make today, just like getting a tattoo, can mould the appearance of our lives. For example, the people we spend time with, the education we gain, the faith we develop and passions we pursue, all impact our lives in the long run.
Subsequently, I question why people aren't more concerned about the lasting effects of their decisions, especially when they justify their decisions on the basis that they only live once. It seems, in many ways, cliché that one can justify their momentary decision under the reasoning that they only have one life. Shouldn't one protect that single chance they have at life, rather than wasting it on a stupid decision?
#DWYL (Don't waste your life)
The fact that we only live once is very true, however that one life (soul) lasts a lot longer than many think it does. Therefore it surprises me that the mere fact that we only live once can be associated with people making stupid decisions.
Grammy award-winning Christian hip-hop artist, Lecrae, clearly makes this point in his song 'No Regrets' saying: "I'm not living for today, because tomorrow looking pleasant. And the future is a gift even though this is the present... you're going to live forever whether you like it or not".
In these lyrics Lecrae illustrates an eternal mind-set. Christians need to keep in mind that this life is the precursor to the life to come. This means filtering our thoughts and actions through an eternal mind-set.
Therefore I think for that reason YOLO can be used as a way to justify risk and courage made by those that choose to live with an eternal mind-set. Subsequently we can make the most of this brief moment we have on earth in a way that uses this broken world as a venue to promote the perfection of Heaven and of Jesus.
YOLO is a slogan that should emphasise ones motivation to live with an eternal mind-set. #YOLO
Elesha Edmonds is the proud owner of a twelve-year-old pet fish and three quarters of a Communications degree. She uses writing as a method to tame her overactive imagination and is ironically studying to be a journalist.
Elesha Edmonds' previous articles may be viewed at
www.pressserviceinternational.org/elesha-edmonds.html