Indeed, indeed, there is charm in every period, and only fools and flutterpates do not seek reverently for what is charming in their own day.
— Max Beerbohm, “The Pervasion of Rouge“
I’ve tried, on occasion, to cultivate an antiquarian mindset, to socially-distance from my own time and seclude myself among the great minds of yore, but I’m either too shallow or too curious to stick with it. (I’ll be generous and go with curious.) Everything contains Buddha-nature, no matter how ordinary or ephemeral. A mental landscape populated solely by coniferous stalwarts has its charms and consolations, but the transient beauty of individual deciduous leaves is undeniably fascinating. Why should I be in a hurry to escape the world? A true foolosopher should be able to turn any material, from current events to pop culture, into grist for contemplation.