“Medieval Christians would place a YOLO in their art as a reminder of inevitable death”.
Yeah, you’re right, they’re basically synonymous.
"YOLO" and "Memento Mori" mean pretty much the same thing
Submitted 10 months ago by Kolli@sopuli.xyz to showerthoughts@lemmy.world
Comments
Rolando@lemmy.world 10 months ago
carmanut@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I think you mean carpe diem?
SwingingTheLamp@midwest.social 10 months ago
It does seem like YOLO = memento mori + carpe diem.
colmear@discuss.tchncs.de 10 months ago
This is the only correct comment.
Memento mori = Remember that you are going to die Carpe diem = Enjoy the day YOLO = enjoy your life, because you only have one and you are going to die
Kolli@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
While I meant what I originally said, this is a great thought! Thanks for the comment!
Hope@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I think they meant what they said. “Remember that you will die” does mean something similar to “you only live once.”
FierroGamer@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
It does if you remove it from its context where they used it more like “you should be humble, you’ll die like everyone else”, carpe diem was used more similarly to yolo
Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world 10 months ago
No?
Memento Mori means “remember that you have to die”. That is pretty much the same “you only live once”.
remotelove@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
YOLO is a little more… eh… pro-active? Knowing that you are going to die is not quite the same as saying fuck-all and leaping to a possible death.
rustydrd@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
I think the similarity comes from the literal meaning of the two but doesn’t extend beyond that. “Memento Mori” carries a distinctly humble meaning related to the concept of “vanitas”, the idea that death is inevitable, even for the rich and powerful, and that earthly pleasures are vain and meaningless. That’s really in the opposite direction of YOLO.
DandomRude@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I think memento mori means more like “remember that someday you will die like everyone else” - so pretty much “be humble”. The ancient Romans used to say that to generals when they returned from a successful campaign as to remind them that they are not almighty.
Nobody@lemmy.world 10 months ago
You’re technically correct, which is the best kind of correct.
DrBob@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
Not technically correct, superficially correct. “A cat on a pillar and a caterpillar are basically the same thing! Amirite?”
Kolli@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
I would definitely argue that it is at least technically correct.
Your example points to a vague resemblance in how it sounds spoken, which has barely nothing to do with the meaning. This much ought to be obvious.
My thought points to an unlikely lesson found in both phrases. That is, both remind to make the most out of life, because inevitable death. As others have pointed out, the connotations just have been formed such that YOLO ends up generally achieving that with recklessness and “Memento Mori” generally with caution and healthy respect for mortality.
However, that does mean that the same lesson is still found in them, which indeed makes them mean pretty much the same thing. Note that I don’t claim them to be synonymous, like a certain comment claims, or interchangeable, which they aren’t.
TL;DR: Your example relies on how it sounds and it is indeed superficial. In my thought the similarity indeed exist in the language and is technically correct.
chuckleslord@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Unus Annus
EvolvedTurtle@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I came here looking for this lmao
DriftinGrifter@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 months ago
Bruh the comment section is basically a highschool circlejerk
Kolli@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
I’m inclined to agree
DrBob@lemmy.ca 10 months ago
Memento mori is a caution against excessive pride. We are all equal in the grave and we are all going to die. Memento mori tokens or reminders were carried by powerful people to remind them to temper their decisions and maintain humility. Definitely not the “fuck it” attitude of YOLO.