In Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes two forms of rational excellence that will lead to the highest good, human happiness. Excellence of thinking, which requires theoretical wisdom, corresponds with the contemplative life.
To Aristotle, leisure is necessary for the contemplative life. Individuals pursuing the political life must maintain the societal conditions that allow for leisure.
Han (2015) claims that the contemplative life is characterized by deep attention to one’s surroundings:
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The basic mood that distinguishes [vita contemplativa, or the contemplative life] is marveling at the way things are, which has nothing to do with practicality or processuality. … Yet the capacity for contemplation need not be bound to imperishable Being. Especially whatever is floating, inconspicuous, or fleeing reveals itself only to deep, contemplative attention.
The contemplative life is impossible to achieve in Han’s “achievement society” description of neoliberalism because achievement-subjects face an excess of information, leading to multitasking and hyperattention. In particular contrast to Aristotle’s human excellence, Multitasking is a regression to the behavior of wild animals.