The modern meaning of Carpe Diem is to do something grand and seize the day. See an example: You may take the vacation you have always dreamed of.
Significantly, the present-day #yolo (You Live Only Once) has stripped Carpe Diem from all the meaning of its ancient Latin meanings.
The two-word phrase was first introduced in the poem Odes composed by Roman poet Horace. He gave the phrase its eternal fame in his book of poems, Odes (23 BC).
Then, carpere meant ‘to pluck, harvest or reap’. So, Carpe Diem would not mean seize the day, but pluck the day.
Uses of Carpe Diem in Cinema
We can see the uses of words in different forms by some of the famous stars and singers across the globe.
Metallica used Carpe Diem Reloaded in one of its albums, while Judi Dench tattooed the phrase on one of her wrists.
When Australian philosopher Roman Kznaric published Carpe Diem Regained, he argued that the modern meaning of Carpe Diem has been hijacked by four groups.
- Consumer Culture – Just Buy it
- Digital Entertainment and Social Media – Just Watch it
- Scheduling and Time Management – Just Plan it
- Mindfulness Movement – Just Breathe
The true meaning of Carpe Diem has been introduced by the 1989 American coming-of-age drama film Dead Poet’s Society.
In the movie, actor Robbie Williams is seen addressing his class of boys. He makes them look at the former boy’s photos and tells them Carpe Diem boys… Seize the day and make your lives extraordinary.
Next time you use Carpe Diem, you will know the exact meaning and the history behind the two-word phrase.
