Iskatehard
06-21-2009, 04:51 PM
The meaning of life? One question humanity has pondered on for countless pieces of time.
But let's be realistic. What the hell is "meaning", really? And where do we look for the answer? Nature? And is that really the correct question to be asking? I don't think it is. Fact is, this world is a very different place. Nature isn't the main force anymore, it's humans. We're the ultimate governing force around these parts now.
So let's throw that question out the window. Let's find something a bit more relevant. How about, what are our responsibilities as humans? Maybe that makes more sense. I think so.
Still, quite a broad question still. Perhaps we should try to narrow it down further. What factors should we consider in figuring out the "responsibility of humans"? I've got an answer, I believe. Respect.
Where is this going? Who should we respect, and how? I think I know. The people before us.
I think we should look at it like this. Throughout the history of humans.. People have died. A lot of people have died. And a large amount did so in contribution to what humanity is today. Is that right? Maybe, maybe not. But it isn't a matter about being right or wrong. It's a matter of what IS. And this is what it is.
So. How do we respect those people? We don't know them, they're dead and gone, right? No, I don't think so. Sure, the names of the people passed don't refer to them any longer. Their intellect will become "obsolete" over the development of humanity. Their body is decomposed. Their clothes are out of style. There is hardly anything remaining. Except, one thing.. And that's the current condition of humanity today.
But still, how does this relate to the ultimate responsibility we have as humans? I'll tell you. Those people who have died.. We can't tell what they thought the future would hold, specifically. But they expected it to be more valuable then themselves.
Now.. Look at somebody taking their last breaths. You can't observe them and their doings and conclude whether or not they were "important". You can't figure up the actual value of their existence. But, you CAN determine the value of one life, and that's of your own.
I think as humans it's a responsibility we are born with to lead a live which justifies those who've died so we may live in such a manor. Sure, we didn't ask for it.. But we were born with it. If you don't agree with it, then it's almost too bad.. Refer to the classic quote "Nobody said life is always fair". We might not agree, but what's done is done, and we should respect it.
Considering like I said, we can't determine exactly what said people dying had in mind.. We have to assume the responsibility on ourselves to figure it out. We have to put life into the perspective we live with everyday to make sense of it. We have to learn what we think is worth dying for, and we have to do it. That is the only way we can really justify those who've died to make us what we are. (whether we like who and what we are or not).
Everybody, at some point or another, is going to look back at what's happened in their lives. They'll consider all they know and all they can understand. And when you look back for the last time you will in your life, you have to believe that what you are is worth the deaths of those before us. If you find that it isn't, then.. You've failed to fulfill your responsibility as a human in modern day society.
Death is a pretty damn big thing. It's the end, I think. Once you die, you're done. You're not going to toss anything else into the collection of creations of humanity as a whole. So we have to find the things that we feel more strongly about over anything else, and we have to excel at those things. Because it's not exactly easy to find something that's worth dying for, you know. And sometimes, you have to consider only the things of utmost importance to you are worth it, thus excelling in that subject is how you personally justify those who've died for you. To take whatever it is that matters the most to you and "do it"
is the only way to properly say "thank you". What good would it be to live and fulfill things that aren't the most important to you? Surely you'll feel at some point or another you've really just wasted your time.
You have to respect it when people give for your behalf. And death is the one thing that can't be "undone". Thus, it's worth the most respect. Your responsibility in life is to respect those before you, and only you can know how to really say "thanks".
That's my take on it, roughly. I don't know if it's right or not, and I don't know if it's logical. But we can all agree the only person that can determine if our life was of value is ourselves. And if you're looking back at your life for the last time (whether you know it or not) and you don't feel like you've justified those before you, then the trade they made to society wasn't fair. They gave their life and you didn't fulfill the expectations.
And shit, since life can be cut out at anytime.. You really have to make a constant effort to continually be satisfied with yourself and what you've done. You can't put it off. You can't think "okay, okay.. I'm going to finish highschool, take these courses, do this and that, and then get out in the world and be somebody." 'Cause if you die before you get to the "be somebody" part, then it's all going to be in vein, right?
Perhaps this a bit headstrong. Perhaps the real question isn't "what is the responsibility we have as a human?" and I'm looking at it wrong. But maybe this will make sense to people. I don't know if it's right or not.. But looking at it like this just makes me feel guilty for not being content with my life and thinking the trade those before me have made was fair. I haven't done anything to justify the deaths of those before me who helped make what we are today (be it directly or indirectly). And if I died right now, then holy shit, I'd have to apologize to too many people.
Thoughts on that idea? Perhaps you know why it's not a good way to take life in this sense? What if we don't have the self-esteem (if you will, perhaps this isn't the best word) to feel we've justified those before us?
But let's be realistic. What the hell is "meaning", really? And where do we look for the answer? Nature? And is that really the correct question to be asking? I don't think it is. Fact is, this world is a very different place. Nature isn't the main force anymore, it's humans. We're the ultimate governing force around these parts now.
So let's throw that question out the window. Let's find something a bit more relevant. How about, what are our responsibilities as humans? Maybe that makes more sense. I think so.
Still, quite a broad question still. Perhaps we should try to narrow it down further. What factors should we consider in figuring out the "responsibility of humans"? I've got an answer, I believe. Respect.
Where is this going? Who should we respect, and how? I think I know. The people before us.
I think we should look at it like this. Throughout the history of humans.. People have died. A lot of people have died. And a large amount did so in contribution to what humanity is today. Is that right? Maybe, maybe not. But it isn't a matter about being right or wrong. It's a matter of what IS. And this is what it is.
So. How do we respect those people? We don't know them, they're dead and gone, right? No, I don't think so. Sure, the names of the people passed don't refer to them any longer. Their intellect will become "obsolete" over the development of humanity. Their body is decomposed. Their clothes are out of style. There is hardly anything remaining. Except, one thing.. And that's the current condition of humanity today.
But still, how does this relate to the ultimate responsibility we have as humans? I'll tell you. Those people who have died.. We can't tell what they thought the future would hold, specifically. But they expected it to be more valuable then themselves.
Now.. Look at somebody taking their last breaths. You can't observe them and their doings and conclude whether or not they were "important". You can't figure up the actual value of their existence. But, you CAN determine the value of one life, and that's of your own.
I think as humans it's a responsibility we are born with to lead a live which justifies those who've died so we may live in such a manor. Sure, we didn't ask for it.. But we were born with it. If you don't agree with it, then it's almost too bad.. Refer to the classic quote "Nobody said life is always fair". We might not agree, but what's done is done, and we should respect it.
Considering like I said, we can't determine exactly what said people dying had in mind.. We have to assume the responsibility on ourselves to figure it out. We have to put life into the perspective we live with everyday to make sense of it. We have to learn what we think is worth dying for, and we have to do it. That is the only way we can really justify those who've died to make us what we are. (whether we like who and what we are or not).
Everybody, at some point or another, is going to look back at what's happened in their lives. They'll consider all they know and all they can understand. And when you look back for the last time you will in your life, you have to believe that what you are is worth the deaths of those before us. If you find that it isn't, then.. You've failed to fulfill your responsibility as a human in modern day society.
Death is a pretty damn big thing. It's the end, I think. Once you die, you're done. You're not going to toss anything else into the collection of creations of humanity as a whole. So we have to find the things that we feel more strongly about over anything else, and we have to excel at those things. Because it's not exactly easy to find something that's worth dying for, you know. And sometimes, you have to consider only the things of utmost importance to you are worth it, thus excelling in that subject is how you personally justify those who've died for you. To take whatever it is that matters the most to you and "do it"
is the only way to properly say "thank you". What good would it be to live and fulfill things that aren't the most important to you? Surely you'll feel at some point or another you've really just wasted your time.
You have to respect it when people give for your behalf. And death is the one thing that can't be "undone". Thus, it's worth the most respect. Your responsibility in life is to respect those before you, and only you can know how to really say "thanks".
That's my take on it, roughly. I don't know if it's right or not, and I don't know if it's logical. But we can all agree the only person that can determine if our life was of value is ourselves. And if you're looking back at your life for the last time (whether you know it or not) and you don't feel like you've justified those before you, then the trade they made to society wasn't fair. They gave their life and you didn't fulfill the expectations.
And shit, since life can be cut out at anytime.. You really have to make a constant effort to continually be satisfied with yourself and what you've done. You can't put it off. You can't think "okay, okay.. I'm going to finish highschool, take these courses, do this and that, and then get out in the world and be somebody." 'Cause if you die before you get to the "be somebody" part, then it's all going to be in vein, right?
Perhaps this a bit headstrong. Perhaps the real question isn't "what is the responsibility we have as a human?" and I'm looking at it wrong. But maybe this will make sense to people. I don't know if it's right or not.. But looking at it like this just makes me feel guilty for not being content with my life and thinking the trade those before me have made was fair. I haven't done anything to justify the deaths of those before me who helped make what we are today (be it directly or indirectly). And if I died right now, then holy shit, I'd have to apologize to too many people.
Thoughts on that idea? Perhaps you know why it's not a good way to take life in this sense? What if we don't have the self-esteem (if you will, perhaps this isn't the best word) to feel we've justified those before us?