• In The Meaning of Lives by Susan Wolf, she states, “They [people] want to be important, to have an impact on the world, to make a mark that will last forever. When they realize that they cannot achieve this, they are very disappointed. The only advice one can give to such people is: Get Over It”(846). Which is a statement I do not agree with. Many people are determined on making a difference in this world, whether it is small or large. Although, of course, every journey isn’t easy and it consists of many bumps along the way, which, in one of those bumps, could easily bring one down to think one cannot achieve our goal. That we cannot make a difference in this world. But no one should simply say to them “get over it” and make them think this. …show more content…
Wolf believes that we, tiny specks, live a more meaningful life by helping the other tiny specks around us, and not focusing so much on ourselves. If not, then we are living a meaningless life. I agree with her statement but to an extent. I agree that if we live an egocentric life then we are indeed living a meaningless life. But, she also states, “Many of the things that give meaning to our lives (relationships to loved ones, aspirations to achieve) make us vulnerable to pain, disappointment and stress” (842). So, “neither is a meaningful life assured of being an especially happy one, however” (842). Which brings me to my point that everyone has a different mindset on life. Everyone has different meanings on what is considered a meaningful life. For example, it states, “From the inside, Blob’s hazy passivity may be preferable to the experience of the tortured artist or political crusader” (842). Near the end, Wolf strongly states, “The difference between a meaningful and a meaningless life is not a difference between a life that does a lot of good, and a life that does a little. (Nor is it a difference between a life that makes a big splash and one that, so to speak, sprays only a few drops.) It is rather a difference between a life that does good or is good or realizes value and a life that is essentially a waste” (847). Everyone simply has a different meaning to what is a meaningful
Richard Taylor, an American philosopher and author of, “The Meaning of Life” believes you can live a meaningful life as long as you realize your will and are completely involved in it and enjoy it, then you are no longer needed and your life was a successful one. “This is surely the way to look at all of life- at one’s own life, and each day and moment it contains; of the life of a nation; of the species; of the life of the world; and of everything that breathes” (Taylor p 27). He proves this through the ancient myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was sentenced by the Gods to spend an eternity rolling a stone repeatedly to the top of a hill and once it reached the top, it would roll right back down once again. Taylor calls Sisyphus’ life as an “endless pointlessness.” Taylor relates human life to Sisyphus’ life. He believes that both of our lives can have meaning. Taylor asks us to look at Sisyphus’ story in a different way. For example, while the Gods sentenced him to rolling this stone up a hill for an eternity, what if they gave him a “strange and irrational impulse” to roll the stone repeatedly. Now, according to Richard Taylor, Sisyphus’ life would now have meaning and if we were to be as invested as Sisyphus in rolling the stone, then our lives have meaning as well.
To read a story that deals with this theme makes us realize that it is not everyone that can accomplish what they really want in their
One of the most important points in this book is that no matter what you’re going through you have to find your meaning to life. If you don’t have a meaning to life or something to live for then there’s no chance of you surviving whatever you may be going through. You have to find whatever positive thing in your life to make it through any time of your life. In the book, he wrote this, “For the meaning of life differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a
David Mamet once stated, “..it is the human lot to try and fail..” This quotation implies that an individual will attempt to achieve success throughout their lifetime, but he/she will also have to face the failures as well. The quote relates to the philosophy that in order to achieve something, one will have to work for it. This quotation is correct and is further supported by two literary works. The two novels are Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Pearl, also by John Steinbeck. In these two novels, the protagonists know that their goals are very farfetched and out of the norm, yet they both try to achieve it and ultimately fail.
I chose Hope as my "core" belief topic because I'm going through a really hard season right now. Unfortunately, my vapor of hope is the only thing I have left to cling to. I heard it come in handy in times of struggles. As a result, I'm hoping that by spewing kindness and geniualy care for someone else that possibly I would reap what I so.
Life, such a broad yet concise topic. A multitude of different people and cultures offer different opinions on what gives life value and how to obtain satisfaction in our lives. For example, the typical “American Dream” is defined as attaining wealth and success through hard work, while many Spanish cultures consider closeness within a family a valuable trait in life. Whether it is family, success, love, or faith, every citizen in each different culture finds what brings him or her joy and does whatever it takes to reach this satisfaction. There are three specific aspects of my life which make life worth living; these include my faith, my family, and the talents I have been blessed with.
Again, I believe Taylor is missing some important feature to his theory. It seems he is correct in stating one should have their own sense of meaning to their life not just others’ perception that one’s life is meaningful. However, there is still the problem of giving equal meaning to everyone life that is doing what they love to do. As a result, to answer this problem one could suggest in order for one to have a meaningful life a person must be subjectively fulfilled by pursuing objectively valuable ends. This way it ensures the person must find meaning in their own lives as well as creating something that benefits many that will give others the perception the person has a meaningful life.
Reaching the top of the world is a kind of glory and success, but people sacrificed their life to reach the summit of Homologumena was foolish and selfish. They never think about how much their family and friends love theme. “what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world and glory themselves , yet forfeits his soul?” that is Bible talk me. People don’t know what is the most important things when they only see the theirselves. They always be too hard on themselves to show their ability, and the arrogance of human, those make people be difficult to letting go, but people never think it in another side of giving up. Sometimes giving up doesn’t mean you are weak, you just try your best, never put over yourself, and you may have a better result that you deserve. [50 Quotes to Help You Let Go and Live. ]
Erin George’s A Woman Doing Life: Notes from a Prison for Women sheds light on her life at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women (FCCW) where she was sentenced for the rest of her life for first-degree murder. It is one of the few books that take the reader on a journey of a lifer, from the day of sentencing to the day of hoping to being bunked adjacent to her best friend in the geriatric ward.
Even if the events in the people’s lives don’t change, if they change their outlook on life. Forget the bad times and relish in the good times, they might have a better quality of life. If we can all just stop fretting over what we didn’t do or what could have happened, we can just sit back, accept and enjoy life as it is. And Listen to the birds singing Poo-tee-weet.
Many people wonder: what is the meaning of life? What is the human purpose on this earth? At least one time in our lifetime, we all look at ourselves and wonder if we are living our lives the way we were meant to live them. Sadly, there is not a definite answer to the principles of human life. Every human comes from different backgrounds and different experiences throughout their existence. Each person is different, each with different emotions and reactions to their surroundings. People strive to uncover the secrets to the meaning of life. In reality, humans are given the desire to live the way we want and have a critical thinking mind, unlike animals. In the essay Living like Weasels, Annie Dillard believes we should live more carefree and instinctual as weasels, but what we were given as humans is a gift that no other creature has – free will and choice to shape our own lives.
What is life? Life is the journey to death. What is death? Death is the ending of life. What is life and death? No one really knows how to explain life without bringing up death. This goes the other way too. We can’t have death if there wasn’t life before it. In the novel Sophie’s World, Sophie, the main character, is trying to answer these question for the sake of philosophy.
The first principle is that they must be actively engaged. The second principle is that you must be engaged in or with a project that has value. Wolf says you need to be active and engaged in life for your life to have meaning. Which I personally think is false. You do not have to be active or engaged in projects with value. Anything can put meaning into your life and it doesn’t have to involve projects. As long as you are happy with who you are, then you have a meaning. Some people may be shy so they do not put themselves out there but it doesn’t make them meaningless. It simply makes them who they are. If being active makes people happy then that will be their meaning in life, not everyone has to be active to have a meaningful life. She thinks that a life is meaningless if it lacks active engagement when it comes to anything. A meaningful life is not something that you can define or show by being actively engaged in projects and it does not make you a less of a person. If you are happy with what you are doing, then that is your meaning in
In Gerda Weissmann Klein's memoir, All But My Life, the author illustrates the three psychological stages people usually experience during war. The first stage includes her and her family's mental preparation after they find themselves no longer in the safety of their home, and realise that their number one priority must be survival. Stage two is when they must face the reality of the situation, Gerda, her father, her mother, and previously her brother Arthur part ways, and each is in his/her own road to survival. As time passes, Gerda faces the fact that her beloved ones have died, and that she has to stay strong and competent to dig her own path for the future if she makes it out alive. The third phase introduces Kurt, her future husband
I feel that if you have a life that is acknowledged by other people, you have taken the full opportunity of living and made an impact on the society in which you are a part of. That impact could be viewed as positive or negative, but still continues to leave behind some form of an impression. There are many ways to look at how one could make an impact on society. To me, this could be possible by viewing how your society operates, and seeing what the purpose of that livelihood is. I feel that a lot of people go through life following the normal routines of the sociocultural norms, and spend their time doing something they have no personal interest in. This relates back to Socrates accepting death rather than imprisonment or exile, as there is no self-purpose to either of those penalties. It can be seen in many societies today, including America. There are many people who relinquish their dreams to live a more practical life. In my opinion, Socrates would be disappointed in some of today’s generation for not taking the time to dedicate themselves towards their aspirations. Humans today have seemed to lose a lot of the pioneer aspect of their personalities. My general view is that people early in age are raised on the concept that any of their dreams are attainable and that they should strive for them. As people start to develop into young adults they are encouraged to