Louis L’Amour MEANING OF LIFE

Posted on Sep 5, 2017 in Global Law Politics | 0 comments

THE MEANING OF LIFE

“To survive? What is that? A mouse lives, a fly lives… They exist, they are, but do they live? To challenge the fates, that is the thing! To ride the storm, to live daringly, to live nobly, not wasting one’s life on foolish, silly risks, or ruining the brain with too much wine or hashish.
Let me hold a sword and die beside a man!”
Walking Drum, p. 416

The Existential articulation of this concept is that the meaning of life is “To
live, to Exist, to Be”. I would add “and to Achieve”. To do, to be active and involved in one’s activities and actions is what it is all about. It is not what you take with you. It is what you do with your time while you are here. A man is defined by what he does.

“Life, he decided, was never a question of accumulating material things, nor in the struggle for reputation, but in the widening and deepening of perception, increasing the sensitivity of the faculties, of an awareness of the world in which one lives.”
Flint, p. 154

“It isn’t the goal. It’s the journey.” We shouldn’t always be looking toward
the morrow and to what we perceive will be the next best thing. We should look to and at the present. It is the now that we have. We should make the most of each moment!
We are passing through an age where money seems to be of more importance
than other values. However, if you look back to those individuals we do remember and revere, it is because of what they did, not how much they made.
To material things and especially wealth, we tend to ascribe great importance.
However, a good question might be to ask yourself who, other than Midas, do you recall because he was rich? We can name heroes who are remembered for their accomplishments. Who, if anyone, is remembered for his wealth?

“To each of us is given a life. To live with honor and to pass on having left our mark, it is only essential that we do our part, that we leave our children strong. Nothing exists long when its time is past. Wealth is important only to the small of mind. The important thing is to do the best on can with what one has.”
Hondo, p. 86

Following on this theme, this is very important and, unfortunately, largely
ignored observation/value today. We are all together on this small planet. Within the next few years, scientific genetics will be able to prove our relationship to each other within “x” generations. We will realize that we have common ancestors and kinship. As with Cain and Able, no doubt we will continue wars over greed and power. However, authentic prejudice should be less “justifiable”. We are all one unique species, fortunate to be able to live our lives on this wondrous planet.
How long this planet will continue to support our species is a serious question and should be an equally serious concern. Give our technology and our ability to communicate and store knowledge, we should be in a position to influence our futures. Personally, I am doubtful that we will address climate change before a major disaster comes to pass such as in Florida literally going under water. Then we may wake up and take real action. But, we run the risk of going the way of Easter Islanders and the Mayans. Over population and under resourced. Sad and unnecessary.