adobe

Most of us will go through life without leaving a lasting imprint on the world. As nameless faces in the crowd, we are neither heroes nor villains. We constitute the multitudes forgotten by history. Yes, history will mention us, but only as part of the larger whole. Is there nothing worse than to live life so unexceptionally? Most do not possess the academic drive to discover a world-altering scientific revelation as did Darwin, Newton, or Einstein. Most do not possess the social drive to dedicate one's life to serving others like Ghandi or Mother Teresa. Most do not possess the entrepeneurial drive of Donald Trump or Bill Gates, who created a name for themselves through their corporate empires. Most do not possess the political drive to become a national leader such as Alexander the Great, William the Conqueror or Napoleon Bonaparte. What all of these individuals share is the ability to distinguish themselves from the mediocre masses.

Thus, we are faced with a choice: To live life in the radiance of heroic glory or the infamy of notoriety. One must either be exceptionally good (revolutionizing the world through memorable art, music, philosophic thought and on), or exceptionally evil (perhaps committing the most horrific atrocities and inconceivable crimes). Only the extremities of the spectrum become noteworthy.

Does this even matter? If you are not remembered after death, does that make your life any less meaningful? Is the value of life and living contingent upon your personal contributions to the world? Is an individual's personal worth measured by his/her ability to contribute to the world in some noteworthy manner, whether for good or for evil? If you are only important to your family and not to the world, was your life lived in vain? Or is this just an issue of the familial realm versus the collective realm, and which one perceives as more intrinsically valuable?