How to live given the certainty of death.

I discovered this lecture given by Yale Professor Shelly Kagan, and I was intrigued by the title of the video.

In the video, he talks about how we need to be careful, given how short life is, to get things 'right'.

By which he means, there is so much to do in life that it is ultimately our decision to decide what is worth pursuing, given that part of what gives life value is the contents of one's life.

In the video, he proposes that there are three strategies that people typically pursue.

The first is the approach of packing it all in. Trying to do as much as one possibly can within a given lifetime.

The challenge with this, is that there are certain things we deem to be 'more valuable' to achieve in a lifetime that may require us to focus and therefore sacrifice some of the smaller luxuries.

The second strategy, therefore, is to focus on larger accomplishments. The idea being that one's life could be considered more valuable if we achieve significant attainments over the course of it.

The downside to this, of course, is that aspiring to achieve larger accomplishments comes with a higher rate of failure, so we run the risk of missing out on the smaller pleasures for no reward.

The third strategy is to find a reasonable mixture of the two. Strive for some large accomplishments, but supplement them with smaller wins throughout life.

Then there is the question of whether one would aspire to have a long life, or whether it is okay trading a long life for a shorter life, if that shorter life contains a greater level of perceived value.

The years in the life, versus the life in the years.

Some philosophers pose that a great achievement early in one's life should be sufficient enough to go to the grave, having comfort in the knowledge that one has achieved something of great importance.

In doing so, they consider themselves to have created a level of immortality, at least in the sense that they go on in the minds of others. People also seek to have children as a means of living beyond their personal existence. Again, seeking comfort from the idea that part of their genetics go on beyond the point they themselves do not.

Of course, others will point out that this is mere pseudo-immortality. Because what real value is there in anything beyond the point at which you no longer exist?

...To sum up my own perspective...

I believe in pursuing life in the years, not the years in the life. And while I aspire to live a reasonable length of time, I much prefer to experience the fruits of our world while I have the mobility and vigour with which to enjoy them. I would not, for example, aspire to live to 150 if the last 60 were filled with drudgery.

That does not, however, mean that I believe there is no value in old age. I could see the idea of becoming a mentor or educator as incredibly important, though not for the pursuit of immortality. I do not hold it against myself that I have not, and likely will not, achieve any level of greatness that would warrant me living on in the memories of others.

I simply believe that, if you are able to positively shape the lives of others, it is a good use of one's time.

I should probably also share that I have spent a good number of hours contemplating the value of legacy, and I came to the conclusion that if living on in the minds of others is one's goal, the best fields to pursue are likely those of a Politician or Inventor.

Becoming a president or a great leader during times of war, or becoming a great scientist or inventor who helps to create a new, life-altering technology, is probably the surest way to solidify one's position in history.

The reason I believe this is that long beyond the time with which we remember celebrities or other figureheads, history will be viewed from the perspective of great leaders and inventors who bring about societal shifts and technologies that shape humankind, and it therefore adds to one's historical significance.

That said, I would argue that the pursuit of these careers often results in exchanging a good lived experience for historical significance.

The life of a politician is often filled with deceit and living against one's true nature. It also requires unbelievable dedication in these less-than-favourable conditions to progress to the highest levels of office. That's without factoring in that one should ideally align with the zeitgeist.

Inventors, meanwhile, are more likely to live a life filled with inquiry and the aspiration to uncover great revelations that push humankind forward. In most cases, never attain that lofty goal. Those inventors who do often live at the edges of society and go unrewarded for large portions, if not all, of their lives.

Of course, there are examples that contradict this, but I would consider them to be the exception, not the rule.

Given how hard the life of a Politician or Scientist is, it is possibly for this reason that fame is so often desired, because the preconditions for attaining it are significantly lower, and while it doesn't come with historic significance, it is a precondition which can unlock arguably the richest of lived life experiences.

Fame, of course, often acts as a conduit to great wealth, which alone can open many doors that add optionality and richness to one's life.

I, however, like the majority of us, are unlikely to attain any of these desirable life conditions. I am a mere NPC in the eyes of history. As far as pixel pushers go, I suppose I consider myself to be one of the better ones. I still wake up grateful that society deems my profession sufficiently worthy of financial reward, such that I can enjoy a great many of life's experiences I deem worthwhile. Will I be remembered for my contributions? Probably not. Am I okay with that? As long as I make the most of my years, absolutely.