Sara O'Rourke

The Meaning of Life?



Posted: Wednesday, July 19, 2006

by Sara O'Rourke

Have you ever really thought about true meaning of life? Of course you have- everyone has. And I bet it has a million answers...all of which revolve (in some sort of orbit) around religion, success and wealth, or my personal favourite: happiness. Well, that just doesn't seem specific enough to me. I'd only really given the whole 'hypothesis' a sound thought the other day, when my friend was in the hilarious yet fuming process of instant messaging me several angry-looking emoticons. He said he was really annoyed at how much homework he'd received for his Summer holidays, in arguably abundant preparation for next year's studies. That was when it really struck me dumb- like it wasn't ever so explicit before- we have no CHOICE.

Of course we have choice! Nobody ever said homework was compulsory. But wasn't it clear that if we didn't do it, that we would completely fail in everything we do in life? You see, there are certain things that although we like to ponder in the comforting thought that we have control over, we actually don't. Just look at the bigger picture: we're born (and what a day that is.) We grow up. We go to school. We finish school, grow up some more. We go to work. We maybe marry, or opt for a spinsterish life where out affection is wasted on tens of cats. We die. THE END. And, of course, let us not forget- if we don't work, we can smooch off the government. Not that I encourage it, but the path ends up in the same place.

Scientifically, this is all in order. It's the cycle of a lifetime! Doesn't it sound utterly delightful and adventurous? Not to me. I'm perfectly aware that within these categories we, as intellegent individuals, can make many choices on a daily basis, but nobody can deny that they are restricted.

What I believe is simple. Once a child is old enough to nicely comprehend the school system (and, obviously, the long, slowwww path it will take them down,) that same child should have the choice to choose to continue or to stop. It's a difficult concept, but the government at the center of this really benefits- as long as we all have to work. It's a controversial business- parents would need to do some form of labour to feed the school drop-out kid, but don't millions of people believe that the meaning of life is happiness? Hence would the happiness of the child at that moment not be what we should strive for?

In a more calm and composed state, one can easily review the situation. We can never really, as a universal body, construct the perfect system- this is why we have objectors who try new things. As long as you feel, honestly, a satisfactory sense of achievement, then you have done enough. Right?

Sara was born in Bologna, Italy, and moved to Buckinghamshire at the age of twelve. She learned English by developing a love of reading Stephen King (who, to this day, remains one of her favourite authors,) and watching Cartoon Network. Never taking an interest in fictional work, Sara developed her style analyzing of casestudies such as that of Ruth Ellis, coincidentally bearing her passion for the subject of History. Although careful not to rule any period of the past out, her favourite material includes the European Reformation and the men behind Hitler. Quickly, the study of History aroused questions that Sara took to answer by delving into the field of philosophy, concentrating primarily on Albert Camus and, before him, Jean-Paul Sartre. Most recently, it seems she was finally made peace with the world of fiction and eased her critical eye, adding authors like Philipa Gregory and Samson to her bookshelves.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by Iavor
from United Kingdom 4 years 29 days ago.
I was vary vary bored and had nothing to do... So I read this, don't mean to say that this was boring; it was just something to do. I think that as you said we are don't really have very many choices... And when ever I think of freedom or anything along does lines a famous quote springs to mind. "Man is born free, but every where he goes he is in chains". I think that we only really have tiny array of choices that we can really make for ourselves. Yes we can theoretically do anything but our obligations to others keep us in such a state of fear that we dare not do most of them so in actual fact we loose does choices. Well also your life circle, you could look at it in a slightly less depressing way, when we die we don’t just disappear but our bodies nourish what has kept us alive all these years, we feed the bacteria, and in turn they are eaten by something else and so on, we help thousands of other organisms to continue to live it is every human’s final gift to the word that has sustained for all these years.
» left by Elisabetta
from UK 3 years 210 days ago.
Really like it. The meaning of happiness in life is for me in the smile of my children, the more they smile, the happier I am! I really hope that one day you will find yours, bacioni, io, m. B xx
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