Carpe Diem

How do we figure out whether or not a life has value? When do we make this decision? What is the meaning and purpose of life?

Consider the things that you feel make life worthwhile and valuable.

A) List five things you will want to possess or have experienced when you reach the end of your life (whenever that may be).
B) Discuss why each of these things (or ideals or ideas) is important to you personally.
C) Discuss how each of these things (or ideals or ideas) is valuable to humanity.


One thing I would like to possess more than anything else, is a comfortable life. Right now I have this, living at home with my parents to supply food and shelter, but one day I would prefer to have my own place in which I can have a family and also could be my own boss. This is very important to me because it would be much harder to do anything without a level of comfort and security one would have with a house, family, and little worry. Humanity has also thrived to live comfortably, that's why men wanted to own land to live on.
Another thing I would like to posses is family, someone that's there for me. When I my rent is overdue and my landlord kicks me out, I want someone that cares enough for me to make sure I dont sleep on the streets that night. I want someone who has the same feelings for me as I have for them. I want a part of me to live on after I die and carry on my name. I think humanity has wanted this too, because of all of the stress they have on having a son. In some cultures, if a man married a woman unable to give him a son, he was able to have another woman bear him one.
A third thing I would like to possess is a car. I know this doesn't sound as profound as anything else, but a car is freedom. Before I had my license, I relied so much on my parents to bring me to school, friends' houses, the movies, etc. If I had my own car, I would decide when I feel like going out, I could finally get a job and not need to rely on my parents being free or even need to make a schedule of who gets to use the car next. I think this can translate into early civilizations as a man who moves out of his parents house and gets a wife. He finally gets to call the shots and can now carry out his dreams.
Next, I would like to own my own business. With my own business, I could control my income, my work hours, and I would never have to be controlled by someone whom I call "boss." In ancient civilizations, I think a lot of people would rather be the property owners rather than the serfs, working all day for the boss and in exchange getting enough to scrape by.
Lastly, I would like a healthy life. I really would rather live to 50 being fit and able to do everything I dreamed of, than live to 100 unhealthy and never really able to do anything because of an illness or disease. Not saying that I would kill myself if I suddenly got cancer or something, I would live with it, I would just always wish I was healthy and dream about how life could be. I also think early civilizations agreed with this point. I couldn't imagine anyone no matter when they lived, who wanted to be sick rather than fit.