I have three premises about the nature of man.
First, man is a creation of choice. Everything that happens to man is governed by choices. You were late for work this morning? It's not because traffic was bad; it was because you chose to leave the house late. You have a happy married life? You chose the person you married. You have a ton of paperwork; you can choose to get upset about it or you can just attack your desk and get it done. You have a choice, down to the attitude you wish to to take every day. Given that, to me it means that man is ultimately responsible for his life's purpose and direction.
Second, man is the fulfillment of life. If man was created in God's image, then man carries with him all the potential. Every person naturally wants to become all that he can be; the desire to live more is inherent in each one of us. Man will always seek to learn more, do more, and be more, because it is the truest expression of all that he can be, all that he is given. Everything that he will need is already inside. In life, the possibilities are endless. These possibilities exist so that man may affirm life.
Third, man is essentially good. Everyone is capable of kindness, love, and compassion. I think this capacity for goodness is hard-wired into each person. Yes, there are evil people, but even the most hardened criminal carries with him a little goodness. You help an old lady cross the street; you give directions to a lost person inside the Mall of Asia; you smile at babies in buses. Why? You don't get headlines for sharing an umbrella in the rain. Most of the time, the simplest acts of goodness are driven by the simplest pleasures. You feel good about yourself.
Given these three, I now come to the reason for man's being. I believe that man, given his free will and the power of choice, should become all that he can be, to achieve good things not only for himself but for all humanity.
Profound? Not really. Over a glass of wine or over the course of my 31 years on earth, I choose to believe that the purpose of my life is the realization of all that I can be. It is only when I become more, when my life is rich and full, can I do more for myself and others. It is not a goal you work for, like finishing MBA, but a thing you do every waking hour. You make a difference when you give your best in everything that you do.
[This is a reflection essay for my Ethics class. I wrote; I liked; I posted.]
First, man is a creation of choice. Everything that happens to man is governed by choices. You were late for work this morning? It's not because traffic was bad; it was because you chose to leave the house late. You have a happy married life? You chose the person you married. You have a ton of paperwork; you can choose to get upset about it or you can just attack your desk and get it done. You have a choice, down to the attitude you wish to to take every day. Given that, to me it means that man is ultimately responsible for his life's purpose and direction.
Second, man is the fulfillment of life. If man was created in God's image, then man carries with him all the potential. Every person naturally wants to become all that he can be; the desire to live more is inherent in each one of us. Man will always seek to learn more, do more, and be more, because it is the truest expression of all that he can be, all that he is given. Everything that he will need is already inside. In life, the possibilities are endless. These possibilities exist so that man may affirm life.
Third, man is essentially good. Everyone is capable of kindness, love, and compassion. I think this capacity for goodness is hard-wired into each person. Yes, there are evil people, but even the most hardened criminal carries with him a little goodness. You help an old lady cross the street; you give directions to a lost person inside the Mall of Asia; you smile at babies in buses. Why? You don't get headlines for sharing an umbrella in the rain. Most of the time, the simplest acts of goodness are driven by the simplest pleasures. You feel good about yourself.
Given these three, I now come to the reason for man's being. I believe that man, given his free will and the power of choice, should become all that he can be, to achieve good things not only for himself but for all humanity.
Profound? Not really. Over a glass of wine or over the course of my 31 years on earth, I choose to believe that the purpose of my life is the realization of all that I can be. It is only when I become more, when my life is rich and full, can I do more for myself and others. It is not a goal you work for, like finishing MBA, but a thing you do every waking hour. You make a difference when you give your best in everything that you do.
[This is a reflection essay for my Ethics class. I wrote; I liked; I posted.]
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