The greatest use of a life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.
William James
As the world population nears the eight-billion mark, our planet faces an unprecedented strain on its resources. And as short-sighted, selfish policies lead to avoidable conflicts, one cannot help wondering where we have gone wrong.
Despite being blessed with an imaginative mind and highly rational faculties, man is often guilty of using, nay misusing them for his own myopic gains. In most cases, his actions are aimed at securing a better life for himself and his loved ones. Whether it is his education or career, he fails to look beyond the limited circle he has imprisoned himself in. Unfortunately, while he may succeed in the pursuit of his self-seeking quests, a life thus lived is hardly worth remembering not so long after it comes to an end.
Ultimately, all that truly counts is what we leave behind for the world. In order to become truly immortal in a world as heavily populated as ours, one really has to do something that most others cannot even conceive of. And what better way to pull this off than by leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come?
Ask yourself this, who are you more likely to look up to – someone who left a fortune for his family, or someone whose ideas made man’s life easier across the globe? Who commands more respect from the global community – a drug baron, or a penniless scientist? Remember, buildings and estates can be brought down, but legacies cannot. It is, therefore, important to lead a life focused on improving the lives of the people around us, for that is the only way to live on well after our life has come to an end.
William James was an American philosopher and psychologist. One of the leading thinkers of the late nineteenth century, James remarked: “The greatest use of a life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”