I'd heard this before, but I came across the full version of a quote by Hubert Selby Jr today; his explanation of why he became a writer. Very profound stuff.
I was sitting at home and had a profound experience. I experienced, in all of my Being, that someday I was going to die, and it wouldn't be like it had been happening, almost dying but somehow staying alive, but I would just die! And two things would happen right before I died: I would regret my entire life; I would want to live it over again. This terrified me. The thought that I would live my entire life, look at it and realize I blew it forced me to do something with my life.
So this begs the question: how can we live lives that are not only fulfilled, but lived to our potential? What sort of activities should take the highest priority: fostering relationships? volunteering? spreading our moral imperitives?
I hate existential quandaries. (Adding more details, give me a minute.)
2007-09-03
09:37:53
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7 answers
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asked by
Xander Crews
4
in
Philosophy