Which destiny would you choose?

Question

Hypothetically,you are given a choice between two paths in life.
On the first path,you live a long and fairly happy life and eventually
die of old age. Except for family and friends,your life will have no impact on the world and the memory of who you were will fade into
obscurity.
On the second path,your life will be short and you will die a violent
death. However,your life will have a great impact on the world in
whatever way you choose(political leader,religious leader,war hero,President,etc.) and you will be remembered for your
achievements centuries after your death.
Which destiny would you choose and why would you choose it?

Answer 1

after reading all these wonder full answers, i thought that i should add my 2 cents to it.
I would go with the second path
Yet i want to add that the memory of you wont vanish and be washed out by time in the hearths of your family and friend
the reason why i would pick the second path,is that i would love to give something to the world around me,and i would do it even without the part that "will be remembered for achievements for centuries",i don't care if I my achievements will be remembered by humanity, as long as i have done something to thrust the humankind in a better direction,that's all that will matter...
why would i choose that path-i dunnow,thats just how i feel,sorry for not having a better explanation

Answer 2

I would choose the second path because you would still have an impact on family and friends but also impact the world. If I'm going to end up dying anyways I'd rather die for a good reason and to help those who are to come after me.

In the Event of My Demise

In the event of my Demise
when my heart can beat no more
I Hope I Die For A Principle
or A Belief that I had Lived 4
I will die Before My Time
Because I feel the shadow's Depth
so much I wanted 2 accomplish
before I reached my Death

I have come 2 grips with the possibility
and wiped the last tear from My eyes
I Loved All who were Positive
In the event of my Demise
Written by Tupac Shakur (1971-1996)

Answer 3

I would choose to live a long and fairly happy life and eventually die of old age. The reason for the path chosen is because through the many years that I will live, I need not inspire the world only a single person to make a difference. Memories of who we are may fade in time, but the past is never in the past. Trust me even the slightest footprints in the sand are seen.

Answer 4

i think your question is faulted a bit, or at least too cut and dry.

I'd be very careful choosing to die violently and to leave a name for myself... I wouldn't want to be known for committing crimes against humanity for example.
Evan as a "good person" with much influence, I don't think I'd be happy necessarily.
If I had to choose this destiny, I would want to be known for curing cancer or something of the like, but not so much famous while alive. I enjoy the privacy of my relative anonymity

To grow old and have a family who loved me seems far more pleasant. And, if you have children, you will leave a legacy... even if it is not world renouned. I also believe that each person who leads a good life affects the world in a positive way. So having "no impact on the world" is a near impossibility as far as I'm concerned. Everything you do impacts the world in some way.

My choice then is for a long, happy life with people who love me and to at the same time do my best not to impact the world in any horrible and lasting way, but to do my little effort every day to improve the world.

Answer 5

In the Odyssey, Achilles made this choice, forsaking life for immortal glory. When Odysseus speaks with him, he wishes he were alive, claiming that to be the best experience felt by man.

Having read the story, and taking it for a story.... I would choose neither.

In path #1 my selfishness would cause my very existence to be as important as the bacteria is living off 1 blade of grass. This happy life is, in truth, a very naive existence to any being with the gift of self awareness.

In path #2 I win great fame, but at the cost of my life... How will I ever feel the rewards of my labors, if I'm dead? This choice also causes great distress (unnecessarily) to anyone that really loves me and whom depends on me for life support. This is the action of someone questing for glory that doesn't have the intelligence to think it through all the way.

In my path, I'd tell whatever divine figure laid those choices upon me to shove it! I'd consider that many people are famous and have a large impact on the world without losing everything and I'd figure out how they did it, then I'd do it!

Write! Explore! Unite! Play!
There is more than one way to get what you want in life.
Live it up, baby!

Answer 6

Wow what a deep question. I am so glad to see someone asking something with quality and substance.
Well, I would have to take the path of least resistance. I know there are many things people think this world needs, and I agree, but I am not perfect as no one is there for I would not want to have some large impact on this world, just in the off chance that it would damage someone or group some where. What the world needs by large is just not in my hands.
Besides I think having an impact on family and people you love can be the greatest thing of all.

Answer 7

hmmm tough question.... and might I add it would be great on a psychological test! lol...I would choose the path of a long life with family and friends etc...because I value those things so much at this point in my life... and though I could choose the second path... and make a huge impact.... who could say if the impact would eventually be thought of as positive or not..if it was that I could actually save the world / end hunger/ make lasting peace on earth.....then I would choose it right this moment.. and gladly die for it...and it would not matter if I was remembered for it or not... its not about glory... but in the meantime... I will continue my quiet life and touch people one on one in my everyday life.... the life of a common man can be just as special and meaningful if you use it to help others, make people happy, and touch other lives...

Answer 8

Good question. I would rather choose the first one with long and happy life coz you have one life to live and if you are contended with your life then you've peace of mind and everything in life.Whereas, the second one may be very famous but then this kind of life is full of headaches and stressful that virtually kills you hundred times before you actually die coz you have no peace of mind and always too busy.So what's the point of being famous? Anyway,who would care about what you did for the world this life coz once you die everything is over.

Answer 9

I would choose the long happy life. As long as I make an impact on someone, be it just a family member or friend, then they have the chance to impact the world.

Answer 10

When I was younger, I may have chosen the second fate but after having children, nothing is more important to me than hugging my babies. I used to be a shameless agitator, political activist and all around know-it-all loudmouth. I am still a know-it-all (just ask my oldest son), I just want to be quiet and snuggle my babies for now. You echo the Morpheus character from The Matrix with this question. I choose which ever pill allows me to have the long life. As long as I have my children, it can never be a "fairly happy life", it will be a spectacular life!