I guess the first thing that we need to do is determine what actually are the good things in life and do they change from person to person? And is it even possible for all people to achieve the good things in life? So let’s start with defining what the good things in life are and why they are desirable and if they’re going to change from person to person. Ask someone what is best in life and you’ll get hundreds of thousands of different answers. There’s the classic Conan quote, there’s religious quotes, and a whole lot more. And while different ones have different levels of truth to them we need more than this.
For example the Conan quote, when asked what’s best in life Conan replies “To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.” and sure it’s certainly has a nice ring to it and frankly there’s a lot that I agree with about it, at least on a spiritual or deeper level. However let’s be honest, how many of us are ever going to kill a man and take his land? Pretty close to zero, unless there’s significant political and economical change but I wouldn’t bet on it. How relevant is it to our own lives? I’m not saying it’s wrong I’m just saying it’s not exactly practical.
And what does it ultimately lead to? What does one get from crushing one’s enemies and seeing them driven before him? A sense of pride? Sure, and pride from achievement is a good thing. A sense that one is strong and powerful? Again yes and I’d argue a good thing in the right context. But beyond that what? Material wealth and riches? Perhaps but again is that all you’re going to want? Is that what is best in life, truly? I can’t answer for sure but think about it.
The Good Things In Life
So what is good in life? What are the things that lead to long term fulfillment, health, and wellness on the physical, mental, and most importantly spiritual level. And by spiritual I don’t mean religious or what most people call “spiritual” by rather talking about a gut, soul level. What is best for the development and production of all of those things? Sure we have things like strength that are wanted, needed, and respected as well with things like wisdom and beauty. I think strength and wisdom serve as the foundation for the good things.
I think wisdom and strength are required for both understanding the good things in life and acquiring/building them. No doubt about that. But what more does one want then that? What does that lead to? What does it produce? What are the fruits of such things? We have to look at the fruits if we’re to determine what is best and what is good. For example is material wealth good? I don’t know if good is the right term, needed, of course. But not necessarily good. Desired, also, but again not necessarily good in and of itself. It doesn’t lead to fulfillment and health on the three levels or planes.
So then what is good? Well first off I don’t think any one thing fulfills a person, it’s a combination of different things. For example I would count the goods in life to be having a healthy family, one that is healthy mentally, spiritually, and mentally. I’d also count self-development and striving to do all that you can with what you’ve been given another good thing. But both of these things in and of themselves don’t fulfill completely, even if they play a part in true fulfillment.
Why Man Has Religion
Okay, it’d take a multi-volume work to explain all the reasons that man has religion and I’m not going to explain all of it here. I think too many rationalize religion away, thinking its just for social cohesion or a mental thing. Sure that’s part of it but there are deep truths there as well. But on big reason that man has religion is to give ultimate meaning and purpose to life. Very early humans figured out or were told that they will not meaning and fulfillment in and of themselves, that they must be attached to something greater and higher.
There may be some exceptions but remember we’re talking about humanity as a whole. And because of this religion was born. To give meaning to that which would be meaningless otherwise. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that life is meaningless, like I said I think religions contain deep truths man in the materialistic world has forgotten. I think there is more to all of this than what we see before us, it’s almost certain we’re living in what we’d call a “simulation” so it’s not as far-fetched as most would have you believe. So then again, what is good and does religion have the answer?
I would say both yes and no. Meaning that no joining the local church or cult or whatever isn’t a good thing in and of itself. Rather I’d suggest embarking on a study of your own to figure these things out. Figure out what is the primal and cosmic good and align yourself with it to live the best life possible. I can’t say exactly what that looks like as it’ll vary from person to person. Maybe I’ll get into my personal views about this sometime so that it might help others. But this is something you’ll have to ultimately figure out for yourself.
So What’s The Good?
So you might still be wondering “Wait, Charles, so what’s the good?” and here’s the thing, I can’t say exactly what’s going to be best for everyone. I can only lay out how I found my path and how you can find yours and what I think about the subject as a whole. First off take things to their logical conclusion and second delve into the deeper waters. Your purpose is to build, thrive, strive, grow, and fight for some ultimate aim. You have to figure out what that aim is. The religions have much to say on the topic that has been obscured by making them palatable to modernity but if you look beyond that to their source there is much there.
Whether it’s doing Yahweh’s will, heeding Odin’s call, or whatever have you. What’s the ultimate aim and why? These aren’t just symbols to make a people strive to prosper more. That’d have no ultimate purpose, these are “real” things that have real power. But this article is already running long and this is a topic that takes discussion and plenty of words, even for a good writer, which I don’t pretend I am. So think about these things, meditate on them, ponder them, knock em around, do what you must but put thought into them. It’s worth it in the long run.
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-Charles Sledge
