This is a quote of Socrates and recently came up while listening to public radio on a lazy Saturday when I should be out getting my Christmas shopping done.  This kind of set me back to spend a minute examining my own life.  I like to think that I have reasons for doing what I do, and there is some purpose to my own personal madness.  However it may all be an illusion.  If you set your context far enough back, say on a universal scale, then nothing really matters as the sun will eventually go nova and humanity will fade into space dust.  Now this point of view at first makes me think nothing matters, go hedonism!  Abandon all but self-interest.

However I do find two escape clauses for this line of thinking, and I only search for them because the previous conclusion makes me feel guilty.

1. The fact that our mortality as a person and as a planet makes what we do even more meaningful because there is an end.  Without an ending there is always an escape, more to do, an extension, no deadline for your final assignment.  So without that final sense of accountability, there is no pressure to achieve, contribute, or make the impact that you want to make in the world.

2. Conventional interplanetary travel.  If humanity is able to escape the gravity well of the Earth and colonize other planets outside of our solar system, then we extend #1 by several orders of magnitude, as now we are limited by the lifetime of our galaxy and perhaps universe instead of just our solar system.  This is reassuring but still the same problem eventually shows up, just on a longer timeline.  Assuming our understanding of the universe is correct, heat death awaits us as the universe cools.  Still our understanding is young and there is much to explore.  I have no doubt that this will evolve over the coming years and new ideas will emerge.

Now the real kicker about number two is the concept that conventional interplanetary travel is simply not possible.  What if the physics of our universe are such that a living being as we know it cannot move between the islands of life, like our planet, without consuming more resources than are available.  It would be as if whatever made the universe made it such that life may evolve and exist throughout it, but those solitary habitats will never have the capability to reach one another.  If this is actually the case it’s somewhat reassuring as we don’t have to worry about meeting aliens of vastly different technology levels which rarely go well for the receiver.  It’s somewhat depressing as the lifetime of our species does have a measurable end, and it’s the short version.  However if this is the case we get back to number one which gives us meaning and purpose because our time is limited and there is no escape from our blue oasis in space.

This brings me back to what am I doing to lead an examined life?  What is my contribution?  Why do I get up and occupy myself with work?  I’d like to think I am making a difference with my wind farm project in an attempt to create a future of renewable energy.  I do get sidetracked keeping the bills paid which is a valid use of energy, but doesn’t make the kind of impact for me spiritually that the renewable energy project does.  It does take care of my family which is a critical contribution.  Aligning your work with what satifies you I believe is the key to happiness.  So I will continue seeking, and try to remember to examine if what I’m doing day-to-day makes the impact that I want.