Everyone has something to say about the meaning of life. A previous blog I wrote, Conversation Turned Ugly, aroused a fair amount of heated debate amongst associates. On the Shabbat following this post, I spent the day watching movies, and one of which further fuelled my analysis on this subject. In particular The Constant Gardener was two hours of worthwhile television viewing. It is the kind of film that leaves you dazed, sat in contemplation, as you replay it over in your mind.
The Constant Garderner aided the subject that had been at the forefront of my mind lately, the amount of value I should be placing on my work life. A brief outline, the film follows the quest of a British Commissioner, Justin, who pursues the truth behind his wife, Tessa’s murder. Before her demise, Tessa strived to uncover corruption in the African British high commission and associated unethical business practices of a pharmaceutical company, which lead to her eventual murder. In a mission to seek out Tessa’s murderer, Justin sets out to fulfil her conquest of revealing the injustices she realised in Africa.
Tessa’s decisions and consequential actions were determined, throughout her life, by her values, belief and mission for justice. And so, yes, her life had enormous meaning. However, what was truly the point of it all …sacrificing her marriage and life in order to implement her beliefs, so that her life has value, yet at the end of all the struggle, lose her life in that pursuit and, therefore, evenutally losing all value.
Tessa had very little chance to make a significant impact on her cause. The world is found upon wealth, heritage, power, politics, religion, bureaucracy and dictatorship. What chance do any of us mere mortals have in the face of this, to make an impact, to make our life meaningful by influencing those around and making the world a better place. She acknowledged the significance of all human life, regardless of this world, regardless of what it is built upon and, consequently, she ended up dead and simply a memory.
Should I take the idea from the movie that we should follow our hearts, our beliefs, despite the consequence, as long as it means we are honouring the meaning of our life. Does this imply we should maintain a value in our life by pursuing our beliefs, despite the actual value of our life, as it becomes secondary to the goals we aim to achieve?
It seems politics and power, and such, corruption, will always be the winning team. So, if we will all be so hopeless, unable to illustrate the love we have for others, what is the point of it all. There will never be anything of a truly meaningful life, if no-one is able to stop genocide in Sudan. Okey, this was just a movie, I am slightly melodramatic and rambling somewhat, but I just can't help but think.
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1 comment:
I love your writing as usual.
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