I agree with Mr. A’s thought that what we do, we should do for the future generation’s journey’s. But I think it is naive for us to hold this position without a wherefore. I doubt we would do anything if we thought it would be all for naught. But say it is all for naught, we still have to aim for something. So then Wherefore do we live and work?
In college, I had a different name for the Unamunian “wherefore”. This version was actually a sincere three word prayer directed to God. And I quote “ What the FU*K ?” Pardon the vulgarity, but it brought the sincerity needed to ask God why. It was only until much later that a friend recommended Unamuno to supplant this thought/question.
Mr. A’s line of thinking wonders what would happen if we constantly ask “wherefore?” He thinks that it might destroy our motivation ( forgive me if I am wrong on this). Typically, in order to respond to that thought, I’ve got to ask, what motivation does the world or I have? The usual answer is to create a better, more just world. But there are problems with this. For what is better, what is more just? Take the following question; why do we have laws, why do we have morals? The easy answer is to maintain a functioning society. But morality, importantly so, goes beyond function, as it finds so many things to be wrong that are seemingly victimless or against the law. Most would not hold morals/laws being wishy washy as Mr. A example of philosophy class, for his example showed, that things can be right and wrong as long as we can put a good argument behind it.
But we don’t think that. Most of us think that there is right and a wrong. That if we adhere to this right and wrong we would have a more just world. To me this is just an illusion that almost all of us suffer from in one way or another; the believe that we have a better grasp of understanding then our predecessors. The phrase, “ if they only knew what we know now” comes to mind. For example, who was not sickened by the German people doing nothing about the Holocaust? Or how about American Slavery? What do you think about those people who ignored the ashes descending from the air in Germany? What about the American Confederates who thought it right to preserve slavery? Of course we know better now. We would never allow this willingly again (at least you I would not if it were to be so blatant as ashes falling from the sky). All this leads me to say, sure we do know better - not to do those specific things. But do we know what is better in a different situation? It becomes harder in nuanced situations. Perhaps people will look back at us in 100 years and scoff at the idea that we could be so heartless as to not want people to have healthcare. The point is, I think most of us would have a hard time figuring what is better because we really do not have a better understanding of better. Why do we want better? Why is it wrong to do certain things? Why is it important do we try to prevent the Holocaust?
It cannot be happiness- with a few exceptions, I think we are no happier then anyone in the past. Is it morality? Quite frankly, with a few exceptions, we are no moral than our predecessors. Love, less violence, better philosophical insight? Quite frankly we don’t have more love, less violence, or better philosophical insight. I can give another “ quite frankly” if you wish.
WHEREFORE our journey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????? If there is no better, is it really to only perpetuate the same situations in a new way? I don’t think so. I don’t think any of us really want to believe that everything we do will do, we do for no reason other than the continuation of the same existence.
Unamuno was right to observe the madness this line of thinking can cause. His opus, The Tragic Sense of Life was well titled. Mr A. similarly was astute enough to recognize the impracticality of this line ( well done bro - wish I could show you how many great ideas you stumbled upon that line of thinking but ...)
Before I go further, I am going to boil it down and let my favorite author Dostoevsky give Unamuno’s response to the question of Wherefore (note the italicized portion is the actual answer): “If you were to destroy the belief in immortality in mankind, not only love but every living force on which the continuation of all life in the world depended, would dry up at once.”
Why did Jesus mention the whole gain world, loose soul idea? But I will quickly digress ...
Whether someone be an atheist or believer, it was all the same to Unamuno. We all want to be immortal, to perpetuate ourselves somehow. Although, both Dostoevsky and Unamuno found their immorality via God, I am sure they sought a back up plan with their work, ie their future generations journey which involves reading their books.
Whoever is reading this, heed my point. Ask yourself Wherefore you do anything. God? Morality? Art? We all operate on a Wherefore. If you ignore this but think you are doing your part for future journeys, then you risk what Dostoevsky warned us against above; become nothing but a series of habits where there will be no progress made in one’s life, nor contribution, only habits. And I quote, “It seems, in fact, as though the second half of a man's life is made up of nothing, but the habits he has accumulated during the first half.” And people wonder why I hate TV ( don’t worry I use it all the time)- what most of us do the moment we get a free moment. We need a wherefore.
The Grand Inquisitor’s argument (chapter in The Brothers Karamazov, is the consequence of not believing this.) So what do we do, Mr. A was right on this one. and I quote “ To be content with living life without existence or recognition of who you are as a person or the thoughts that one has but may be afraid of sharing, which has changed for me. I believe trying to make life too simple results in life becoming more complex. We are complex beings meant to share, dream, think, explore and live. It is time that we step into this role and begin discovering or uncovering or living our journey.” But, Mr A., it seems might just be wrong on one thing. For to discover or uncover our journey we need to accept that it needs a wherefore. Find it, or at least die trying, before the couch finds you dying on it.
Funny enough I picked up a novel by Unamuno and found a conversation set between two friends as they meet up for a chess game; it reminded me of Mr. A’s point ( as quoted in the above paragraph) about life’s complexities and purpose. I’ve added some different details for giggles:
“ You are a little late today my boy”, said Jarod to Anthony. “You are always so punctual.”
“Why, yes, to be sure - business -”
“Business! You?”
“Do you think that nobody but nurse-philosophers has business to attend to? Life is much more complex then you imagine.”
“Or simpler than you perhaps think ---”
“It might be anything.”
“Very well, play!”
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