Benjamin Berry
Life Journey
11/7/2006
Uselessness
The most profound element of life is its purpose. Each individual’s relatively short existence on earth is guided by their view of purpose. The human life is characterized by the need to act in order to accomplish some goal, and the direction of one’s life is intrinsically linked to that drive. Since the purpose of one’s life is paramount in importance, it is not surprising that individuals often feel inept and burdened as they struggle to define their purpose. For them, a sense of uselessness depicts their very essence as they fail to engage the world in a way they feel is beneficial.
It is ironic that the pains we endure to secure our purpose are often what inhibit us from ever attaining them. Jane Addams refers to this in her book Twenty Years At Hull-House as the “Snare of Preparation”. It is her contention that preparation, while useful for the increase of knowledge on a subject matter, has little effect on one’s ability to apply knowledge to reality or to respond to needs in this world. In response to the poor conditions in East London and the community’s response to it, Addams writes, “This is what we were all doing, lumbering our minds with literature that only served to cloud the really vital situation spread before our eyes” (Addams 70). Thoreau suggested a similar idea when he claimed that universities would serve their purpose better if they were to educate students through the students’ application of knowledge rather than through lecture and books. Thus, a crucial element in understanding one’s purpose is to be alert to one’s surroundings and the importance of acting on the world rather than only observing it.
Too much preparation is not the only factor that often tends to blur one’s sense of purpose. Inaction or laziness is often a vice that traps the individual in a quagmire or self-pity and uselessness. This is usually the result of not having a vision. Having a vision is not necessarily knowing one’s purpose but rather knowing the general direction and discovering the purpose on the way. All too often, however, many find themselves driven by uncertainty and doubt rather than vision. I remember when I had just graduated high school and I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I was struggling with who I was and what I wanted to become. For about four years I followed the paths of least resistance. If an opportunity came along, I would take it. While some of these experiences were beneficial, I never felt fulfilled because I did not have a vision of who I wanted to be. This was a time of inactivity. I had nothing important to live for and nothing to fight for. As a result I felt disconnected and lonely.
Vision can lead one to purpose only to discover that the purpose found is fleeting. It is important to observe the world and reevaluate the relevancy of one’s purpose. Addams refers to the days when she was going through medical school. She had a vision of what she wanted to be. Yet, as she dedicated her life to that vision, she discovered that the purpose she found was not as relevant to the world she lived in as her new vision. She writes that “…there were other genuine reasons for living among the poor than that of practicing medicine upon them, and my brief foray into the profession was never resumed” (Addams 66). Addams found a new purpose that surmounted her former purpose. It was a purpose for greater, long lasting change.
An individual’s purpose is invariable unique. In a general sense, there might be one common purpose for humanity, but working out that purpose in an applicable way, for each individual, result in a myriad of different out workings. It is subject to an individual’s talents, concerns, interests, and temperament. It is subject to the aspects of individuality that are present in us all. The individual must then journey to find their purpose. It is not merely attentiveness to duty that constitutes a journey, but rather a conscious effort in evaluating what one’s purpose truly is. Unfortunately, in the United States the motto is “stay busy”. Staying busy can actually be a thwart to realizing one’s purpose. This is true because the individual has little time for introspection and consideration. A common example of this is Christmas. Many people get caught up in having the best party, making the best food, and giving the best presents that they loose sight of actually spending quality time with their families. As with Christmas, the purpose of life often gets lost in the commotion and issues that really matter are lost to the individual.
Thus, the journey for purpose is of principal importance for the individual. It is a journey that involves preparation not at the expense of application, action with careful consideration of vision, and vision not withstanding revision. Its importance is crucial to the development of the individual. Every step one takes on the journey towards purpose is progress towards understanding oneself and denying uselessness.
Addams, Jane. Twenty Years AT Hull House. The Macmillan Company. New York, New
York 1951.
