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One of the characters in a television series I looked at recently is going through one of those existential crises, questioning his meaning and relevance to the world he inhabits. As he lowers himself into the abyss of despair, he asks: “Who am I to my history?”
Examining his life and its loop of failed enterprises, he concludes that his entire journey has been without purpose: dreary shambling without even the phantasm of a destination to guide him. Shuffling towards this bleak emptiness, he is overcome by the sense of being a loser: unloved, unwelcome and, ultimately, unhappy.
Who am I to my history? The question resonated, clanging its way into my consciousness and forcing me to ask it of myself.
Which history? The ancestral one that has its roots in an India that has evolved immeasurably? The geographic place of my birth? The one that ensued from the meeting of my parents and their distinctly different families?
His question was entrenched in an evaluation of what meaningful contribution he had made to his world and he was trying to figure out his purpose.
Unless we are completely devoid of any capacity to examine our lives, at some point we must have asked ourselves why we are here on this planet. Is it merely an arbitrary visit? Are we here to accomplish something, to contribute to its upkeep?
Humankind is famously given to see itself as having dominion over the lands, the waters, the air and all the resources contained therein. Who’s to say it’s not the other way around?
What if humans, like all other elements of nature’s ecosystem, are here in a janitorial role?
I’ve been thinking about this business of purpose and how it defines our paths and perspectives. In one way or the other, we’ve all been indoctrinated into some sort of value system; a world view that has been ingrained in us through religion, education, community, ethnicity, nationality—a host of experiences that often hit us at the sub-conscious level.
Do you feel that your purpose here on Earth is to rise up every day and give thanks and praise to some divine being? Do those acts of fealty and obeisance render a feeling of righteousness? And is it enough of a purpose?
I ask because I know many devout people who are consumed by that idea, but who are also blessed with a remarkable indifference to the well-being of others—because they are deemed unworthy.
I vividly recall my shock and disgust when a friend (who had recently regained his Christian religion) callously dismissed the catastrophic consequences of the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, which affected 14 countries across the Indian Ocean, and left more than a quarter of a million dead or missing.
He said they were non-believers and so deserved to be wiped out. What his new purpose in life had become, I have no idea.
Photo: Daily Mail
I know people whose purpose is to acquire wealth through dedication to a profession—illicit or otherwise. I have no quarrel with the idea of accumulating riches, but it seems to me that if that is the centre, then it bypasses something essential to the development of a humane character.
Humans have always been obsessed with acquisitions and accomplishments. Fame, glory and wealth are commonly used as measuring sticks for the definition of a successful life.
There is something very self-centred about that—to me, anyway—and I often wonder why these have come to be regarded more valuable than that fading trait of civic-mindedness.
It is true that we live in the age of individualism; everywhere the concern is about me, me, me. My rights, often framed by parameters as narrow as the option to carry a gun, are paramount to those of others in the societies we inhabit.
I am certainly not against people cherishing and demanding their rights as humans. Not at all. I believe that we also have responsibilities that extend into our communities, and I do not mean our geographical community here.
It is a complicated issue, to be sure. The concept of purpose is not one that is specific across the board. It has everything to do with our personal interpretation of what that means, and what brings that feeling of fulfilment.
How often have you heard people who have achieved much in their spheres of endeavour talk about giving back? That phrase: giving back, is built on the premise that something has first been given. The act, then, of giving back invokes the emotions of gratitude, appreciation and equity of sorts.
Do you want to be a perpetual taker (and I make a distinction here between being a taker and a recipient)? It’s easy to fall into the mindset that one is entitled to have everything one’s heart desires, without having to put out any effort.
More than anything else, I think it has led to a large swathe of disgruntled people who feel victimised because they’re not getting what they think they deserve.
It comes back to the idea of feeling there is a purpose to your existence. Is there anything that motivates you to set foot into the world with enthusiasm? The idea of being of service, of making a contribution, is what drives my sense of purpose.
I may have been rambling, but as a new year begins, it felt appropriate to ponder these things.
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Happy happy New year Ms Baksh,
I read your article and said..Wonder fulllll!!!
many thanks
Purpose is the reason for our existence. According to Islamic belief we are born for two things 1. Serve God 2. Be the caretaker of our earth. The second being part of the first. Sometimes what we have been looking for is right in front of us. May God guide your journey.