1 x Life of Glory or 2 x Life of obscurity?

L31mr0d

Alexander the Great - "I would rather live a short life of glory than a long one of obscurity"

King Solomon? Ecc 9:4 - "Anyone who is among the living has hope even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"

Was having one of those existential moots with a couple of my friends the other night (I know I must be a riot at parties), and this argument came up into discussion. I guess it's along the lines of the quantity v. quality argument.

We where reasoning, if the likes of Einstein or Newton, on their death bed, where told they could live another life but all their work would be forgotten and that their new life would end in obscurity, would they choose to die, rather than lose their fame and the benefits they brought to the world? Or would, at the moment of death, they choose to live another life?

I know the majority of us will probably die a life of obscurity, including myself. But i'm asking a hypothetical here. If you could be given the chance to live 2 lifetimes (either one long one, or 2 of equal lengths) in obscurity or 1 full of glory which would you choose?

bluto63

It's a tough call. I would love to leave my mark upon this world(and being on boards is the way to go about it:rolleyes: ) but to live only half the length I would as a nobody? I can't even vote in the poll I'm so torn between the two.

iFight

2 x Life of Obscurity

One of glory

Pazaz 21

2 x Life of Obscurity

If you lived a life of glory i'm sure your legend / legacy will live on.

I rather make a difference and die young then to waste oxygen and live a long, obscure life.

Ruu_Old

2 x Life of Obscurity

Pazaz 21 wrote:

If you lived a life of glory i'm sure your legend / legacy will live on.

I rather make a difference and die young then to waste oxygen and live a long, obscure life.

Yep, long live the Keeeng! Life of glory here.

azezil

If you're dead you're dead, what use is your glory then?
Also, in this day and age, a famous person's life is not their own, constantly being hounded by the media, no personal life... I couldn't deal with that, for me the best things in life come from the little things, the interactions with friends so, give me the extraordinarly long life of obscurity.

Feral Mutant

The only reason I'd choose the life of glory would be if my life had a great effect on humanity. Otherwise, I'd go for the lives of obscurity.

Kold

2 x Life of Obscurity

The thing is, a lot can be achieved in a life of obscurity. It's not really a question of personal achievement.

Faith

2 x Life of Obscurity

Life of glory, hands down! Have a short, but great and notable life, or two long and boring ones?

Why would anyone chose to live twice as long if there was nothing to be achieved from it?

Blisterman

2 x Life of Obscurity

Depends on the glory. I'd want to be well known, as Ghandi or Einstein are, for doing something benefitial to mankind.
To be famous for being on Big Brother or something, would be a bit crap.

bluto63

Feral Mutant wrote:

The only reason I'd choose the life of glory would be if my life had a great effect on humanity. Otherwise, I'd go for the lives of obscurity.

And there's my answer

L31mr0d

<--- ** PC 1000 **

Woohoo, i'm not going to die a life of obscurity, oh wait loads of people have 1000+ posts

For me i'd rather live 2 lifetimes living to my hearts content. Maybe live one life in the mountains another by the ocean. Dying in obscurity doesn't mean dying lonely, you can affect those immediately around you just you will never be recognised for achieveing anything. Like was said, what good is fame and glory if you are dead? We are not considering an afterlife here either, its not like you can look down on the world and see the effect you've had. You'll never know how you are going to be viewed in heinsight.

Dave!

Faith wrote:

Life of glory, hands down! Have a short, but great and notable life, or two long and boring ones?

Why would anyone chose to live twice as long if there was nothing to be achieved from it?

What do you mean nothing has been achieved from it? You're happy aren't you? If you live to 100 (this is a real likelihood now apparantly ) in your current, apparantly obscure, life, will you not be happy?

It would be nice to leave a mark on the world and have people always talk about you after you die, but really once you're happy that's all that matters. You're living your life for you and nobody else, so your sense of achievement or success shouldn't hinge on whether or not you have a wikipedia page (linking up 2 apparantly unrelated thread here lol).

Once you're dead it doesn't make a difference to your emotional state. Perhaps on your deathbed you'd get some warmth from knowing you'll live on through your art (Yeats?) for example, but at the same time you might get that warmth by seeing your great grandkids running around your garden, mightn't you? It comes down to the individual I suppose.

tony 2 tone

2 x Life of Obscurity

Define a life of Glory? We talking Pat Kenny big here?

Hobbes

L31mr0d wrote:

Alexander the Great - "I would rather live a short life of glory than a long one of obscurity"

Round the decay Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Dave!

Hobbes wrote:

Round the decay Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, The lone and level sands stretch far away.

"How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"

Deep :cool:

wow sierra

Some peoples idea of "a life of glory" is stuff like the exploits in Donna Tarrts A secret history or some of the idiots who get themselves killed racing on our roads. I believe in living life to the full and not constantly putting things off till you have someone to do it with/can afford it/ retire etc. But dont mix up 15 mins of fame with living life to the full.

I think its like the comparison between Marlon Brando and James Dean - both incredibly cool/sexy 50s icons but one dies young and one dies old, alone,poor and fat. Still I would take Brando's life a million times before Deans.

Then theres the amazing charachter in Tsotsi - a blind, wheelchair bound beggar whose life is worth living cos he "enjoys the heat of the sun" (he also manages to inspire Tsotsi). Maybe if my 15 minutes of fame was creating that film..........:)

Hobbes

DaveMcG wrote:

Deep :cool:

It's a line from Ozymandias. It means that no matter how much amount of Glory you wish for you will eventually be forgotten.

History is full of them.

As for obscurity there are many people who have influenced the world yet people would never know who they were. For example without googling do you know who Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston are?

Dave!

Hobbes wrote:

It's a line from Ozymandias. It means that no matter how much amount of Glory you wish for you will eventually be forgotten.

History is full of them.

As for obscurity there are many people who have influenced the world yet people would never know who they were. For example without googling do you know who Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston are?

I wasn't questioning it, was just poking fun at the discussions via archaic quotes

The_Minister

Blisterman wrote:

To be famous for being on Big Brother or something, would be a bit crap.

There is no glory in that house, only humiliation. Eventually, they will end up working in a restaurant, getting occasionally recognised by tourists, and crying themselves to sleep each night as they realise, that they have every disadvantage of fame, and none of the advantage.

L31mr0d

I don't think people are fully fathoming death here. Its not like retirement where you can look over your life and appreciate that you lived it to the full. Its like another "archaic quote"

Hamlet - "Why may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander, till he find it stopping a bung-hole?"

Even Shakespeare knew that when you're dead, you're dead, no matter what people remember you as, your existence is now the same as any other man who lived. Your ashes could be used for stopping a bung hole and you could do nothing about it.

I wonder how many people who wish for a short life of glory on their death bed would wish for just another year to spend with their partner, or watch their children grow older? Would a life of glory make missing that worthwhile?

Sofaspud

L31mr0d wrote:

Hamlet - "Why may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander, till he find it stopping a bung-hole?"

Hehe, bung-hole.

DaBreno

"There is no deceit." Cuchullainn replied indignantly. " I overheard Cathbad telling his pupil that the warrior who took up arms today would be famed forever, and rightly so: it is I!"
"Ah you poor eejit. True it is you are destined to find fame and your name will burn brightly forever, but you are destined a short life." Cathbad said sorrowfully.
"To me that sound a fair exchange," said the boy. "If my name will live forever I would be content to live just for today."

I remember that one from primary school and thought he made the right choice, the only choice. Who wants a long boring life? I suppose its easy for the Young to choose the Live fast Die young option. It would be noble to trade half a life to leave the world a better place.

Then again, its a good point that was made about how on your death bed, you wouldnt care less about Glory if you could have one more year. It could also be argued that doing your best for your family and making loved ones happy IS a quality life and not nessesarily a short one. But not by me.

L31mr0d wrote:

Hamlet - "Why may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander, till he find it stopping a bung-hole?"

Cornholio FTW!!!11!!