The Unexamined Life and Why It May or May Not Be Worth Living

Is the unexamined life worth living? Of course, Socrates would say it is not. For the most part, I do agree that for one to live without at any point questioning who they are or what they are doing is a waste of reasoning. I’ve always thought that people develop interests without any clue as to why they find them interesting. This rule includes myself, of course. There have been many times in the past when I’ve wanted to work towards some goal only to realize that I lacked any real justification for why it mattered to me at all. The examined life combined with an unhealthy apathy for most things, as well as the angst that comes naturally with adolescence, can be quite detrimental. In that sense, it can be said that leaving life unexamined at times is beneficial, namely when perception is tainted by distaste for ambition. However, I wouldn’t say I regret at all the time I’ve spent doubting my own interest in so many things; such experiences are lessons learned, stepping stones towards a more complete character. Raising questions of importance, of the reason behind thoughts, and of self is of utmost importance in the development of a person’s personality. The justifications given for the places we choose to be in life certainly mean more than the places themselves. Perhaps it is also so that someone can be measured by how far they are willing to go in the unending pursuit of answers to those questions about life left unanswered. Despite all this, I speak from personal experience, and as such I cannot say with certainty that any one way of living is superior to any other. The unexamined life may be filled with untold bliss to accompany ignorance. I haven’t even analyzed life to anywhere near the extent others have. Where I am now, it would probably be generous at best to consider my life anywhere near fully examined.