There are four propensities of life… eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. But is that all there is to life? And if so, how are we, as human beings, any different from animals?
Humans have mastered these four propensities. We have an endless menu of gourmet cuisine and all manners in which to cook it so that our food not only gives us sustenance, but a sensation of incredible tastes. When it comes to sleeping, we have perfected the art of getting a good night’s rest, with ergonomic beds, neck-support pillows, and cosy blankets. And it is frightening just how well we have enhanced the act of mating, and how much we have sharpened our ability to defend ourselves.
The question human beings should be asking, is whether this really is the goal of life? Just to eat, sleep, mate and defend. If this is the goal of a life of a human being, then you can argue that it would be better to be an animal. For example, if the goal of life was to sleep, wouldn’t you rather be a crocodile? I heard that a crocodile could sleep for 20 hours a day! If sex was to be the goal, then why not prefer to be a pigeon? A pigeon could have sex 100 times a day, without caring for the offspring or being in a relationship. If eating was the main focus of life, then who wouldn’t want to be a pig, who can eat anything and everything all day long? My point is, humans are equipped with so much more potential to fulfil more than any of these propensities. That is how we are different from animals. If we focus our lives around this sense gratification, surely we’re missing the point of life. We must awaken ourselves from our slumber. There must be a higher purpose.
Human life begins when one starts questioning, “What am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose? What is my relationship with this world I live in? What is my responsibility to the environment? Who am I?…” The questioning and the learning are endless.
We have the ability to act independently; we have free will. We have a higher intelligence. We have the ability to question. We can philosophise. We can actually ponder what happens after death. A life of a human being is a life of responsibility and consequences; a life of questioning and seeking answers.
Yes, we have perfected the four propensities, the basic needs of life, but it is not what makes us human. We’re missing the purpose and potential of human life if we care only for eating, sleeping, mating and eating.
Please take a moment to ponder… don’t wither away a life of great potential, questioning and learning. Strive to understand the world around you. Don’t allow yourself to be satisfied with a life similar to that of an animal, because you simply won’t be doing justice to the incredible gift we’ve all been given… life as a human being on this planet.
Yours Sincerely,
Joseph T. Bismark
Group Managing Director, QI Ltd
Thank You for this Gem Mr Bismark – it did make me chuckle and then realize the need to reflect and also focus on our personal priorities. I feel we are all very blessed to be part of a Group that allows for so much synchronicity between our careers and how we can contribute to society.
Most of the people are not aware of the fact of human life.. They live their life illusioned and believe that eating, sleeping, mating, and defending are the basic reality. Here comes the importance of Knowledge – As rightly mentioned by you " Who Am I ? ".
We have been gifted with a life of a Human in this birth , but we take it for granted.. Time passes by and when we reach our death bed we repent and say
" What did I do for myself ? "
Life is an inner journey which explodes to the reality of the self. We need to give time to ourselves so that we achieve the ultimate gift in this existence of ours..
Prayers,
Mamta
India
Emil,
Please send this info to your write & left as well. Even it is English try to explain
Thanks
Thank you Japa for that wonderful piece of wisdom that is rarely shared. I entirely agree with your proposition that humans are here for a much more higher end than sheer eating, procreation, self defence and sleep. The answers one gives to your questions viz "who are we"? and "why are we here"? pretty well define what sense one makes out of this life. Majority of people never ask these questions let alone having the right answers to them. Suffice it to say though that by knowing who one is, one definately dicovers where one came from and by questioning why one is here, one discovers where one is going, and this completes the whole matrix of life. Humans and other species of life with whom we share the universe have got a universal source, whose intention of bringing us into existance is to serve his purpose. This source is known and his purpose is knowable for he has made it manifest. It need be noted however that the souce in question does not need our service qua service, for he doesnt depend on it, rather he wishes to see an orderly universe wherein perfect patterns of service are maintained. The patterns in question must lead to harmony with the universe’s existents and this ispso facto, leads to perfect justice which ultimately leads to realization of true happiness, the highest form of which lies in getting as close as possible to the source of life who is the Almighty Master Planner. Indeed from Him we came, His purpose we serve and to Him we shall return. May He bless you Japa for the wonderful contribution, you have rendered to His purpose; being in service.