| The Journey: Revisited Previously, I had stated that the journey is long, painful and meaningless; however after assorted elucidating experiences I find it necessary to reevaluate an invaluable aspect the journey. Undoubtedly, no one would question the length of the journey or pain caused by it for they were concluded by sound reason while their antitheses were thoroughly disproved, but the statement that the journey is meaningless is questionable and should be analyzed further. Many seem to have the notion that enlightenment is possible, and though I would commonly argue against this let us speak of this possibility. It unlikely that anyone could fathom a possible way to become enlightened, but I assume it is similar to achieving purity of the essence and therefore becoming free and rising up to where the air is clear and the lesser cannot reach. The way to achieve this would be to examine various aspects of existence attempting to find various truths that could free one from societal bondage. Of course, one must assume that there are definite truths and not simply relative ones. But how could one find these truths? Should one look within oneself? Some may say yes, but how could one find an unequivocal truth within oneself where things are solely extant relative to oneself? Undoubtedly, an objective truth cannot be found this way. Some may then turn to science not understanding that even it is not the great panacea capable of discovering universal truth. The only way for one to find a true truth would be to view existence from outside of it, to essentially view it with no perspective. Indeed, through this way an unequivocal truth can be found, but alas, this is not possible, hence there can be no true truth, only fallacious ones. It seems undeniable that with such knowledge one would always have the inkling that a truth is wrong, therefore making a search for a new truth necessary. There are those that would say that this is detrimental to the journey, but they would be mistaken for that is exactly what the journey is. It is the struggle to find true truth, to reach enlightenment. All must undertake it, and very few wish to leave it. Undeniably, everyone knows that the objective of the endeavor, true enlightenment, is impossible to achieve, it is a permanent struggle to overcome ignorance and imposed morality. Although this is the case, is not the struggle an enjoyable thing? Does it not steer one from lethargy? Does it not make one stronger? Of course, the struggle does all these things. Is it not possibly better that the objective cannot be achieved? Is not a man better when he is fighting toward the peak instead of when he has reached it and is idly awaiting his descent? If one were to complete the task that individual would certainly become idle. How could one help it at that height where the air is so clear and yet so thin? Idleness is necessary when one can hardly breathe. Only through the perpetual struggle can one keep finding the truths necessary to discard the old ones. And only through the discarding of the old truths and the adoption of the new can the individual reinvent his morality and at the same time perfect his amorality, forever improving, forever approaching the infinite enlightenment, eternally becoming. This eternal becoming, forever approaching the pinnacle without ever reaching it, wards off decadence allowing the individual to be truly great. However, there are undoubtedly individuals, even knowing this, that would think they have found an eternal truth. And in them will be personified the decadent nature and obscene vanity (even taking the guise of humility) to which all should wish to never concede. However, one should be wary never to pity these folk lest they become decadent themselves. Only through the perpetual struggle could the journey have any value. So it seems as though the journey is not meaningless after all for its objective does not provide its meaning. In actuality, the struggle to achieve the goal is its meaning since through it one defines oneself. But is not the struggle itself the journey? Verily, the journey and the struggle are one in the same; hence the journey is itself its meaning. And now I would like to ask, “Have you read any good books lately?” |