"To be or not to be."
``
To
be
or
not
to
be
.
''
Outside the Bible, these six words are the most famous in all the literature of the world.
Outside
the
Bible
,
these
six
words
are
the
most
famous
in
all
the
literature
of
the
world
.
They were spoken by Hamlet when he was thinking aloud, and they are the most famous words in Shakespeare because Hamlet was speaking not only for himself but also for every thinking man and woman.
They
were
spoken
by
Hamlet
when
he
was
thinking
aloud
,
and
they
are
the
most
famous
words
in
Shakespeare
because
Hamlet
was
speaking
not
only
for
himself
but
also
for
every
thinking
man
and
woman
.
To be or not to be, to live or not to live, to live richly and abundantly, or to live dully and meanly.
To
be
or
not
to
be
,
to
live
or
not
to
live
,
to
live
richly
and
abundantly
,
or
to
live
dully
and
meanly
.
A philosopher once wanted to know whether he was alive or not, which is a good question for everyone to put to himself occasionally.
A
philosopher
once
wanted
to
know
whether
he
was
alive
or
not
,
which
is
a
good
question
for
everyone
to
put
to
himself
occasionally
.
He answered it by saying: "I think, therefore I am."
He
answered
it
by
saying
:
``
I
think
,
therefore
I
am
.
''
But the best definition of existence I ever saw was one written by another philosopher who said: "To be is to be in relations."
But
the
best
definition
of
existence
I
ever
saw
was
one
written
by
another
philosopher
who
said
:
``
To
be
is
to
be
in
relations
.
''
If this is true, then the more relations a living thing has, the more it is alive.
If
this
is
true
,
then
the
more
relations
a
living
thing
has
,
the
more
it
is
alive
.
To live abundantly means simply to increase the range and intensity of our relations.
To
live
abundantly
means
simply
to
increase
the
range
and
intensity
of
our
relations
.
Unfortunately we are so constituted that we get to love our routine.
Unfortunately
we
are
so
constituted
that
we
get
to
love
our
routine
.
But other than our regular occupation, how much are we alive?
But
other
than
our
regular
occupation
,
how
much
are
we
alive
?
If you are interested only in your regular occupation, you are alive only to that extent.
If
you
are
interested
only
in
your
regular
occupation
,
you
are
alive
only
to
that
extent
.
So far as other things are concerned--- poetry and prose, music, pictures, sports, unselfish friendships, politics, international affairs---you are dead.
So
far
as
other
things
are
concerned
--
-
poetry
and
prose
,
music
,
pictures
,
sports
,
unselfish
friendships
,
politics
,
international
affairs
--
-you
are
dead
.
On the contrary, it is true that every time you acquire a new interest--- even more, a new accomplishment--- you increase your power of life.
On
the
contrary
,
it
is
true
that
every
time
you
acquire
a
new
interest
--
-
even
more
,
a
new
accomplishment
--
-
you
increase
your
power
of
life
.
No one who is deeply interested in different kinds of subjects can remain unhappy.
No
one
who
is
deeply
interested
in
different
kinds
of
subjects
can
remain
unhappy
.
The real "pessimist" is the person who has lost interest.
The
real
``
pessimist
''
is
the
person
who
has
lost
interest
.
Bacon said that a man dies as often as he loses a friend.
Bacon
said
that
a
man
dies
as
often
as
he
loses
a
friend
.
But we gain new life by contacts with new friends, and new ideas and thoughts, too.
But
we
gain
new
life
by
contacts
with
new
friends
,
and
new
ideas
and
thoughts
,
too
.
Where your thoughts are, there will be your life too.
Where
your
thoughts
are
,
there
will
be
your
life
too
.
If your thoughts are limited only to your business, only to your physical welfare, only to your narrow circle of the town in which you live, then you live a narrow restricted life.
If
your
thoughts
are
limited
only
to
your
business
,
only
to
your
physical
welfare
,
only
to
your
narrow
circle
of
the
town
in
which
you
live
,
then
you
live
a
narrow
restricted
life
.
But if you are interested in what is going on in China, then you are living in China.
But
if
you
are
interested
in
what
is
going
on
in
China
,
then
you
are
living
in
China
.
If you're interested in the characters of a good novel, then you are living with those highly interesting people.
If
you
're
interested
in
the
characters
of
a
good
novel
,
then
you
are
living
with
those
highly
interesting
people
.
If you listen intently to fine music, you are away from your immediate surroundings and living in a world of passion and imagination.
If
you
listen
intently
to
fine
music
,
you
are
away
from
your
immediate
surroundings
and
living
in
a
world
of
passion
and
imagination
.
To be or not to be--- to live intensely and richly, or merely to exist, which depends on ourselves.
To
be
or
not
to
be
--
-
to
live
intensely
and
richly
,
or
merely
to
exist
,
which
depends
on
ourselves
.
Let us widen and intensify our relations.
Let
us
widen
and
intensify
our
relations
.
While we live, let us live!
While
we
live
,
let
us
live
!
"To be or not to be." Outside the Bible, these six words are the most famous in all the literature of the world. They were spoken by Hamlet when he was thinking aloud, and they are the most famous words in Shakespeare because Hamlet was speaking not only for himself but also for every thinking man and woman. To be or not to be, to live or not to live, to live richly and abundantly, or to live dully and meanly. A philosopher once wanted to know whether he was alive or not, which is a good question for everyone to put to himself occasionally. He answered it by saying: "I think, therefore I am."  But the best definition of existence I ever saw was one written by another philosopher who said: "To be is to be in relations." If this is true, then the more relations a living thing has, the more it is alive. To live abundantly means simply to increase the range and intensity of our relations. Unfortunately we are so constituted that we get to love our routine. But other than our regular occupation, how much are we alive? If you are interested only in your regular occupation, you are alive only to that extent. So far as other things are concerned--- poetry and prose, music, pictures, sports, unselfish friendships, politics, international affairs---you are dead.  On the contrary, it is true that every time you acquire a new interest--- even more, a new accomplishment--- you increase your power of life. No one who is deeply interested in different kinds of subjects can remain unhappy. The real "pessimist" is the person who has lost interest.  Bacon said that a man dies as often as he loses a friend. But we gain new life by contacts with new friends, and new ideas and thoughts, too. Where your thoughts are, there will be your life too. If your thoughts are limited only to your business, only to your physical welfare, only to your narrow circle of the town in which you live, then you live a narrow restricted life. But if you are interested in what is going on in China, then you are living in China. If you're interested in the characters of a good novel, then you are living with those highly interesting people. If you listen intently to fine music, you are away from your immediate surroundings and living in a world of passion and imagination.  To be or not to be--- to live intensely and richly, or merely to exist, which depends on ourselves. Let us widen and intensify our relations. While we live, let us live!