Value of Life: Priceless

Value of Life Essay

How does one put a value upon life? That is the question that surfaces in the mind of every individual at least once in a lifetime. The answer is not a definite one. Everyone has various beliefs and morals; this makes manifesting life’s value into a definite answer a daunting task. I believe every individual holds a personal value of life, each of us appreciate different aspects of life more than other. Life is priceless. There is no specific value that can be placed upon it. There is no way to weigh a life’s worth. Sure you can calculate a person’s economic worth or their career, but a career isn’t a life. There are many aspects as to why life is priceless. You can not measure a person’s values, nor can you weigh the experiences of one’s life. The triumphs and the defeats build character and provide insight. Some may be considered wiser than others, but does that make their life worth more?

Lives can not be compared to one another, no matter how similar. One person may be completely content with their life and you with yours, but switch places and you may find their life unsatisfactory. The answer to this is simple; everyone places different values upon the various aspects of life. Rodger Ebert, an exalted film critic, lost his ability to eat and speak as a result of various surgeries, but even with his misfortunes still enjoyed life. Why? It was because he still was able to do what he loved. A positive outlook would have been hard to maintain without his same passions and values.

“To be, or not to be- that is the question.” (Shakespeare III.i.1) Indeed that is the question. Many refuse to believe that their time on this Earth will come to an end, while others can’t wait for it to be over. It is all determi...

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...tunes in life, and does not have to wait to see what his misfortunes will be after death. Ebert appreciated the joys and experiences he had experienced throughout his lifetime. Who valued life more? You can not tell. While Ebert had a more optimistic view on life than Hamlet, they both held their own value on life.

After all, no one in their right mind would want to lose their life. This by itself proves that each and every person values at least one life. While you may want to place some sort of value on life, it is impossible. No two people have an identical appreciation of life, no matter how similar. Although we may look for definite answers, only one can be found and that is that each individual experiences a unique life. This shapes their appreciation of life and in turn, will help them to draw their own conclusions to place their own unique value upon life.