“For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can't readily accept the God formula, the big answers don't remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command nor faith a dictum. I am my own god. We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state, and our educational system. We are here to drink beer. We are here to kill war. We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.”
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About this quote
Decide for yourself what matters and stop waiting for institutions to hand you permission. Question inherited rules and keep only what helps you live better; throw out the rest. That choice will sometimes isolate you and it won't be comfortable, but it makes your actions honest. Try one practical move this week: pick a rule you follow automatically and test what happens when you choose differently.
When to use it
- At a family funeral when relatives start reciting prayers, I leaned back and told myself, 'I'll figure my own meaning today,' and that quiet helped me breathe.
- After getting laid off, I refused the immediate safe offer and spent a month deciding what kind of work I actually wanted to get out of bed for.
- In a philosophy seminar where the professor insisted on one true answer, I spoke up: 'I'm not sold on that — I'm still working mine out.'
- After a long hospital stay I chose one simple pleasure that felt honest to me, ordered a beer and laughed with friends instead of following somebody else's rule about 'proper' recovery.