Why do people live on earth? From time immemorial, both great philosophers and ordinary people have been looking for the answer to this question. But none of them has come to a final conclusion yet, because this task has no single solution. There are as many schools of thought, as many opinions, and maybe even more.
And yet, some were able to find logical answers that could explain the existence of man.
How often do we think about why a person is born and lives?
The most carefree time is childhood. During this period, we all run like crazy in our homes, pretending to be pirates, superheroes, robots. Thousands of amazing ideas may swarm in our head, but there is not a single question about the meaning of life. And why?
And only after crossing the threshold of youth, a person begins to look for an answer to it. “Why does a person live? What is his purpose? What is the meaning of my life? " - all these questions troubled the heart of each of us. But some quickly threw them away, switching to more pressing problems, while others, on the contrary, spent their whole lives in search of undeniable truth.
Ancient philosophers and the meaning of life
Once Aristotle said: “Cognition of the soul is the main task of a philosopher, as it can provide answers to many questions ...” Moreover, he believed that any thinker should look for meaning in everything, since this search is an integral part of ourselves. He taught that it is not enough to accept things as they are, you also need to understand why they are needed in this world.
German philosopher Georg Hegel was also puzzled by the question of why a person lives in this world. He believed that such a craving for knowing oneself is inherent in us by nature and is our true I. Moreover, he argued: if we understand what role is assigned to a person, then it will be possible to unravel the purpose of other phenomena in the universe.
Also, do not forget about Plato and his reflections on why a person lives on earth. He was sure that the search for one's destiny is the highest good for a person. In part, it was in this search that his meaning of life was hidden.
God's plan, or why do people live on the plan?
You cannot talk about the meaning of life and not touch on the topic of religion. After all, all existing beliefs have their own opinion on this issue. In their sacred texts there are clear instructions on how to spend your life and what is the highest good for a person.
So, let's consider the most common denominations.
- Christianity. According to the New Testament, all people are born to live a righteous life, which will give them a place in paradise. Therefore, their purpose in life is to serve the Lord as well as to be merciful to others.
- Islam. Muslims have not strayed too far from Christians, their faith is also based on serving God, only this time to Allah. In addition, every true Muslim must spread his faith and fight the “infidels” with all his might.
- Buddhism. If you ask a Buddhist: "Why does a person live?", He will most likely answer like this: "To become enlightened." This is the goal that all followers of the Buddha pursue: to clear their minds and go to nirvana.
- Hinduism. Each has a divine spark - Atman, thanks to which a person after death is reborn in a new body. And if in this life he behaved well, then at the next rebirth he will become happier or richer. The highest goal of being is to break the circle of rebirth and indulge in oblivion, which gives pleasure and peace.
Scientific point of view on the purpose of man
Darwin's theory of evolution challenged the headship of the church. This was due to the fact that humanity received another version explaining the appearance of life on Earth. And if at first only a few agreed with this theory, then as science developed, its adherents became more and more.
But how does science look at the issue we are discussing? Why does man live on earth? In general, everything is pretty simple. Since man is descended from an animal, then their goals are similar. And what is most important for every living organism? True, procreation.
That is, from a scientific point of view, the meaning of life is to find a reliable partner, reproduce offspring and take care of them in the future. After all, this is the only way to save the species from extinction and ensure a bright future for yourself.
Cons of previous theories
Now we should talk about what the disadvantages are in these concepts. After all, both scientific and religious hypotheses are not able to give an exhaustive answer to the question: "Why do people live on earth?"
The downside to scientific theory is that it highlights a common goal that is ideal for the entire species. But if we consider the problem on the scale of one individual, then the hypothesis loses its universality. After all, it turns out that those who are not able to have children are completely devoid of any meaning in life. And a healthy person is unlikely to like to exist with the idea that his only purpose is to transfer his genes to offspring.
The position of religious communities is also imperfect. After all, most religions put the afterlife above the earthly. Moreover, if a person is an atheist or an agnostic, then his existence is devoid of any meaning. Many people do not like such a dogma, therefore, over the years, the church foundations begin to weaken. As a result, a person is again left alone with the question "why do people live on earth."
How can you find the truth?
Now what? What if the scientific point of view does not fit, and the church is too conservative? Where can you find the answer to such an important question?
In fact, there is simply no universal solution to the problem. Each person is a person, therefore, his inner world is unique. Everyone must find their own path, their own meaning and their values. This is the only way to find harmony within yourself.
It is not necessary to always follow the same path. The beauty of life is that there are no set rules and boundaries. Everyone has the right to choose specific ideals for himself, and if they seem false from time to time, they can always be replaced with new ones. For example, many people work half their lives to make a fortune. And when they achieve this, they understand that money is far from the main thing. Then they again begin to search for the meaning of life that can make their life brighter and more beautiful.
The main thing is not to be afraid to think: "Why do I exist and what is my purpose?" After all, if there is a question, then the answer to it will certainly be found.
Reflections and disputes about the meaning of life are endless - everyone has the right to decide for himself how to dispose of his destiny. If life is a road, you want to know where it leads and what the rules of the road are. Only a few are destined to leave a mark in history, so is it worth the rest to seek the truth?
“Apriori life has no meaning. We create meaning for it. " These words belong to the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. People are born, live, die, one generation succeeds another, but the question of what is the meaning of life remains open. Philosophers think about it, ordinary people ask themselves, but there is no simple answer, like if 2 multiplied by 2, there will be 4.
Everyone will answer it differently. Some see the meaning of life in love, others - in children, others strive to get as much pleasure from life as possible, for the fourth, its meaning lies in harmony with the world around them, the fifth are chasing success, while others do not think about anything at all and live for today - there would be food and a roof over your head. Tatiana Tolstaya wrote about such people: “They leave life after understanding little, often not receiving something important, and when they leave, they wonder like children: the holiday is over, but where are the gifts? And life itself was a gift, and they themselves were a gift ... ".
Why do people look for the meaning of life at all, why don't they just live like all sorts of animals and birds? Or, as in a fairy tale: "here they live in the house, they sing songs." Why do they not want to be just free, but are looking for a justification for their existence, want to be needed, to make their life meaningful?
Jean-Paul Sartre wrote: “Everything that exists is born without a reason ... It is meaningless that we are born, it is meaningless that we die”, “Before we live life, it is nothing, but it depends on us whether we give it meaning ". And as a result of his reflections, he concludes: "The meaning of life does not exist, so you need to create it yourself!"
Understand your purpose
Christian theologian, preacher and philosopher Augustine Aurelius was sure that every person was born for a reason - he was sent into the world to do some of his work. But he himself does not know his purpose. Defining it, albeit by trial and error, and fulfilling your mission - this is the meaning of human life. How can you lie in bed, waste time, or go about your own business when you have to do so much?
Finding your own business, loving it, maximizing the potential inherent in oneself - this was seen by many famous people who managed to realize themselves. And we are guided by their opinion, because they deserve the right to be teachers and mentors.
The writer Boris Akunin says that only a few live life meaningfully, setting goals and achieving them. According to him, most people live to die, doing not their own business and still not understanding their purpose.
They live as if death is somewhere far in the future and generally happens to someone else, but not to them. Otherwise, it is unclear why people are so wasteful with time.
And suddenly one day they notice how difficult it has become to climb the stairs, how the fans have disappeared somewhere, how girls or boys, at whom they still look with interest, give way on the bus, and in the yard suddenly someone called them grandmother or grandfather. And then they wake up and run after the last car of the departing train, hoping to catch up and do in a short time what they refused or ignored for years.
But alas ... We have a lot to return, just not time. The wise man, the author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, and others, addressed people: “Move away from the quiet pier, feel the wind in your sails, move forward, dream, open! Indeed, in 20 years, you will regret more those things that you did NOT do than those that you did! "
But many people are unwilling or unable to leave their comfort zone. They seem to live, and at the same time they do not live, but vegetate. And they complain of apathy, depression, lack of interest in life. Someone rightly remarked that doing nothing is one of the most tedious activities in the world. And doctors say that a long stay in the comfort zone leads to personality degradation.
American psychologist Abraham Maslow said that the person who is consciously going to be less than he could be will be unhappy. But we don't want to be unhappy, so we must act! "Self-knowledge consists in action, but not in contemplation," he wrote.
The meaning of human life is “to give life to ourselves, to become who we are potentially ... The most important fruit of human efforts is his own personality,” - such a conclusion was made by the German philosopher and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm.
The meaning of life as seen by Steve Jobs
Addressing the graduates of Stanford University, the founder, professing Buddhism, gave them life instructions so that they would not wander in the fog in search of their destiny, but would see a light indicating the direction.
Once upon a time he came across a phrase that greatly impressed him and influenced further decisions, and for the rest of his life. Its meaning was that if you live every day as if it were your last, then someday it will happen. "Yes, he hasn't come yet, but on your last day would you like to do what you have to do today?" Steve Jobs asked. And if the answer is "no", then you need to urgently change your life, while there is still time and opportunities.
Listen to your heart, he said, rely on your intuition, even if you suddenly decide that you have turned off the right path. Your heart and intuition will tell you what to do. Be brave, follow the call of your heart, look for something you love and love what you do, do not stop in your search and do not stop believing what you will find.
Human life is limited by time. However, people do not want to die - and even those who expect to be in paradise. But death is inevitable. Natural death has a noble mission, Jobs said, because in order for the new to sprout, the old must die. Someday you will grow old too, he said to the students, and in the same way life will get rid of you.
Therefore, while you are alive and young, do not waste time, look for your purpose, listen only to your inner voice, do not let it be drowned out by other voices, do not live someone else's life. “Stay hungry and reckless!” - this is how Steve Jobs ended his speech.
Surely many wondered, and even now they are thinking: “Why do people live on Earth? Why was I born? Why do I go to work every day? What are all the plans and the accumulation of money for? Why all the fuss, problems, disputes, diseases? "
At the end of this article, we will answer this question, but we want to warn you right away - if you think that the meaning of your life in the continuation of the family, that is, children, then we are ready to disappoint you - this is the wrong answer!
Many will then argue, how is it not in children ?! And what then? Why then does life exist at all? Before answering this question, let's first deal with the wrong answers.
"The meaning of human life on Earth?" - wrong answer # 1
If we analyze the wrong answers, then, in the first place, is the answer, the essence of which is that the meaning of our life with you lies precisely in children.
Let's try, using an example, to explain why this answer is not correct.
For example, there is a person of Light who lives for herself and does not think about anything, but over time, Sveta gives birth to her son Vanya, this, of course, is wonderful, but Sveta suddenly has a meaning in life! And before that it turns out, as if it were not ...
Years go by, Sveta puts her soul in, works at three jobs, and all for the sake of her beloved blood, but Vanya grows up and the moment comes when he says to Sveta: 
“Mom, I have grown up, I don’t need your care!”.
The question arises: "What will happen to Sveta then?" The answer is simple, Sveta will again lose the meaning of life!
To our great regret, there are many such parents who do not live their own lives, but try to arrange someone else's.
When a child ceases to need them, the parents simply do not know how to live, therefore, they lose full interest in their own life, and if they do not understand that the meaning of their life does not lie in children, then they will try to cling to the children and keep them near you by any means.
Yes, we do not argue, children are really a goal in life, but not the main one, but, as it were, intermediate in their segment of life. Many people simply did not think before the birth of children, what is the meaning of their life? In this regard, when a child appears, they begin to think that he is precisely their goal, but life itself proves sooner or later that this is not so and the meaning of human existence is not this!
"Why do people live on Earth?" - wrong answer # 2
The second most popular, incorrect answer: “Does it really matter what is the meaning of life? You live for yourself, and live! "
An interesting answer, of course. Indeed, live without thinking about anything until death, and then they will tell you what the meaning of your life was and tell you whether you passed the exam or not, and they will also send you back, only the conditions will not be so comfortable, yes and a different body ... It's good if you still find yourself in a civilized country with more or less normal parents, but they can also go to Africa, and even put some wild tribe ...
And after the expiration of the lived time back - to heaven, they will check how this time with the exam of life on Earth it is. If you don't pass it again, everything will be all over again, and so on until you get a little crazy.
Sooner or later, it’s clear that you’ll get tired of getting deuces, then you’ll have the courage to ask the guys with wings: "Where can a clue be found in the next life?"... And you will get an interesting answer:
"Go to the Internet, type the site" Magic Constellation ", open the article:" The meaning of human existence? " and read, and, moreover, carefully, from cover to cover, think about it, then maybe you will look at your life with different eyes, change and finally pass the exam for us ... "
"The meaning of life for people on Earth?" - wrong answer # 3
In third place, in terms of popularity, is the wrong judgment: "Of course, power and, accordingly, money, well, sex, where can we go without it?"
An amazing answer, especially he, will be liked in the heavenly office, when they will be sent back for retake. Ask why? Let us answer that power does not exist, firstly, without problems that must be constantly addressed in order to retain this power again.
Secondly, sooner or later, everything collapses, like a house built on sand, in this regard, it is simply ridiculous to triumph and rejoice, having only the illusion of power. It doesn't matter who you rule over or think that you rule, in fact, everything is different and sooner or later everyone will face it.
As an example, take even the USSR - Gorbachev came to power and in what time did he destroy everything ?! The result, in general, is the same - retake! And God forbid that during the "Rule" you would not completely degrade and drink, and your ego would not swell to the size of the universe.
This is how we live without knowing the meaning of human existence, and, therefore, we cannot get out of the closed, endless wheel of samsara ...
The correct answer to the question: "Why do people live on Earth?"
To understand the answer to the above question, read the following explanation.
We have already written in articles, for example, how a person works, but we will briefly repeat ourselves and explain the differences between a living person and a dead person.
So, dead and living people seem to have everything, at first glance, the same - they have arms, legs, head, organs, but the main difference is that the dead body does not contain the main thing - the soul!
Many will ask, what is the soul? We will answer this question too. The soul means a subtle mental body that spreads over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe Spirit, and the Spirit itself is already an order of magnitude higher, which must be attributed to the casual body, where all the data about the lives of the individual are stored.
This is exactly the diary in which our curators put notes, so to speak, in the heavenly office. In addition, it is they who not only check the diary, but also try to give us hints that we, often, simply do not want to hear. It is these curators that many call "Angels".
Outcome
Coming back to our question: "What is the meaning of human existence?" - the answer is as follows: a person must grow as much spiritually as possible during his current life, that is, to condense the body of the spirit, for example, with good deeds, deeds, emotions and correct its surface so that it becomes even without pits and depressions.
It is the Spirit who is the invisible observer who accompanies a person throughout his life. It is on him that all our ups and downs depend, since everything that we sow, then, in the end, we reap, and we begin to think and, accordingly, change for the better only when diseases or problems begin to overwhelm us completely.
Why do people live on Earth? Many have pondered this question, but so no one has been able to give an accurate, comprehensive answer. Nobody. For some reason, everyone has their own meaning, their own answer. Everyone is different. And all, nevertheless, somehow unexpectedly, come to a common opinion: there are no two identical points of view on this problem. Simply because no two people are exactly the same, identical in everything. It just doesn't exist. Can the clue be kept here, each person, each individual, is a unique world, with its own inherent meaning of life? Why not?
Ask anyone why he lives, and what will you hear in response? Nothing. The majority, after all, find it difficult to answer, and the rest, if not tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow, or in a year, will say the exact opposite of what they say now. But the paradox of the situation is that we actually know the meaning. At every second, at every minute, we know, otherwise, we would have stopped and froze. And they would not budge until they found the meaning of existence. Even a seemingly insignificant task, in fact, has a colossal force of action, because it makes us move, be filled with meaning. Yes, of course, we can say that this cannot be the meaning of life, the meaning of our existence. Then let's take any so-called global meaning, i.e. the biggest meaning, again it is different for most. Some want to achieve everything in this life, while others, on the contrary, want to find all the benefits after death. But where is the meaning, we all come into this world, with nothing, we leave with nothing, we all will ever die, maybe the meaning is in constant pleasure, and the acquisition of benefits, but why do we need them after death. On the other hand, what is there after death, there is also no consensus on this matter. Afterlife, eternal life after death (the meaning of eternal life is generally a thing that does not fit in the head, I wonder if it exists?), The cycle of lives, reincarnation, and the like. Many see this as the only meaning of existence. This is what usually a person, not having accurate knowledge and facts, peels with a peel of hypotheses, fictions, myths, assumptions, etc. sometimes completely unnecessary. A lot has been said, written about this, and for a long time already. And here everyone tries to offer something of their own.
Maybe then, you really should look inside a person and ask him exactly, not some average, but living, real, taken separately. And listen to what he has to say to us. And his judgment about the meaning of life will be the meaning of existence, but only precisely his existence. And nobody else's.
To begin with, I’ll ask a simple question: what does a person value most in life? Right! A life! And why is life given to man? Why does a person live?
It is not customary for us to ask this question. Live and that's it! Are you the smartest? It scares someone, annoys someone ... Most people cannot be lured to this question by any gingerbread.
Dear friend, why are you reading this article? To relax, take a break after work, study. Why do you need to rest? To work tomorrow with renewed vigor. Why go to work? Well, to earn money so that there is something! Why is there? To work. And work to ...
So what is a man? Man is just a machine for consuming food and producing ...? Were you born to pass tons of food through you and die?
Let's dig even deeper.
Dear friend, were you born of your own free will? Remember your early years. You are sitting, thinking and suddenly it dawned on me: Now I am born! And he was born. It was?
I think it was not quite so. Not at all. Or maybe someone else was born by himself? No initiators have been observed. Pay attention: for no apparent reason, we appeared in this world. Something or someone threw us here. When a person passes away, one often hears: why, why a person dies. But I never heard: why, why he was born. Why and for what purpose does a person live?
Do you live by your own will? Well, of course, you will answer, I am sitting, reading, chewing something. It turns out that you yourself tensed, and your heart began to beat, your lungs began to breathe, your stomach began to digest? You cannot live according to your will, but you cannot live! Someone blows into us a vital force that makes a pile of meat, bones, organs live and be called a man.
Someone turned us on, and it started spinning and spinning: in the morning he picked up his teeth, coffee, running to work, running from work, dinner, sofa, TV, bed. I did not have time to look back, it was already 60 years old. Looking back, what was it all for? What is this bustle, this bustle for? What is the purpose of these 60 years?
Tell me, does a man die of his own free will? Do you know a lot of people who want to die as soon as possible, or maybe you saw queues? As a rule, everyone believes that they will live forever. It is there, they die, and I will live. And yet no one has met immortals yet.
So what happens a person is a piece on a chessboard - he is not born of his own free will, lives and dies not of his own free will. And we thought man is the king of nature, the master of his life.
Indeed, a person is a master, but in little things: where to go, what to learn, what to read. But he is not in charge of the main one, his life.
Someone threw us onto the stage of life, and we immediately rushed importantly, fussing. What are we living for?
At a certain moment, a person simply found himself living. And he spends all this life given to him on how to live, but does not ask why he was given life, what is the meaning of human life.
The thought did not occur to you: here I will be gone, and what will happen? Everyone will not be sad for long, and life will go on, and nothing will change.
Question: and what was I needed for?
Listen to this paradox: if a person was born to live, then why does a person die? And if he did die in the end, why should he be born? AND?
What if there is no purpose and meaning in life? - you ask! What if there is?
Have you ever wondered why a person is looking for the meaning of life? Where did he get such a need. Just imagine: you were told: dig a hole here, measuring 4 by 4. We will pay. And what is the pit for? - you will ask. - Dig, don't worry, after lunch the guys will come and bury it.
Tell me, will you willingly work? Someone has invested in us the innermost need of the soul - to look for purpose, meaning in everything, including in life. A person needs to live for something, for someone.
Everyone deals with it differently.
Some do without any goal at all. The latter, intuitively, accidentally find the meaning of life. And still others have so many goals in life that they have no time to rest! Children have to check their homework, write a report, dig up a dacha, run there, come running from here!
Such a person retires and all his false goals in life disappear, and then what? Then a brilliant thought dawns on the grandmother: I will devote myself to my grandchildren! She energetically pushes her daughter-in-law away: That's it, now I'll take care of my grandchildren! And grandfather? And grandfather is saved by an unstable and turbulent life in ... Australia. The dollar is growing, the Australian ruble is falling, gasoline is getting more expensive - explosions, actions, protests - life is boiling, life is filled with meaning! He's in business. Sits in front of the TV or the newspaper. Experiencing.
For a long time, we do not have any thoughts about the meaning of life at all. The goals of life are slipped into us. Immediately you need to finish school well, then college, then get a job, get married, have children, so that like people.
We have earned, got a job, we have children. Clockwork ... Now what? After all, everything seems to be in the house, even the tap was changed and the wallpaper was re-pasted. Imagine a tragic situation that nothing affects a person: a day off, bought everything in the store, cleaned it in the house, listened to the news, what next? Emptiness ... Life is empty. And the soul asks for meaning, whines, knocks. The soul is looking for something.
And she will find. Arguing with my wife, fishing with friends, shopping - so that life is in full swing, to be busy. Everyone runs away from life in their own way, everyone is busy - he is not up to empty questions about the meaning of life, he has no time to stop for a second. Maybe he was in a completely different direction?
Thus, everything in life is presented to a person. There is only one right to choose - to independently fill your life with meaning. We are used to running away from this question and hushing it up, but let's stop for a second and ask:
Why does a person live?
You ask: And what is the purpose of life and the meaning of life in general? Live in the process, enjoy!
Indeed, many do so - live in the process. They study, work, buy, mine, rest, rejoice, sad, without thinking what the ultimate goal of this whole life is.
Now let's try to show what it looks like. Vasily comes home, and there Maria cooks porridge over low heat. Vasily already wants to eat, and the porridge is slowly boiling. Vasily just today received his entire salary for the month with a bonus and vacation pay. And he - once this stack of money - and into the fire. To burn brighter.
- Ahh! Vaska! - Maria lamented, - what have you done, this is all our money, you worked for them for a whole month!
- Calm down, Masha, - Vasily answers her, - for me money is not the main thing, I like the process of work, live in the process!
And one jumped from the 50th floor: Yuhuu, breeze! Don't bother me to live! I already feel good, I like the flight process!
This is how our "live in the process" looks when we do not understand why we live and what is the final meaning of our life. No matter how much you run away from life, no matter how much you close your eyes, at the end you will definitely land. In the end, life will surely catch up and hit it painfully and painfully.
So what are we living for?
You say: For children, children are our joy, children are the meaning of life! Many people do that.
Let me ask, then, if we live for children, what do they live for? That's right, for your children. And those are for their own. Then, if those last children are needed, why would you produce? So I gave them a start!
Well, what do we immediately live for children, in this we see our meaning of life. For example, Senya is running across the football field after the ball, out of breath, his knees are knocked down. All immersed in thoughts about future children. After all, for this he lives.
The purpose of life is to do good! - you will exclaim. - Transfer the old woman across the road, feed the homeless kittens. Okay. How many hours in a day - 24! How long did you translate the old woman - 2 minutes! What did you do the rest of the time? Guard her?
The meaning of life in work? Then the unemployed have no meaning in life.
The meaning of life is to heal people, teach, build houses? Then on a desert island people lose the meaning of life.
And what will a person take with him from this life? Food, furniture, car? Or maybe money? Unless just paste over the grave.
A man does not take anything to the grave: he comes naked - he leaves naked!
So what was the purpose of this man's life?
Everything that we have listed - work, cars, children - these are not the goals of life. This is what we have filled our lives with in the absence of meaning in life.
People took good care to somehow fill their lives, to reach the grave: music, movies, the Internet, a new phone, a new video, a disco.
Saying that man is made to work, to raise children, to study is the same as saying that a car is made to brake, to honk, to flash its headlights. What's the whole car for? What is the whole man for?
If a person lives without the meaning of life, his whole life, all his actions and achievements turn into nonsense and self-deception. Let us illustrate with an example.
A large beautiful snow-white ship leaves the port. All people are scurrying back and forth, all smiling, busy with an interesting and important festive bustle. Everyone gets comfortable in the cabin. People are having fun, discussing the latest news, full of plans for the future. But now the look is transferred to the name of the ship: "Titanic". And my heart squeezes with pity. Instantly, all actions, all the fuss seems absolutely meaningless and unnecessary.
If we know that there is no meaning in life, then our whole life and achievements become meaningless and unnecessary.
Having the meaning of life, the purpose of life, we have a clear plan for how to build our life.
And we live without any plans: I worked there, quit it, got married with this one, divorced that one. Such a life turns out.
But our life looks so sad only if it makes no sense. And if there is a meaning in life? If you try, look?
The presence of the meaning of life, the purpose of life fills life itself with a completely different content, gives life a clear order. A person will not need to look for how to kill his free time. On the contrary, a person will chase every second. Perhaps, outwardly, a person with the meaning of life is the same person as others. But internally such a person, such a person stands at a fundamentally higher level.