What is a good life?

For centuries, humans have grappled with the question of what makes a good life. From ancient philosophers to modern thinkers, this pursuit has shaped countless ideas, religions, and cultures. Aristotle believed that eudaimonia, or human flourishing, was the ultimate goal, achieved through virtue and wisdom. The Stoics, like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, argued that a good life came from inner peace, resilience, and accepting what we cannot control. In contrast, existentialists like Camus and Sartre emphasized personal freedom, urging individuals to create their own meaning. Across history, love, community, and personal fulfillment have remained the focus of these discussions, revealing that, despite changes in society, the core of a meaningful life remains the same: to live authentically and without regret. A good life is made up of a balance between love, community, and personal fulfillment, where the ultimate goal is to have a life with no regrets.

Love is a part of what makes a good life, no matter what period of our existence in the world around us. Love, especially when it comes unconditionally from our closest friends/family, makes us stronger. It makes us believe in something worth fighting for. Because that is what life is mostly about sacrifices. Knowing when and what to sacrifice for others is essential to our existence, and that is where love is nurtured in our social life. This idea is heavily related to Erich Fromm's The Art of Loving, where he emphasizes that love is an active emotion that requires effort and commitment. Genuine love comes from the principles of care, responsibility, and respect, where all of which demand sacrifices. This supports my point that sacrifices are essential to nurturing love in our lives and finding purpose in creating a good life. However, love doesn’t always work out --Married people divorce, friends leave friend groups-- People change, and it has always been this way. This willingness to love and make sacrifices makes sure that we live genuinely and fully. These experiences, even when they end or change, prevent us from having regrets because we know we gave our best to the relationships that mattered most. This can be tied with the idea of love being an action. If we frame love as an action, the strength and depth of our relationships depend on our willingness to care and respect. Choosing to love, even when it requires sacrifice or involves uncertainty, shapes a good life by giving us purpose and helping us create the courage to live a life without regrets.

Community is another component of a good life, be it making a difference for the greater good in our society, or just helping others. Being in a social circle brings us a certain responsibility, where we create a sense of belonging for ourselves and others. With this, we learn about things bigger than ourselves, and with empathy and collaboration, we find a small, but important, part of purpose in our lives. Finding our purpose ensures us that, in the end, we can look back with no regrets. 

Finally, personal fulfillment is part of the good life, representing the pursuit of our passions. As individuals, participating in activities that we genuinely enjoy--as arrogant as it sounds-- also creates meaning in our lives, and we can’t live without purpose. With personal fulfillment, we can bring the best of ourselves to strengthen our personal and societal bonds with the world. This connects to the idea of death discussed throughout The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Life is Beautiful. In the Death of Ivan Ilyich, his life is full of superficial successes and follows societal expectations. On his deathbed, he realizes that the lack of genuine personal fulfillment in his life made his life hollow. After his reflection, he is able to find a sense of peace when thinking about his family. That story teaches us that the personal fulfillment needed for a good death (and consequently, a good life) does not come from external success or living for others. In Life is Beautiful, love and death are visible in Guido's unwavering joy and creativity when faced with the horrors of WW2. He creates a purpose to uplift and distract his son during the time they spent in the concentration camp, and I believe he can find meaning throughout his life through his love and humor to protect his son. He acts selflessly, and I believe he is able to find a good death amidst the context of the war because he can love and protect his son. The idea of personal fulfillment that leads to a good death can be also seen in The Apology of Socrates, where he sticks to his own values with courage, refusing to let someone else dictate how he will live his life. His willingness to accept death made me realize that a life with personal fulfillment must also be lived with courage and integrity. Socrates’ death reaffirms that we should live with integrity, guiding our own path and values in life, where we one day will encounter ourselves with death and feel fulfilled.

This feeling of fulfillment (that later comes with a good death) allows us to build a life with no regrets, embracing love and community, where one can’t exist without the other properly. They all ensure we create the best life possible, a complete life of true satisfaction.