We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then

In the great dance of life, where ambition and foolishness often intertwine, George Saunders offers a sobering reflection: "We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish." These words strike deep into the heart of our human condition. They remind us of the ephemeral nature of our existence, the grand pursuits we undertake, and the ultimate futility that accompanies our striving. For in the end, no matter how much we try or aspire, time will catch up with us, and the world will carry on, indifferent to our failures, our successes, or our self-importance.

What then does it mean to "try, fail, posture, aspire, and pontificate"? It is the nature of human beings to chase after greatness, to strive toward things both noble and fleeting. We often try to reach the heights of success or wisdom, only to be met with failure or disillusionment. In our youth, we are full of dreams, ready to conquer the world, and yet, as the years progress, we learn that life is not so easily molded by our will. We posture and pontificate, perhaps trying to assert our place in the world with words or actions that we believe will be remembered, only to find that those grand gestures are often forgotten in the face of the eternal passage of time. And so, like all men and women before us, we aspire to be more, to become something greater, yet we remain bound by our human limitations.

The ancients understood this cycle all too well. Consider the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who famously stated that "everything flows." For Heraclitus, the human condition was one of perpetual change, a process of becoming that was never finished. He believed that the universe itself was in constant flux, and so too were the lives of men. What we aspire to today, we may have forgotten tomorrow. The greatness of kings, the wisdom of philosophers, the achievements of warriors—all are swallowed by time. Even the eternal city of Rome, with its grand empire, was not immune to the ravages of impermanence. Though the names of the great Roman emperors are still spoken today, their legacies were, in the end, mere fleeting whispers in the grand cycle of history.

In the story of Alexander the Great, we see an extraordinary illustration of this truth. Alexander, driven by a burning desire to conquer the world, sought to build an empire that would stretch across continents. He won battles, toppled kingdoms, and earned a place in history. Yet, despite all of his ambition, he died young, and his empire fractured shortly after his death. His name is still remembered, but the legacy he sought to create has been reduced to mere memory. Alexander’s story is not just one of military conquest—it is a lesson in the futility of human ambition when faced with the inevitable passage of time. For no matter how grand our achievements, we too must eventually face the limits of our power and the mortality of our bodies.

Saunders’ words also bring to mind the ancient Stoic philosophers, such as Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, who taught that virtue and inner peace were the only true measures of a life well-lived. The Stoics believed that external achievements—wealth, fame, and power—were fleeting, and they emphasized the importance of cultivating a mind that could endure life's inevitable struggles without becoming ensnared by pride or ambition. Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, reflected often on the transitory nature of his reign, writing in his Meditations that “all things are born to decay.” His wisdom teaches us that while we may strive and aspire to greatness, we must remain humble in the face of our mortality. To focus on the external at the expense of the internal is to set oneself up for eventual despair when the inevitable decline sets in.

The ultimate lesson that Saunders offers—and that the ancients understood—is one of humility. We must recognize that while aspiration and achievement are important, they are also transitory. Time does not bend to our will, and the grand gestures we make in our lives, though significant to us, may be forgotten by future generations. However, it is not in the futility of our striving that we find meaning, but in the way we live, the virtues we cultivate, and the inner peace we develop along the way. Like the Stoics, we must detach ourselves from the fruits of our labor and focus instead on the integrity of our actions. In this way, we learn to accept our mortality with grace, knowing that our impact on the world is often measured not by what we accomplish, but by the character we build.

Therefore, let us live not for the praise of others, nor for the legacy of wealth or fame, but for the quiet strength that comes from embracing the transitory nature of life. Let us cultivate virtue over accolades, wisdom over ambition, and peace over pride. In doing so, we will create a life that, though fleeting, is full of meaning and purpose—a life that transcends the inevitable vanishing of our bodies and reaches into the very heart of what it means to be human.