Excerpts from a classic essay by the rad scientist himself, on life, traveling, and how to be a good person.
To many, Albert Einstein is an iconic figure. Scientist. Humanist. German-accent-ist.
But he also had the spirit of the traveler, evident in his essay “The World As I See It.”
On being a lone traveler:
My passionate sense of social justice and social responsibility has always contrasted oddly with my pronounced lack of need for direct contact with other human beings and human communities. I am truly a ‘lone traveler’ and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude…
On the pursuit of happiness:
I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves — this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth.
Without the sense of kinship with men of like mind, without the occupation with the objective world, the eternally unattainable in the field of art and scientific endeavors, life would have seemed empty to me. The trite objects of human efforts — possessions, outward success, luxury — have always seemed to me contemptible.
On the marvel of life:
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.
And finally, on how to be a good person:
It is the duty of every man of good will to strive steadfastly in his own little world to make this teaching of pure humanity a living force, so far as he can. If he makes an honest attempt in this direction without being crushed and trampled under foot by his contemporaries, he may consider himself and the community to which he belongs lucky.
Read the entire essay online here.
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“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious…Whoever does not know it…his eyes are dimmed.” I think a desire for the mysterious is one of the things that separates travellers from non-travellers. Those who do “not know it” and have a desire to cling to home rather than expanding their boundaries do seem, because of their dim eyes, to themselves be more dim.
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“A human life is swept away
As if by the raging flood waters of time
Always brief is the time that remains
So while there is still ability and strength
Do as much good as possible”↵ -
On the pursuit of happiness…I love a quote from Billy Connolly in the documentary What About Me? It’s something like this (apologies to Billy if I totally mess this up):
“Happiness has always been associated with things like tossing a ball back and forth on the beach with your son. I’ve never been that guy. But if we re-associate it with contentment, I’m a happy guy.”
Anyway, this point is, we should focus more on being content instead of forever chasing things we think will make us happy. Take a step back, take stock, are you content?
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“I am truly a ‘lone traveler’ and have never belonged to my country, my home, my friends, or even my immediate family, with my whole heart; in the face of all these ties, I have never lost a sense of distance and a need for solitude…”
I moved away from my family and friends in OH in 2007 — I moved to AZ. I traveled to the UK by myself in Aug. 2007. These were freeing moments for me.
Yesterday, I had an “aha” moment. I would like to “break free of the shackles” of my family. Yesterday at about 1 am, I realized I had the power to “break the chains” once and for all. I decided to this. I feel very free today. If my family members want to stay in OH and never leave, so be it. It’s their choice. Just as it is my choice to explore the world and enjoy the journey along the way. To quote Bon Jovi “It’s My Life!”
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