Living or Merely Existing?
This morning, I revisited a book with a rather dark-sounding title — Thick Face, Black Heart, inspired by the Chinese philosophy of Hou Hei Xue. Browsing through it, I came across a quote: “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.” — attributed to Jack London.
The quote resonated with me, yet felt somewhat vague. What exactly is the difference between Living and Existing?
A quick search revealed that this is likely a condensed version of what Jack London actually wrote: “The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
This makes far more sense. London was not simply defining two states of being — he was declaring how he intended to spend his life. He chose to truly live, not merely survive day to day.
So what separates living from existing? Existing means going through the motions — working, eating, sleeping, repeating. It is passive, mechanical, driven purely by necessity. Living, on the other hand, is intentional. It means making choices that matter, pursuing what gives your life meaning, and being fully present in every moment.
London’s words are a reminder: time is finite, and how we use it defines whether we truly lived or simply existed.
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