User blog comment:Diexilius/Forsaken/@comment-25941663-20170311213150

I have not delved deep into philosophy and existential theorizing, but I want to sound pretentious so I will try and merge philosophy with classical music.

I want to bring forth Beethoven's 9th Symphony. It is a piece Beethoven wrote at his lowest point. He is realizing his "son" hates him, he has completely lost his hearing, he is being ridiculed by everyone, the once world-renowned musician now a laughing stock, his health deteriorating, he is all alone and he has seemingly nothing to live for. This is why I think this symphony perfectly answers the question "what's your reason to continue existing". Beethoven captured exactly the answer to that through his music.

The symphony is slow, peaceful, with strong tones of melancholy. But behind this sombreness, a little tune. A happy, upbeat tune. A rhythm of happiness hidden behind the beaten soul of the symphony. And it gets stronger and stronger, slowly but steadily. Then, it all stops.

When it picks up again, something has changed. Happiness tries to shake off its sad and heavy shackles. And keeps fighting, unrelenting, despite the difficulties along the way. The soul wants to be happy. It wants it so very much.

Finally, it erupts into a wild cry of happiness, as the soul can no longer take the sad beating and lashes out, kicking and fighting left and right until it is free. Then the chorus chimes in, triumphantly announcing the win of joy over anger, sadness, loneliness and darkness.

And it keeps going till the last strokes of the symphony.

Ode to Joy

Beethoven showed us that happiness lies within all humans, it is an inherent part of our very existence. That is a greater feat even than the immortality he achieved.

Of course, poor Beethoven died a few years later amidst screams of pain and agony, penniless, alone, broken and sad.