Interviews

Great uncle Gaspar Imburgia: 67
1. What would you view as a good and meaningful life?

You don’t’ realize what anything means until your in your 50s or older. When you’re young the territory looks plain and fine but as you get into the 50s things start to change. You look at life differently you start exercising and watching food intake and at that point the meaning of life is to stay healthy. Because the healthier you are the longer you live. Also as you get older you think of life differently in that you try to do more for people. When you’re young you don’t think about those things so much. You don’t think about Africa and South American but as you get old you think about how these people live and how they find food every day and you realize how lucky you are to be where your are rather then one of those people who have to look for food every day to feed their families. Gives you a better perspective of life. Look at the bigger picture rather than your own life. In your 30 or 40s you try to make it and get ahead. But after you do all that you say to yourself what is it all about. And you go back to thinking about other people and what’s right and wrong. In my experience as you get older you get more sentimental and you get to the truth of life and what it’s about and why were here. And it looks like a long life but let me tell you before you know it it’s over. The whole thing is over and you think what happen and what did I do. And that what’s happens. All of us don’t think of ourselves as old but I am. But I still think of myself as 40 but I’m 76.

2. What would you say as the most meaningful thing in your life is and how would you say it has changed?

Again trying to do better for people you become more charitable and give more to people who need help, money, food, clothing, give to soup kitchens because you think about what happens after death. You think about more and more as you get old.

If it has changed then what would you say has influenced this change in your answer?

When your young you think you’ll never approach that, and you’ll never die. But some people you knew aren’t around any more and some day you’re not going to be around so you think about trying to do good things and treat people better. You try to do the best you can for the people you can help. We can’t help everyone but in the circle that we are in we try to help people who need it. And that’s what I try to do and what has changed during the years.

3. Do you think your life is more meaningful then others because you have lived longer? Do you view anyone's lives as more meaningful to you and how would you make that decision?

Absolutely. If I died at 50, I wouldn’t have the scope of life that I have now. The longer you live the better perspective you have on life. People nearest me are the most meaningful. Close relatives, friends everyone around me are meaningful to me. Spouse, children, grandchildren, friends, relatives. As you get old that circle expands gets bigger and bigger. And think about other people that can’t make it easily in this life.


4. What advice if any would you give on how to live a good and meaningful life? And do you think you are qualified to give such information?

I’m not qualified, there are people who work in that kind of field. But in my opinion you should try to treat people as well as you can. As you move on to the next stage of life the people you meet you should deal with them as you would want people to deal with you. I think if you have that and if you follow that in many instances a lot of the stuff that goes on today, the problems wouldn’t be going on. For instance the Madoff ponzi scheme, if he used my maxim he wouldn’t have done that. I think that’s the bottom line. Don’t do anything to others that you wouldn’t want them to do to you.

5. Would you say that the definition of how to live a good and meaningful life has changed much and is the change good or bad?

Over the years we’re talking about generations, a lot of things have changed for example people in general, in the 19th century people would think nothing of throwing a son or daughter out because there were too many in the family or hitting them to the extent of killing or maiming them. In the old days people were more like animals. However with the times and education and all the things we have and experiences in the last hundreds of years this has changed dramatically. It still happens, but these people are not right and it’s not considered normal. But in the early 19th most people wouldn’t think a thing about hitting a kid and not do a thing much about it. No one would.

But how we view life in generally, but there has been an economic difference . . . the economy in 1900 vs. 2000. In 1900 it was tough for people to pull thru. They had a lot of children to work for them. They wanted boys not girls so the boys can work the land. Things have changed because of education and economic conditions are better. Although there are things that go wrong, and there are still wars but in general lives are much better including those living in poverty today. Because there are a lot of people trying to help them out. Even on that score the longevity in these countries is longer today because they’re getting government help and help from people. But there are still exceptions. But generally life is better.



Uncle Sal: 62

1. What would you view as a good and meaningful life?

A good and meaningful life is having family, meaningful job that contributes to the community, and having enough left over to afford yourself small luxuries and enjoyments.


2. What would you say as the most meaningful thing in your life is and how would you say it has changed? If it has changed then what would you say has influenced this change in your answer?

The most meaningful thing in my life is family and should be nothing that gets in the way of family and it hasn’t changed. I was lucky enough to be brought up with those values so that hasn’t changed.


3. Do you think your life is more meaningful then others because you have lived longer? Do you view anyone's lives as more meaningful to you and how would you make that decision?

Yes my attitude has changed. The learning process never stops. My level of understanding has changed.

No ones life is more meaningful than mine. Everyone should feel their life is more meaningful than anyone else.

4. What advice if any would you give on how to live a good and meaningful life? And do you think you are qualified to give such information?

It’s 60% give and 40% take. As long as you give more than you take you’re living a meaningful life and you will be rewarded.


Yes I’m qualified by the definition of the constitution of the US of America. And if anyone chooses not to take my advice they are covered by the definition of the constitution of the US of America.

5. Would you say that the definition of how to live a good and meaningful life has changed much and is the change good or bad?

Yes it’s changed because as the generations have gone on the ability to live a good life has become more challenging because the influences that distract you have become more prevalent and have increased as generations have gone on.