Two quotes making the rounds on social media present starkly different views of life. The first, by journalist Hunter S. Thompson, is “We are all alone, born alone, die alone . . . and we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way.” Hunter concludes, “This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don't see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”

Theologian and poet Thomas Merton presents a contrasting view. Merton doesn’t address aloneness or happiness, yet both are implied in his comment, “What we are asked to do is love [others], and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy.”

Thompson’s approach strikes me as fundamentally wrong, while Merton’s advice may be a stretch too far.

First Thompson: He is........

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