Robison Crusoe and the Terrors of a Technological Dark Age

When Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked he brought the values of the civilized world along with him. His solitary companions were his hopes and aspirations, his humanity and his civility. This inner reservoir proved invaluable in his quest for survival.

In essence, it can be argued that Defoe’s masterful work is a study in existential meaning. What can harbor a stronger regard for meaning in human existence than the mere act of survival? Crusoe survived because he had the make-up of the kind of man that could in fact survive such an ordeal. How many people can make this claim?
If we consider that Crusoe’s entire world collapsed rather unexpectedly, leaving him with only his conscious, emotive, and volitional stock to spring meaning into his new life, we can then begin to view this classic work as a reflection on meaning and purpose in human existence. Perhaps only a few other examples of such pronounced individual autonomy can be found in literature – Hamlet quickly comes to mind – and Don Quixote’s metaphysical pursuits being another fine example.

Now, consider that the practice of wisdom in personal life remains the best well kept secret that the vast majority of mankind has yet to uncover.