Put it in context, then make your decision.

In what context is your life important?
Is it really important to the universe and everything?
As a person of this world I am most important to those around me:
my friends, my family, my colleagues, and even to all those others whom my works will reach.
But what of the grander scheme of things?
What grander scheme is there than those loved ones?
Would I neglect them in pursuit of some undefinable more?
Every action I take propagates outward to those near me and from them to those near them,
like water ripples outward from the place a fish has jumped.
Is that not enough?
What about the salvation of mankind?
What would I save them from?
I see mankind's duty as living the best way possible, regardless of faith.
I see no reason to feel responsible for the actions of others.

     People constantly play at influencing other people. Anyone telling you that they are not trying to influence your decisions is lying to you. It is my mission, through this blog and everything I do, to try to influence as many people as I can to make the choices I consider right. I may not always be gentle about it.
     Life, for humans, is in part a constant struggle of various people who think they know what's right. They gather followers, they preach at them, and then they lead on into the black abyss of the future, hoping all the while that they are a light and not a trap. Some believe so firmly in their own infallibility that they will lead others directly into traps they can see plainly ahead of them, more afraid of the press behind than the pitfalls ahead. Many politicians fall into this category. Others may struggle almost blindly to find the right path forward, convinced that all others before them have gone the wrong way. Still others have a light of their own with which to see ahead and walk confidently into the dark whether they are followed or not. There are those who follow proven paths and sidestep known pitfalls. Many cannot lead. Many of those do not know how to choose a leader.
     I prefer to lead, but for those that follow, please choose a leader that is not afraid to correct their mistakes. Perhaps my long metaphor is opaque, but do not be obtuse. You have the ability to choose, and the duty to make the best choice you can, whether you are a leader, a follower, a loner, or just hanging out somewhere along the way. Gather information, check your sources, and choose again. Choose again. Choose again. You can make the same choice over and over but know that there is nothing keeping you from choosing differently. Learn from your mistakes, learn from others' mistakes, and don't forget to learn from success as well. I can preach and rant and rave and grovel and lecture and plead with any number of people for any length of time to make a particular choice I feel is the right one, but in the end, it is still YOUR choice.
     I for one, choose to lead in my own way, after gaining what I believe to be the best kind of education and gathering what I think is the best information. I choose to make my own choice. I choose to frown upon those that would take that power away from me. I choose to choose differently from what I am told to choose, and nobody can tell me not to, because it is my choice. Think about it. And have a nice day ;)

--The real world is a harsh place to live and though we may deny it, we live there from the day we are born.--