life is worth living no matter what, but examining it is wise sometimes.

• if we interpret this statement to be hyperbolic for the sake of rhetorical flourish, then it is certainly good advice. it simply means that we must live our lives for ourselves and not to please others. encouraging introspection is admirable as people being aware of themselves and what makes them feel alive can help them to take steps towards a life that feels fulfilling.

• however, if we take it at face value it is unfair to suggest certain people's lives are not worth living because they do not think enough. something can always be better in our lives, we will never be satisfied if we keep chasing perfection. i am not saying ignorance is blissful, but overthinking everything we do or say is equally damaging to not thinking at all. we should examine our lives in moderation.

• life without reflecting means no growth or change and that is deeply unfulfilling. perhaps socrates was referring to not making any conscious effort to improve. complaining about life feeling unfulfilling without asking why may mean we stay stagnant and things don't ever change. maybe what makes it worth living is using the time we have wisely, which would mean balancing our thoughts and actions so they align.

Commentary

This commentary shall provide a brief analysis of Socrates' statement, "The unexamined life is not worth living".

• The sentiment behind this quotation is akin to modern adaptations along the lines of 'To survive is not enough. To simply exist is not enough.' which can be famously found in Star Trek.
• It refers to the idea that it is not enough to go through life in 'survival mode', simply eating, sleeping, and procreating, doing the bare minimum to merely exist as if we are on autopilot.
• These practices mean we are almost indistinguishable from animals.
• Socrates notion that life should be examined is essentially telling us to exercise our minds, for it is the ability to think and have a developed consciousness that separates us as humans from other organisms.
• We must take time to stop and examine the world.
• It is important to use our highly developed faculty of thought for both the benefit of society/the human race, but also for personal gain - it betters us in our learning and understanding of life, and allows us to feel joy, hatred and love.
• Without these things, we may struggle to find a reason to exist, and meaning or purpose to life.

Further reading:
Plato’s Apology of Socrates
Is The Unexamined Life Worth Living Or Not?
The Unexamined Life and Surface Pleasures
The Unexamined Life Is Worth Living: A Socratic Perspective