Do What You Love
Darwin was primed to follow his father to pursue a career in medicine. When it became obvious he wasn’t meant to be a doctor, his father guided him toward the clergy. He writes that his three years pursuing that career trek at Cambridge were entirely wasted. It took more wasted years for Darwin to finally figure out that he should pursue what interest him most as a career and in rejecting expectations placed upon him, he became a legendary figure proving through action that one should do what they love if at all possible.
Randomness and Chance
Darwin’s theories prove that evolution of species is often dependent upon random qualities and the nature of chance occurrences. Darwin’s own life mirrors his theories as trek from potentially forgotten physician to man who shook the world is revealed as dependent upon a combination of hard work and random chance. It was by pure chance that the position of naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle came open when his mentor decided not to take the position. The captain of that ship had developed a random “science” of judging a man’s character based on the shape of his nose and it was only by chance that he decided to go against his instinct and accept him as a replacement despite Darwin’s having failed the nose test.
Understated Humility and Steely Pride
A significant portion of the autobiography is devoted to Darwin’s presentation of an overview of his most famous published works. Keeping in mind that these books represent nothing less than sea changes in the study of humanity, Darwin’s review of his own place in history is remarkably modest and marked by an understated humility. At the same time that he is distinctly unwilling to present himself as presiding over a revolution in science calling into question views and opinions held up as facts for thousands of years, he also presents a steely resolve to reject criticism he feels to be unwarranted and historical interpretations that serve to undermine his singular place in the historical record of scientific progress.
