I don't wish to bring forth the ridiculous side just so soon, but I must propose love to be the finest in life.
May that as be towards material goods or as to lifeforms.

This question has been asked before, and it is well established that the answer is firstly to crush one's enemies; secondly, to see them driven before one; thirdly, for one to hear the lamentations of their women.

>>491
What if a gentleman has no enemy? Should one make enemies in order to experience this pinnacle?

I think the last time I successfully crushed an enemy was in a school end-of-year paintball tournament when I was 16, The swine and I were picked for a one-on-one grudge match and in the end I pinned him down and after using a smoke grenade to successfully smoke him out of his cover and disorient him considerably, hammered him with all of my non-lethal might, covering him in blue paint as the entire class laughed at his miserable defeat.

It did feel rather good I must admit, he even cried through panic as I hit his helmet quite a few times.

>>492
If you have lived life without creating enemies, you are doing something terribly wrong.

>>487
A well written book truly comes pretty close to being one of the finest things in life. Being able to immerse oneself into the events in the book is very pleasing.

Other than that, I think having a very small core of good, trustworthy friends is very fine indeed. Being able to just sit, enjoy the moment, and not feel the need to say a word.

>>493
Yes, I do tend to live a rather mundane life... I've often considered joining the armed forces to satisfy my cravings for unsavory deeds done at a reasonable price but I'm not sure the Royal Navy can appreciate what it means to be a gentleman as well as a soldier, would I dare compromise myself to satisfy base desires? Would you sir?

>>495
I, too, have pondered joining the military and have given it much thought and a lot of research. The British Army Officer is the pinnacle of gentlemanly and refinement... But the standard soldier are whelps, crettins even, from council estates who joined simply because the pay is better than benefits.

All one must do to gain enemies is be visibly successful.

Wool.

Wool is the finest thing in life.

>>496
You can hardly blame the lesser classes for wanting to strive for a better life sir, and joining the military brings about order and discipline to their otherwise chaotic lives, you cannot ignore their bravery either... I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't tell you that while I agree with you on the matter of being an army officer, I find your tolerance for the less sophisticated lacking, resentful even... It would ultimately serve to ruin you should you ever pursue officership.

I have considered either Intelligence, Logistics or Warfare Officer in the Royal Navy and I would chose to earn my dolphins and serve aboard a submarine, I've recently looked over the general specifications of the first sub of the Astute class, HMS Astute... I find the technology on board fascinating and would relish the opportunity to examine it in person.

Interesting question, one that I have pondered myself for many a night. I have come to the conclusion that nothing less then absolute victory in any endeavor to be the only possible solution to your question.

For example: If tho seeks a fair lady, of equal wit and humor as yourself (I firstly bid thee good luck), then the attainment of that goal is victorious.
But if to command the world is your goal then the solution is obvious.

Above all else the finest thing must retain its value. I myself am torn between finding a lady worthy and wanting of my affections as the first option, and as the second option it is my dream to bring back that marvelous rolling work of art the Duesenburg (a gentlemanly car if ever there was one).
Only by the grace of fate will I have both, but those are the goals I continue to strive for daily.

I feel that camaraderie or surpassing ones own expectations are the two best things in life, especially when friendship and teamwork lead to a job well done. That, my friends, is the best of both worlds.

>>498

Agreed. Mans constitution and strength of character is all very well and good, but in the end, it's nothing like a freshly warmed pair of fine wool socks, is it?

I completely agree OP.

Intriguing that the discussion about the armed forces brought up in this topic would be about the British, although I suppose it is considered rather more gentlemanly than our brutish American counterparts. As it stands, I myself am looking to join the forces, specifically the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - with a view to serving with and alongside helicopters. I feel though that I must bring up the question of class within the three services. It would seem to me as though the Royal Navy - whilst the older of the three - is most certainly the one with the least class. If one seeks to join the forces and retain as much of ones fine ways as possible, it would be wise to join the Royal Air Force.

The finest thing in life, is life.

The greatest fineries are those that are not fine, but exquisite.

The fruits of ones own labours is surely but the finest thing to be experienced, though they may be humble and insignificant in the eyes of others to be able to stand before the world and declare beyond doubt "This is of mine own creation, unquestionably and entirely." is surely the finest thing that can be experienced in life.

>>487
The finest thing in life, is class, of course. Separating yourself from the middle-class average joe. To wear a suit, drink fine wine, and enjoy the wine like our women. Young and Sweet. The finest thing in life, is to enjoy it above the common riff-raff.

>>538
A creative interpretation of finery.

>>527
Contrary to how the media presents it, fighter pilots aren't what they appear. They have to be very cool headed and are infact rather boring people. I suppose this is because they do not want to risk such expensive equipment to a a maverick. They aren't too refined either. I must say, I was quite disappointed when I met these pilots.
The Navy is very gentlemanly, in the Officer class at least. The deckhands tend to lack sophistication, but that is inevitable of the working class.
It is the same with Her Majesty's Army.

>>494
I too find that having a small amount of reliable and trustworthy friends to be the best thing in life, without them I would most likely sink into a deep paranoia and would lose the privilege of being a gentleman due to the lack of trusting others.

For me, the FINEST thing in life, is the exquisite beauty that is repeating patterns in nature, yes, I am talking of the fibonacci sequence, the way that so many, if not all things conform to this sequence of numbers, is the height of finery in my eyes.

Not to border on the side of unrefined or flowery, but I must say nothing has brought my closest associates and I a greater resounding contentment than to sit by a body of water in the depths of the night whilst we enjoy fine tobacco products and even finer music, with no utterance spoken.

Why must the Original Poster so over simplify these things?

Life is multifaceted and so are the finer things it offers; Aesthetic, audible, fragrant, conseptual, somatic, philosophical, esoteric take your pick and there are more. One finest thing does not fit all categories.

If I were asked, my answer would combine the finest of aesthetics, cerebral and hedonistic desire, id est, an evening spent in a study decorated in the way victorian era nobility, reading musty tomes of lore with a blackwood pipe ready at hand with weed a-plenty, several records of my favorite music playing in the background. A bottle of brandy and wine at hand might help also.

I do believe the epitome of existence is the ability for mankind to imagine. It is, after all, one of the few characteristics us gentlemen have over animals, be they human or beast. If I lost my ability to imagine, I do not believe life would be worth living.

Good drink, good food, and good women are, in my humble opinion, the finest things in life, especially when combined. While a good book can be quite enjoyable, as are fine cigars, and one's own accomplishments, I do not believe that the first three things listed here can be surpased. What is a gentleman to do with himself other than the further himself economically, culturally, and mentally? To accomplish something means furthering one's own personal status, and that is a gentleman's constant job.

It's cooking.

Cooking takes dead matter and transforms it into something unnameable. Yesterday it breathed and laughed and kissed the sun. Today it passed the scythe. That awareness puts immense responsibility and consciousness on the shoulders of the cook.

Cooking forges bonds, brings families together. It helps people share their stories, their grief. Their trials and tribulations, their music and poetry. Their architecture. Cooking makes people fall in love.

Cooking is mystical.

>>1594
I believe the same could be said for, music, or dance, or theatre, or perhaps even art (when done right).

To me the majesty of something is derived not from it's own merits, but as you have so masterfully illustrated, it's ability to bring people together or deliver them to a higher state of being.

>>1609
As for me personally I can say the FINEST moment of my life was giving an old man a blood glucose test in his home, on his farm, out in the mountainous rural stretches of the 3rd world.
As of today I still cannot fathom why it was the FINEST thing I have ever done, I just know that at the time it was the most intense and moving thing I had ever experienced.

>>1594
I believe this may be the one post I have ever seen that not only made me agree with the poster, but made me change my state of thought. I tip my hat to you, sir. May you live a long and happy life.

Defecating.