The Meaning of Life

[anotherlife]

" It is possible that life has a purpose, but it is always unknown, and most people are eager to adapt the attitude of bullies to declare what the purpose of the self is and what the purpose of the other people around is. In practice, most people don't get a meaning to their lives, they just pay the cost of the meanings of others' lives forever. "


Each of us can create a purpose for our lives, with or without a belief in God or a religion. It may well be that some peope allow others to define their life's purpose for them, like suicide bombers for instance. Whether most people do or don't decide for themselves the meaning of their own life is debateable. Ultimately we have the choice, if we let someone else make it for us then that's unfortunate.

Interesting that you are mentioning the suicide bombers. I am a western christian and have never been to Asia, but I knew vaguely a girl from the middle east who was trained from her toddler age in the most fanatic islam, and actually considered suicide bombing as a high note and purpose of her life. We all in the class were trying to talk her out of her philosophy but weren't successful. Then they moved during the summer so nobody knows about her any more, but it raises the question if there is an age limit under which you lose your decision rights?

 

[Wiseacre]

" It is possible that life has a purpose, but it is always unknown, and most people are eager to adapt the attitude of bullies to declare what the purpose of the self is and what the purpose of the other people around is. In practice, most people don't get a meaning to their lives, they just pay the cost of the meanings of others' lives forever. "


Each of us can create a purpose for our lives, with or without a belief in God or a religion. It may well be that some peope allow others to define their life's purpose for them, like suicide bombers for instance. Whether most people do or don't decide for themselves the meaning of their own life is debateable. Ultimately we have the choice, if we let someone else make it for us then that's unfortunate.

Interesting that you are mentioning the suicide bombers. I am a western christian and have never been to Asia, but I knew vaguely a girl from the middle east who was trained from her toddler age in the most fanatic islam, and actually considered suicide bombing as a high note and purpose of her life. We all in the class were trying to talk her out of her philosophy but weren't successful. Then they moved during the summer so nobody knows about her any more, but it raises the question if there is an age limit under which you lose your decision rights?

Answer: NO. Why would anyone think otherwise? It's your life, you can decide for yourself how you want to live it, or change direction at any time.

 

[PretentiousGuy]

" It is possible that life has a purpose, but it is always unknown, and most people are eager to adapt the attitude of bullies to declare what the purpose of the self is and what the purpose of the other people around is. In practice, most people don't get a meaning to their lives, they just pay the cost of the meanings of others' lives forever. "


Each of us can create a purpose for our lives, with or without a belief in God or a religion. It may well be that some peope allow others to define their life's purpose for them, like suicide bombers for instance. Whether most people do or don't decide for themselves the meaning of their own life is debateable. Ultimately we have the choice, if we let someone else make it for us then that's unfortunate.

I was am absolutely fascinated with humans need for purpose, even nihilists tend to assign their own purpose to life. I find it difficult to relate to the sentiment but it is interesting nonetheless.

 

[Unkotare]

So now you're not a human?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

So now you're not a human?

netbot

 

[PretentiousGuy]

So now you're not a human?

netbot

Unokotare I am a god, or maybe I was speaking in generalised terms take your pick. You can thank Dante for quoting your post otherwise I would have never seen it.

 

[Unkotare]

So now you're not a human?

netbot

Unokotare I am a god, or maybe I was speaking in generalised terms take your pick.

I pick you're an idiot.

 

[Truthmatters]

the meaning of life is to find meaning for your life.

If you dont than life has no meaning unless you imbue it with meaning.

in other words.

Life has no meaning because your life is a random chance and in that radom chance you got lucky and exsist.


You can leave it at that and be pleanty happy.


If you need MORE meaning than that then you can imbue it into your life.


Lately this line from Harvey keeps running through my mind.


The main character: "a wise man once told me that to be sucessful in life you have to be Oh so smart or oh so kind, I chose kind."


He chose the meaning of his life.


you can to

 

[Truthmatters]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzOIhLJ1C-Y]James Stewart - Harvey (2/2) - YouTube[/ame]


i misremebered it a little but its still has the same meaning

 

[Truthmatters]

if you need one then find your puka

 

[Truthmatters]

Elwood Doud found his puka

 

[Truthmatters]

Púca - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Truthmatters]

I dont need a pucca I use fact in place of them

 

[Truthmatters]

I do love Elwood Doud like crazy though

 

[Unkotare]

Elwood Blues said it better:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzOHq5WbQ8k]We're Gettin the Band Back Together - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Truthmatters]

What is the meaning of life? And the meaning of your life in particular? Mankind has been wondering about that for a very long time. Many religions say that your life is pre-determined, whatever happens is God's will. Which may be, but some of those religions also say that we have choices to make, if and you make the wrong ones then salvation will not be yours. So, can we assume that you have at least some decisions over what your life means?

Leaving aside the questions of religion and salvation, I do think each of us is responsible for deciding what the meaning of our lives is, and acting accordingly. A couple hundred years from now, who's going to know or care about us or what we did? That being so, what should we be concentrating on here and now?

My opinion is that the meaning of our lives depends on the impact we've had on those we share our lives with. Making the world a better place for somebody, even one person, is not a bad place to start with. Not everyone agrees with this of course; many are more focused on self-enrichment or aggrandisement. Personally, I have no problem with this up to a point, improving your standard of living and that of your family is okay by me. So long as you are not doing so at the expense of others that is.

The other thing is more of a self-actualization thing IMHO. Trying to make yourself into a better and smarter person is not a bad thing either. Nothing wrong with a little more wisdom. How you spend the time you have is the real meaning of your life; spend it wisely.

Very interesting. Rarely is this question asked.

I am amazed how much our birth family environment determines our lives, potentially. In some cases, such as mine, it determins it 99.9%, so I don't even get to ask this question, and also half the people on earth don't get to ask this question for the same reason.

But if we assume that we can ask, then I guess I speculate, that moving on lightly with minimal interference onto our environment/people is the best life possible. This is not achievable fully, because we all feel pain and hunger, but the closer we get to this, the more meaningful our life is.

It is a great achievement if we can beautify something, probably the only thing that we can do, considering that every work and effort is a zero sum game. It is especially interesting, that most of the time beautifying something is the same as not doing anything about it ... which brings us back to the need of moving on lightly as above.

It is possible that life has a purpose, but it is always unknown, and most people are eager to adapt the attitude of bullies to declare what the purpose of the self is and what the purpose of the other people around is. In practice, most people don't get a meaning to their lives, they just pay the cost of the meanings of others' lives forever.

(I know the above view may be unpopular, my literature teacher got pissed of by it too, but I would like to risk it here for an answer to your VERY interesting question. Maybe there will be message board members here to discuss about it. )

some interesting stuff.

do understand though that those born in cirumstances of family controlling their lives can be tossed aside if one wishes.

Im not sure if you are speaking of some inherited ohysical condition and that can not be tossed asside I understand that.


When you bow to family responsibilites that is a choice.

I came for a poor family with 8 kids.

I chose to leave the minute I was 18 and persued a way to educate myself.

even in doing so I still reached back and supplimented my familys income.

I also played the part of grandparent to my younger siblings.

scrapping arround to come up with trips to disneyland, school clothes and the like.


Your idea of causing the least impact on the world arround you is a little bit off though.

causing the least negative impact would be more in line with my own thinking.


If you can impact with goodness then impact away.

Elwoods plan did that.

 

[Wiseacre]

" I am amazed how much our birth family environment determines our lives, potentially. In some cases, such as mine, it determins it 99.9%, so I don't even get to ask this question, and also half the people on earth don't get to ask this question for the same reason. "


A lot of our values and attitudes are formed in the 1st 10 years of our lives, according to Maslow I think. And it ain't easy to break the mold so to speak, and make big changes. Some do, some don't, but I would still maintain that we eah have a choice, assuming we have the mental faculties that is. Other than that, physical handicaps or economic circumstances do not determine your choices for the kind of person you want to be, or the kind of live you want to live. Maybe you'll never be rich in terms of material possessions and money, or be a famous artist or athlete. But those things are not really central to how you're going to define what your life means.

" But if we assume that we can ask, then I guess I speculate, that moving on lightly with minimal interference onto our environment/people is the best life possible. This is not achievable fully, because we all feel pain and hunger, but the closer we get to this, the more meaningful our life is. "

I would argue that making the world a safer, cleaner, and better place to live is not a bad way to create a meaning. Helping anyone out, stranger or family, even a little bit may be the best possible way to define one's life. But however well intentioned, one does not want to trample all over someone's right to build their own meaningful life, or pee in the communal sandbox, we shouldn't be forcing others to change their definition of meaningful to ours. Nobody gets to decide for someone else, which is perhaps a central political issue.

" It is a great achievement if we can beautify something, probably the only thing that we can do, considering that every work and effort is a zero sum game. It is especially interesting, that most of the time beautifying something is the same as not doing anything about it ... which brings us back to the need of moving on lightly as above. "

Zero sum game? I don't think so. Depends maybe on how you define cost and benefit. Kindness and charity are not zero sum in my book, nor is service to others over self.

" It is possible that life has a purpose, but it is always unknown, and most people are eager to adapt the attitude of bullies to declare what the purpose of the self is and what the purpose of the other people around is. In practice, most people don't get a meaning to their lives, they just pay the cost of the meanings of others' lives forever. "

I don't believe that purpose in life is always unknown, unless you're strickly talking about God and religion. One may not know what God's purpose is, if there is one, but I suspect whatever it is we don't have a say in the matter. And until I am consulted or made aware of what it is, I think it's best to do the best I can deciding the issue for myself. Absent and guidance from above, we each have choices to make, and have to live with the consequences.

 

[Missourian]

Forty two.

 

[April]

The Meaning of Life - To Love and be Loved.

 

[Unkotare]

Do you need a threesome for that?