Purpose of Life?

[ChristopherColumbus]

Agreed. No matter how cynical one may claim to be, none of us can deny the basic human longings we all experience, and the moral obligations we feel. To deny them is laughable.

... and I'd add dehumanizing.

 

[Trump]

I guess I've got to age where I'm starting to think more and more about this stuff... For most of my life my primary focus has been women but is there a bigger picture here? I'm wired tonight for some reason so I went on facebook looking up random people I knew from my past. Most are married and most have children.

What's the alternative to starting a family? I guess to travel, try to score poon from girls. Maybe have some hobbies... but will any of these really fulfill you?

Has anyone here read the real Bible? Is there some higher meaning we should be seeking? I'd like to hear what all of your outlooks are on life and what you feel you are trying to accomplish on this earth. Cause I have no $#*($ clue...

Personal opinion is not to go down the Bible road unless you are loaded or a playboy. The world runs on money and sex. If you don't have money people won't care if even exist. And everyone but everyone wants sex with good looking girls.

I used to think the purpose of life was to make impact, to help others. But then I see Harvard educated grads, CEO's, MBA, Presidents, Politicians and Banks manipulate and screw everyone they can to get and hold to money and power.

I still think its to make a difference in a positive way. But if push comes to shove, do everyone you can to protect yourself and blame the other guy.

 

[Presto.er]

Why should you try to enjoy yourself in that kind of miserable reality? Is that perhaps the last dogma?

Some people who take a meaningless universe seriously, and find the misery too much, sadly just go ahead and commit suicide.

But most have other instincts at play that hold them back. Our moral instincts and our aesthetic moments get the better of us whatever our logic might say.

Miserable reality? I mean if life really doesn't suit you- then yah, kill yourself. Reality

Agreed. No matter how cynical one may claim to be, none of us can deny the basic human longings we all experience, and the moral obligations we feel. To deny them is laughable.

Morality is subjective. The 'basic human longings ' you describe are chemical reactions on your brain, evolved over millenia to help our species survive.

Im not saying that nhi

Agreed. No matter how cynical one may claim to be, none of us can deny the basic human longings we all experience, and the moral obligations we feel. To deny them is laughable.

I don't deny 'feelings', or urging. The thought process however in nihilism is that all of your feelings are chemical processes that evolved over millenia in order to facilitate the continuation of the species. Morality is a human construction, and is subjective - there is no objective Morality- it is irrelevant.

It's not that nihilistic person's dont feel the human experience, we just categorize it differently. Ie. It doesn't matter that I get angry about xyz because at the end of the day xyz doesn't matter. We're all just stardust. Of course, in the heat of the moment I'm not thinking like that- but mulling it over later it's always a good eay to categorize the world.

 

[speed dawg]

I don't deny 'feelings', or urging. The thought process however in nihilism is that all of your feelings are chemical processes that evolved over millenia in order to facilitate the continuation of the species. Morality is a human construction, and is subjective - there is no objective Morality- it is irrelevant.

It's not that nihilistic person's dont feel the human experience, we just categorize it differently. Ie. It doesn't matter that I get angry about xyz because at the end of the day xyz doesn't matter. We're all just stardust. Of course, in the heat of the moment I'm not thinking like that- but mulling it over later it's always a good eay to categorize the world.

That's fine, but what I posted is based on reality, something we can measure. Like you and I both said, we have those feelings. The 'nihilistic' POV is the one where you have to project and reach. Just sayin'.

 

[Presto.er]

Yo

That's fine, but what I posted is based on reality, something we can measure. Like you and I both said, we have those feelings. The 'nihilistic' POV is the one where you have to project and reach. Just sayin'.

You're speaking outside of your depth here.

I am curious as to how someone empirically measures morality, eithics, and emotionalism.

 

[speed dawg]

Yo

You're speaking outside of your depth here.

I am curious as to how someone empirically measures morality, eithics, and emotionalism.

You and I both just admitted they exist, and we've both felt them. You can't empirically measure it, but we know it's real.

Saying we'll all be dust and that's it....well, we don't know that.

 

[ChristopherColumbus]

Yo

You're speaking outside of your depth here.

I am curious as to how someone empirically measures morality, eithics, and emotionalism.

 

[ChristopherColumbus]

If you have a life that affords you the time and energy to ponder its meaning, you're doing all right. Pat yourself on the back and thank your progenitors.

I was reading a historical book, took place in the 1400s. At one point the author went on a tangent about the slaves required to row ships. Obviously this was a practice that started with multi-oared ships and lasted til only recently. Maybe it still goes on. Anyway these slaves were chained to a seat and fed slop, and shyt and pissed themselves. When they died they were tossed into the sea. But as long as they lived, they rowed these goddamned ships. Merchant ships, military vessels, whatever. All for some greater good as determined by the 1% of their day. They didn't get to see the world or share in any profits, or get a promotion or a new dog or enjoy kids or grandkids. Just rowing. You've seen Ben-Hur.

Anyway, it occurred to me that this happened to an enormous amount of humanity, but ship-rowers represent but a fraction of all of humanity through time. How many people were born commodities? I'm not saying this to get all SJW on you about slavery. There are plenty of free people out there doing God knows what to get by.

Someone said it above - survive and thrive. A weirdly related thought is about murderers on death row. Even men and women sentenced to meet their maker will (usually) do anything to live - to live out a life behind bars. Isn't that something? They will litigate, they'll falsely confess to crimes, they'll offer "expertise" to police on other cases. All so they can put off the date with ol' Sparky. Their lives are essentially over, just years of solitude and reading and push ups.

Even the suicidal can't fight the instinct. In the documentary "The Bridge," about jumpers, one man survived his suicide attempt and confessed, "the last thought I had after I jumped was, 'Oh my God, I don't want to die.'"

Pretty crazy stuff for a race of beings whose makeup was brought here on carbon-loaded asteroids billions of years ago.

That sounds like the naval battles between the Carthaginians and Romans round 500BC.

 

[Rainman4707]

Great thread. My biggest fear is not making the most of my life.
For a long time I've wanted to have the wife & kids. It wasn't until I read The selfish gene that my mind shifted. You see I wanted to pass my genes on so that I could leave something behind. One of the things that the selfish gene tells us is that, as your gene passes down & down it wont be long until not much of you at all exists. So even now more than ever I want to make the most out of my life.

Sometimes I will think what the **** am I doing wasting my life away whilst doing tasks like washing dishes or shopping for food.

I do agree with the poster who basically said there are people a LOT worse off, so be grateful for what you have. I think people always want more, than what they have. Why cannot people be happy with what they have?

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

No matter how cynical one may claim to be, none of us can deny the basic human longings we all experience, and the moral obligations we feel.

I believe (at least at this point in my life) that the "purpose" for living is how to most effectively satisfy those human longings as possible. Satisfying them feels good, and pursuing them feels good

I believe that's what the framers referred to as the "pursuit of happiness"

I also believe that happiness is not a goal in and of itself, rather a byproduct of successfully pursuing (and getting closer to) worthy life goals (income, wealth, mutually beneficial relationships, etc.) of your own choosing.

However, I don't believe this indicates religion or the existence of a higher power (the "giver" of the "meaning" of life), it's merely a product of our evolution. Before humans were humans, (homo-whateverus) the MOST SUCCESSFUL (using the definition of evolutionary success as replication faster than the competition) group of proto-humans were the ones that were MOST DRIVEN. The ones who were compelled the most to continue to migrate, to seek better hunting places and safer shelter.

The meaning is HOW we satisfy that drive. Without a solid goal, life seems meaningless. But when one chooses a worthy goal, the pursuit of that goals is ones own meaning for ones own life. The meaning of life is the pursuit of the goal, not its attainment.

 

[Bible_Belt]

"The Force" from the Star Wars movies is a ripoff of religion. Taoists devote themselves to finding and following "the way" of the universe. If you know 'the way' then your life is like an easy float down a river. Much later and very far away, Jesus said "I am the way"...and then advocated very similar ideas as Taoism.

If anyone wants to be a nihilist Atheist, then fine, that's up to you. But even if you're right about everything, you're only hurting yourself if you deny that the various religions of the world contain very valuable information, stuff that will help you Jedi mind-fvck people into doing your bidding. There is real power in religious philosophy, even if you are not a follower of the religion.

 

[ChristopherColumbus]

Objectivity is a mass delusion today. We use it to dismiss mere subjectivity. But the reality is that all objectivity is a product of intelligent minds. Mind not only under-girds subjectivity, but also objectivity. And mind asks different kinds of irreducibly fundamental questions. The drive towards specialization has done a lot to undermine people's basic common sense beliefs. We outsource our won intellegence and bow down before the 'expert'.

Besides science rises philosophy, ethics, religion etc. They are all on an equal footing, or should I say in an intelligent mind, and a mind that enjoys creativity and freedom... in a word dignity, and is really a bit of a mystery. There really is a liberating thought in seeing all knowledge as arbitrary because if we let one branch of it master us then we become slaves... and unimaginatively think life meaningless.

 

[Reyaj]

You are asking the right questions. They lie at the heart of our existence, and must be resolved one way or the other. I think it helps to start looking at what others before us have done and said in the spheres of art, philosophy and religion. In many ways it is a journey, and then every journey has a destination.

I appreciate the supporting videos, but I feel like I have moderate intelligence and just starting one of them used some language and theories that may be beyond me. So anything you can share in layman's terms is appreciated before I watch videos of that length.

If you are going to read a paper bible, the one you want is the Zondervan NIV. New International Version is a common translation, which can be read for free on many sites: https://www.biblegateway.com/ Zondervan is a publisher, who compiles their own footnotes. They have the best footnotes by far, extremely in depth. I don't go to church, but have occasionally been dragged there by girlfriends. As soon as the preacher finally mentions the verse he is going to discuss, his 45-minute sermon will cover about two sentences of footnotes, which I can read in a few seconds. At big churches, the preachers don't even write their own sermons. They buy them and read a script.

I liked about the first half of the Old Testament, through about the time of Saul, but the end gets pretty boring. As far as the new testament goes, I liked the gospels, but Paul gets on my nerves. Misinterpreting Paul's writings and taking them out of context is responsible for most of the shortcomings of Christianity.

I enjoy Christianity as a philosophy. I actually find it quite similar to other world religions in its central themes. Taoism comes to mind. My ex-wife converted to Islam, and I still talk to her occasionally, She explained that Muslims view both Moses and Jesus as divine prophets; they just add Mohammed as the third and final prophet. ISIS, who have the most strict interpretation of the Koran, are an end times cult who believe Jesus is coming back to Earth to lead them to victory. We can't talk about things like that on television; it would confuse the old people.

Yes I think that's kind of where I'm at with it.. it makes since philosophically.. Naturally it can't be proven that a mortal rose from the dead but that's just what faith is I suppose...

I don't believe there's any greater purpose that applies universally. I believe we create our purpose or lend purpose from someone else who has created one.

What will fulfill someone cannot be answered objectively in a specific way beyond the basic needs. What makes one person feel fulfilled will not make another person feel fulfilled, meaning fulfillment is entirely subjective.

It makes sense that most people are in relationship/married with kids, reproduction is the most important factor to continue the existence of life. It's a pretty common purpose of life to reproduce as life wouldn't be sustainable without it. That's as objective as I believe it's possible to be about it.

Anyways, I would recommend creating your own purpose in life. The answer is within you, not somewhere out there.

I looked at it the wrong way before and I only found a void, there was no purpose to be found as long as I believed one objectively (meaning even without people) existed. People are required to attribute purpose, so without people there is no purpose and any purpose is created by people. I create my meaning of life, what I want to accomplish with my time in life.

But what if your subjectivity is distorted? I mean Ted Bundy found killing women and raping their corpses to be fulfilling... Wouldn't there be a universal ruling that that is heinous? For me my purpose has been trying to seduce women... whether or not I achieve it the whole chase gives me hope and excitement. Is my subjectivity distorted?

Well, we are all just organisms. That means our cycle of life in essence is not much different from a cat, a dog or a mouse. Most scientists will tell you that our purpose here in life is to survive and reproduce. Now, it's up to you if you want to spread your genes around because it has far bigger implications as a human being but in general, I can give you my philosophy in three words;

Survive then thrive.

What is considered thriving? Sounds like it would be subjective...

Considering there is zero logical explanation for how we are here, and even less explanation of how we still are here......that lends me to believe there is no rational explanation for WHY we are here. The Bible is the only book to transcend time, and Christianity is the only religion based on TRUE, observed examples of the supernatural. We aren't just organisms. Even the most primitive of humans know that.

What's the meaning of it all? Your guess is as good as mine. But giving of yourself to others is one of the few things in this life that really fulfills anyone, they are lying if they say different. That, and proving things to yourself and yourself only. Those two things, and human relationships, seem to be all that really matters. Money and other things seems to be the result of wisdom.

That's if you believe the Bible... what's to say what's written in it is real? I do naturally think there's more to the world we live in though.

Interesting question....

The Purpose of Life it to Matter.

But in what respect? There's people that do a lot of bad things that feel they are doing their will.. There must be some objective truth?

Over the years, I've changed my answer to this question multiple times.

I've come to think the purpose of life is nothing. And by that I don't mean do whatever you want, but that the answer to the question is a void, an empty vessel. In other words there is no answer to the question.

We have a subjective idea of what the answer is based on our own perceptions, upbringing etc. But that is only based on our perception of reality, based on our sensory inputs e.g sight, sound, feel, taste, emotions. There is no evidence, and never will be, that our perception of reality is the real reality. We can't possibly know what is really happening beyond our sensory inputs, since this is all we have.

Therefore, the true reality is not accessible for us, therefore we cannot find the true meaning of what the purpose of life is. This is because we only have everyone's unique perception of reality to base the answer on, therefore producing a vast number of answers. All of which are not the true answer to the question, because none are based on the true reality.

Yes it's true we have our own perceptions based on experiences etc... But the senses we have are shared by many in this world (sight, hearing, taste....) That's why there is so much group think. I believe there can be objective truth to some degree...

Good question yet you would need to quantify it by understanding who's purpose your asking about.

Do you believe in a god like entity who has predetermined a set path for you, or set rules you must abide by to create your after life?

Do you seek the approval of others and desire to see your purpose through their eyes?

Do you seek an existence on a universal front connecting yourself to your surroundings?

Each of these questions will absolutely lead you on a different path, yet all paths lead to the same end.

Yet at that end we must seek solace in knowing that whichever path we chose, we allowed ourselves to experience it with all of our senses.

Seek no woman to make you happy and seek no purpose which demands judgement from others. Seek to live every moment like it's your last opportunity to truly enjoy your surroundings.

There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the path. "Buddha"

No idea.... I think we have freewil though cause I'm just a bum and I feel like I have potential somewhere lol

Well, my opinion is that at the end of the day....there IS no purpose to life because everything to this life is an illusion made out of dirt.

Think about it.

- Everybody on this forum, everybody you see, and everybody in the world will some day die. Their body will decompose and turn into dust, leaving only bones remaining.

- Everything you see around you, from the computer you are typing on, to the chair you are sitting in, is nothing but DUST. If you blow it up you will see exactly what I'm talking about, it turns into nothing but DUST.

So in my opinion, life is nothing but an illusion. We all only take this seriously because we have been programmed to take it seriously by those in positions of power, because us "taking life seriously" benefits them in some form or fashion.

Imagine if we all stopped working tomorrow, the economy would fall. So they had to create this game of capitalism along with using the media to PROGRAM us to "needing" various material things that make us go out and continue to produce...produce....produce.

This life is nothing but an illusion. If you want my opinion, go after what YOU desire in life and design this life the way YOU see fit, as long as you don't step on someone else's rights. But do not take this so seriously. This is something I'm still working on myself, but I'm getting better at not taking this shyt so seriously because ONE DAY I will be DEAD AND BACK TO DUST.

True... unless we all have a soul.

 

[Reyaj]

Look while I admit I'm just beginning my search on this... I do think there is a God.... I mean look its proven the universe has a beginning, and everything in this world is set to design (the sun rising and setting, photosynthesis, reproduction etc...) how isn't it obvious that it has a designer? Like I just don't get how atheists just claim the big bang and everything is random... like wtf lol?

 

[amazingswayze]

What is considered thriving? Sounds like it would be subjective...

If paying the rent is surviving, finishing your mortgage payments are thriving.
If being healthy is surviving, having an exceptional physique is thriving.
If having one woman is surviving, spinning plates is thriving.

It's when you move past your basic needs and you have the capabilities to succeed on a higher level.

 

[Serenity]

But what if your subjectivity is distorted? I mean Ted Bundy found killing women and raping their corpses to be fulfilling... Wouldn't there be a universal ruling that that is heinous? For me my purpose has been trying to seduce women... whether or not I achieve it the whole chase gives me hope and excitement. Is my subjectivity distorted?

My subjectivity only patch up the holes in what lacks objectively. Regarding morals I'd say the golden rule is adequate, I doubt Ted Bundy would have wanted to be subjected to his own crimes.

As long as you question your subjectivity you'll prevent distortion, so I'd say based on your question that no your subjectivity is not distorted.

 

[MrAddiction]

So in my opinion, life is nothing but an illusion. We all only take this seriously because we have been programmed to take it seriously by those in positions of power, because us "taking life seriously" benefits them in some form or fashion.

Imagine if we all stopped working tomorrow, the economy would fall. So they had to create this game of capitalism along with using the media to PROGRAM us to "needing" various material things that make us go out and continue to produce...produce....produce.

This life is nothing but an illusion. If you want my opinion, go after what YOU desire in life and design this life the way YOU see fit, as long as you don't step on someone else's rights. But do not take this so seriously. This is something I'm still working on myself, but I'm getting better at not taking this shyt so seriously because ONE DAY I will be DEAD AND BACK TO DUST.

Nothing in life is worth to be taken seriously - apart from having fun.

 

[Reyaj]

My subjectivity only patch up the holes in what lacks objectively. Regarding morals I'd say the golden rule is adequate, I doubt Ted Bundy would have wanted to be subjected to his own crimes.

As long as you question your subjectivity you'll prevent distortion, so I'd say based on your question that no your subjectivity is not distorted.

I like your answer.. the only thing is I think as humans (or at least I can definitely speak for myself) I tend to rationalize situations in order to please my natural desires.

Great thread. My biggest fear is not making the most of my life.
For a long time I've wanted to have the wife & kids. It wasn't until I read The selfish gene that my mind shifted. You see I wanted to pass my genes on so that I could leave something behind. One of the things that the selfish gene tells us is that, as your gene passes down & down it wont be long until not much of you at all exists. So even now more than ever I want to make the most out of my life.

Sometimes I will think what the **** am I doing wasting my life away whilst doing tasks like washing dishes or shopping for food.

I do agree with the poster who basically said there are people a LOT worse off, so be grateful for what you have. I think people always want more, than what they have. Why cannot people be happy with what they have?

Yeah Samspade is right, I mean if we were born a slave with no ability to know any better then we would never even be questioning all this. The trite saying may have some truth "Ignorance is bliss" cause honestly I can give myself a headache pondering existence and wondering what the hell I am doing here.

So anyway back to my original point... while I do believe in God because it just seems logical that this world and it's species are a design, I'm not clear on what/if he has a message? The Bible seems to tell you to reason against your impulses and follow God's law. What bothers me about this is I think it's kind of cruel... I mean why give us impulses that we must not act on? It just feels like a cruel experiment he created and he is just watching down on us for amusement. Similar to if we are watching lab mice in a cage and doing random things to see how they react to different stimuli...

So then there is Jesus Christ... is this world really based on a story where humans are flawed from the beginning and God had to send himself in flesh to be crucified so we would all be saved? Like seriously? I'm not trying to insult Christians, I am one but I'm just really questioning all this stuff...

Someone help me!

 

[Bible_Belt]

God had to send himself in flesh to be crucified so we would all be saved?

At least that ended the practice of animal sacrifice. The idea is that one sacrifice covers all believers, so as a practical matter, we don't have to take our livestock to church and slaughter them, like in the Old Testament days.

 

[Serenity]

I like your answer.. the only thing is I think as humans (or at least I can definitely speak for myself) I tend to rationalize situations in order to please my natural desires.

Some people do that. I tend to literally open my eyes to ensure it's real and not some bullsh!t from the depths of my mind.