Where do you find meaning in life?

So many people say that since it was a sort of cosmic accident that human life ever came about in the first place, life must ultimately have no 'real' meaning.

This view seems to presuppose there is some specific standard for what would count as 'really' meaningful, which human life fails to live up to since it is a cosmic accident.

But I fail to see what such a standard could be. What else would it take to make our lives meaningful, beyond things like fulfilling my desire to be loved, or my caring about doing my job well?

I hear the meaning of life makes you cum stupid hard.

Compared to the life of the Earth (approx. 4.6 Billion years) we are not even a wink on the timeline of Earth. Humans started to crawl out of their caves sometime 60,000 years ago.

The truth is... we are so insignificant. So if you look at it that way there is no meaning to our life.

But if you want to look at it in a positive way. The meaning of our life is to create a better world for the one's after us. To not fuck up the beautiful place we live in. We are on the eve of destruction of planet Earth. We are the only species on the planet that has the power to destroy the world we live in (3 or 4 times over.)

If you want your life to have meaning, create a better you and a better place to live in.

Don't search for the meaning of life. You will never find it, no drug or feeling or emotion or catastrophic event will show you the meaning. The meaning of life is what you interpret it to be.

ps. LSD helps.

  On 1/22/2010 at 7:15 PM, encey said:

So many people say that since it was a sort of cosmic accident that human life ever came about in the first place, life must ultimately have no 'real' meaning.

 

This view seems to presuppose there is some specific standard for what would count as 'really' meaningful, which human life fails to live up to since it is a cosmic accident.

 

But I fail to see what such a standard could be. What else would it take to make our lives meaningful, beyond things like fulfilling my desire to be loved, or my caring about doing my job well?

but what people are often looking for is ultimate meaning, that's the point. If someone were to say how do i find my own temporary, subjective meaning, then you can offer tips of course. And you're right, there could never be a specific standard without a thinking creator who supposedly knew something called "truth"

i came to a sort of realization last year about knowing of self and meaning, and i didnt like what i found at all. not a nice feeling at all.

People talk like "how do i find my purpose?" so in their heads it's out there but they haven't found it. It's not something they are just going to create which is flexible, subjective and temporary. They are going to uncover their purpose. There's a lot of subtle spiritual-type thinking that goes on. Nothing wrong with it of course.

The meaning of life lol, is about experiencing death.

Its hard to live in a world where so much shit has gone wrong and is going wrong with people holding people back with people killing people with people believing and relying on fairy tails to save them. Its really hard to want to change the world when the majority of the people just keep pretending that reality is fine or someone else will do it and just end up living happy lifes under a made up reality that if the walls in my house are clean every wall on earth is clean. I don't like thinking this way but I don't want to lie to my self either. To be honest, I would have rather not been born into this shity excuse of an existence we call life. Music is the only thing thats made my stay here tolerable.

  On 1/22/2010 at 7:40 PM, Rambo said:

  On 1/22/2010 at 7:15 PM, encey said:

So many people say that since it was a sort of cosmic accident that human life ever came about in the first place, life must ultimately have no 'real' meaning.

 

This view seems to presuppose there is some specific standard for what would count as 'really' meaningful, which human life fails to live up to since it is a cosmic accident.

 

But I fail to see what such a standard could be. What else would it take to make our lives meaningful, beyond things like fulfilling my desire to be loved, or my caring about doing my job well?

 

but what people are often looking for is ultimate meaning, that's the point. If someone were to say how do i find my own temporary, subjective meaning, then you can offer tips of course. And you're right, there could never be a specific standard without a thinking creator who supposedly knew something called "truth"

I think people think they want the ultimate meaning, but what they actually want is the subjective one.

  On 1/22/2010 at 7:40 PM, Rambo said:

  On 1/22/2010 at 7:15 PM, encey said:

So many people say that since it was a sort of cosmic accident that human life ever came about in the first place, life must ultimately have no 'real' meaning.

 

This view seems to presuppose there is some specific standard for what would count as 'really' meaningful, which human life fails to live up to since it is a cosmic accident.

 

But I fail to see what such a standard could be. What else would it take to make our lives meaningful, beyond things like fulfilling my desire to be loved, or my caring about doing my job well?

 

but what people are often looking for is ultimate meaning, that's the point. If someone were to say how do i find my own temporary, subjective meaning, then you can offer tips of course. And you're right, there could never be a specific standard without a thinking creator who supposedly knew something called "truth"

What I'm denying is the assumption that 'ultimate meaning' must be something different from the kind of meaning we find in our everyday motivations and responses to what happens and matters to us, the view that this is merely an opinion which can neither be right or wrong, or that the 'real' meaning of human life and action must be given in the vocabulary of physical descriptions of the universe or the intentions of a creative deity.

I don't see anything unsatisfying or 'subjective' in the sense of 'mere opinion' about saying that, in my case, learning and teaching is one of the main activities through which I find meaning in life. I don't see a need to ask for any different or further, more fundamental sort of meaning than that -- whereas most other people here seem to think that the sheer quantity of time we or our race occupies in existence, compared to the quantity of time that galaxies, or matter, or energy occupy in existence, shows that human life is not meaningful -- I just don't understand that thought.

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:24 PM, Coalbucket PI said:

 

I think people think they want the ultimate meaning, but what they actually want is the subjective one.

Maybe, it's pretty easy to tell the difference if you talk to them though

i know what you mean et, after much thought i came to the conclusion that life is like rooting for a certain sports team. it makes no sense to do so, but as long as you believe that you care or as long as you act like you care it will be fun to support a team. so pick a team and behave as if you cared.

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:22 PM, ZiggomaticV17 said:

The meaning of life lol, is about experiencing death.

 

Its hard to live in a world where so much shit has gone wrong and is going wrong with people holding people back with people killing people with people believing and relying on fairy tails

i got some fairy tail last night if you glean my meaning

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:25 PM, encey said:

What I'm denying is the assumption that 'ultimate meaning' must be something different from the kind of meaning we find in our everyday motivations and responses to what happens and matters to us, the view that this is merely an opinion which can neither be right or wrong, or that the 'real' meaning of human life and action must be given in the vocabulary of physical descriptions of the universe or the intentions of a creative deity.

 

I don't see anything unsatisfying or 'subjective' in the sense of 'mere opinion' about saying that, in my case, learning and teaching is one of the main activities through which I find meaning in life. I don't see a need to ask for any different or further, more fundamental sort of meaning than that -- whereas most other people here seem to think that the sheer quantity of time we or our race occupies in existence, compared to the quantity of time that galaxies, or matter, or energy occupy in existence, shows that human life is not meaningful -- I just don't understand that thought.

Yeah, i agree with you but with a twist. It'll take the thread way off track though.

this is the best i got today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TR8prW7460

lyrics

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:41 PM, 42Orange said:

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:22 PM, ZiggomaticV17 said:

The meaning of life lol, is about experiencing death.

 

Its hard to live in a world where so much shit has gone wrong and is going wrong with people holding people back with people killing people with people believing and relying on fairy tails

 

i got some fairy tail last night if you glean my meaning

lol

I used to find the meaning of life down at the local video store. Nowadays it is easily downloaded on the internet.

i like alcohol and weed and throwing stuff off cliffs

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:49 PM, Rambo said:

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:25 PM, encey said:

What I'm denying is the assumption that 'ultimate meaning' must be something different from the kind of meaning we find in our everyday motivations and responses to what happens and matters to us, the view that this is merely an opinion which can neither be right or wrong, or that the 'real' meaning of human life and action must be given in the vocabulary of physical descriptions of the universe or the intentions of a creative deity.

 

I don't see anything unsatisfying or 'subjective' in the sense of 'mere opinion' about saying that, in my case, learning and teaching is one of the main activities through which I find meaning in life. I don't see a need to ask for any different or further, more fundamental sort of meaning than that -- whereas most other people here seem to think that the sheer quantity of time we or our race occupies in existence, compared to the quantity of time that galaxies, or matter, or energy occupy in existence, shows that human life is not meaningful -- I just don't understand that thought.

 

Yeah, i agree with you but with a twist. It'll take the thread way off track though.

  On 1/22/2010 at 1:22 PM, Masonic Boom said:

There is no grand "meaning" in life. Anyone who tells you that there is, is either deluded, or else lying in order to try to control you or sell you something.

 

You exist because of some chemical accident whereby strings of molecules that have evolved into DNA produce actions based on replicating themselves into the next generation.

 

Try to find people to love, and people that love you (this does not necessarily have to be romantic love.) Find activities which immerse you in "flow" type experiences in which you can lose yourself. Try to find some modicum of control over the basic aspects of your experience.

 

Beyond this, there is no meaning. Sorry.

woe. thats quite a statement there.

i like the love part

Similar to what other people have been saying in this thread, asking "what is the meaning of existence" or "what is the meaning of my life" is like asking "what is the meaning of shag carpet", it doesnt mean anything! it just is because everything else is and makes other things what they is. word.

the meaning of life is in our self-sacrifice for the highest truth.

balls to that

  On 1/22/2010 at 8:32 PM, GORDO said:

i know what you mean et, after much thought i came to the conclusion that life is like rooting for a certain sports team. it makes no sense to do so, but as long as you believe that you care or as long as you act like you care it will be fun to support a team. so pick a team and behave as if you cared.

go team humanity! rah rah rah!

  On 1/22/2010 at 9:25 PM, messiaen said:

i like alcohol and weed and throwing stuff off cliffs

this

plus setting fire to things occasionally is fun