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Mon 2 Feb, 2004 06:19 pm
A very generic subject I know, and often over elaborated. But I was wondering what you people's beliefs are on the very basic meaning of life, if there is such a thing.
As far as I've come to believe, the meaning of life is but what we percieve of it. There are a thousand meanings for a thousand different people. Each individual person must decide what will make their existance a happy one. Be it relationships, money or whatever, we have to ability to shape our own destiny, and it is that ability to choose, choose your job, choose your house, choose your partner, that is the true meaning of life. For all we really have in this world is what we hold true in our hearts. We exist for the sole purpose as to live, so we should make the most of it...
We are what we are, and we are all that we are.
Thank you, I'm very happy to be here
This one has been covered a few times so I expect some of the old hands are reluctant to jump in, having discussed the topic before. As a not so old hand, I'll launch a trial balloon.
First, I agree with your assessment that the meaning of life is up to the individual. What follows, then, is merely the meaning of life as I see it, and not meant either as a prescription for or challenge to others:
In the final analysis, life has no meaning. One may choose to either fulfill or resist the biological imperative, which seems to be only to survive long enough to reproduce. Survival entails procuring food, water, shelter, and protection from enemies, which is more easily achieved within the context of partnerships with other beings. These partnerships and the societies which grow out of them, when properly maintained, help protect the offspring until they pass your genes on to the next generation.
Many people feel an urge to leave some other legacy behind, apart from or in addition to DNA; this can take the form of fame (or infamy), personal achievement, good works (or bad works), art, monuments, etc.
I believe this secondary desire for self-expession and/or memorialization is either an aberration of the biological imperative, or a product of minds which have evolved beyond their strictly utilitarian origins and must now come to grips with the central fact of their over-evolved consciousness, which is that each of us is utterly, irrevocably alone, now and until we die, at which point we will cease to be. The fearful denial of our isolation and meaningless is, I think, the source of most religious belief systems, eastern and western.
Happiness of a sort can be achieved by those who believe in the myths of eternal life or cosmic unity, but it is a hollow thing compared to the contentment achieved by those few who manage to accept the universe they find themselves in, and do not blind themselves with the hope of some other.
The meaning of life is like a math problem. There is only one solution to the problem.
Just as I thought... BlueMonkey doesn't know either.
I may and I may not. Just because one does not share doesn't mean they do not know. Plus the answer would only anger many.
I prostrate myself at your feet, oh Blue... I am not worthy.
Aw it is so nice you use your sarcasm powers for good and not evil. How wonderful.
The meaning of life is 42.
The meaning of life:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=life
Here, you will find a variety of meanings and contexts for 'life'.
Simple
The meaning of life is "what you make out of it"
If you fail..then life isnt that pleasant to you
If you succeed ..then life maybe too perfect to you
If you succeed AND fail...then perhaps life would have a more valuable meaning then : a combination of challenges, victories, good & somber feelings...a worthful investment
VJ
Life is life, there is no meaning to life. Its your life and untimatley its what you make of it. If you want to know the meaning, look at the past 20 billion people that have died before us and see what they did, they all lived a life. The meaning of life is to live it.
To always be learning, and assisting others who cross your path and seem to need help.
truth
I agree with Vonderjohn and Bacon. Life has no intrinsic meaning; it is what we make of it. Meaning is ascribed by us to the events and "objects" of our life experience; they do not come to us laden with meanings. And I suppose that IF the "MEANING OF LIFE" were an objective "Cosmic Truth" we would not understand it even if it were spoon fed to us. I think that Plato's Cave is an understatement of this reality.
(Years ago on Abuzz, I posted my view on the answer to this same question. Here's a copy.)
What is the meaning of life...
What is the meaning of rain? What is the meaning of bees?
Can William Tell you of the arrow of time passing through his brain, or the smell of apples in the trees.
And don't think of a red fox running around a red barn, chasing a black rooster with feathers flying in the breeze. For there might be young lovers hiding in the loft, cuddling and afraid to sneeze.
The meaning of life is like a seemingly meaningless poem, its words a playful tease, a chance to see, or not see, whatever it is you please.
truth
Yes, Rosborne, the question is meaningless.
Re: truth
JLNobody wrote:Yes, Rosborne, the question is meaningless.
If that's the way you see it JL. Then that's the way it is.
It is only a meaningless question to those who don't have meaning to began with.
None of us do, blue. We make meaning. It's part of being human.
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