Why Try?

Interesting...depressing as hell, but interesting.

I'll be back when I think about this for a while.

Discreet, as far as I'm concerned, I live forever, my subjective forever. I AM very small by the scale of the Cosmos and Eternity, but size is problematical, a matter of perspective. The quark is nothing compared to me, and I am nothing compared to the Milky Way, and such comparisons are fundamentally meaningless (to me).

The reasons for contributing to the human race seem to be mostly proximal to me. If you want to, say, have a decent relationship with another person, chances are you will need to hold down a steady job and make money.

The sneaky thing about making money is that in return for said currency you are doing a service which directly helps out another human being. So the well-being of other humans is in this way inextricably tied to your own desires.

Now, if you don't like others, and you wish to live your life in seclusion, I see no problem with that. I don't feel that it is necessary to stress about your impact on future generations. The things you do will have a resounding effect throughout history. Think of the butterfly effect (butterfly flaps its wings which sets in motion a chain of events which after some time results in a hurricane across the world) under which it is impossible to live in the world and not have an effect on future generations. We are simultaneously on the causal and receiving end of events. It would be impossible to exist and not affect the future.

So, all that said, don't worry about changing the world. Even if you tried, there would be no way of knowing whether or not the changes you desire are the ones which will actually be present in the future. Be moral, seek truth, and above all don't worry. By helping ourselves be happy, we in turn help those in the future. This is my belief, at least.

"Fred Jones was worn out...."

(Sorry, I'd been waiting for some appropriate time to quote that, and this thread seemed right to me. It has that same kind of feel, y'know? Yeah, you know.)

Oh right, and...

"He's forgotten but not yet gone" ties in pretty well with the original post, I guess. Man, I like Ben Folds (Five)...

Smog, you got it. Ben Folds is the best.

"There was no party, there were no songs
'Cause today's just a day like the day that he started
No one is left here that knows his first name
And life barrels on like a runaway train
Where the passengers change
They don't change anything
You get off; someone else can get on

And I'm sorry, Mr. Jones
It's time"

Damn that's good stuff.

Yeah, I just went and listened to those two songs. Then I started listening to "Missing the War" just because. But yeah, this thread definitely brings up a lot of these songs in my mind. Now I'm gonna be thinking all night....

What about "Regrets"?
"I thought about
the hours wasted watching TV,
drinking beer.
I thought about the things I thought about
until immobilized with fear"

I just like how he lays things out. The songs just seem to pierce right down to my soul. Amazing what music can do to us.

Re: Why Try?
Discreet

What is the point of life but to avoid death. Why contribute to anything dealing with the human race if we know that progress will eventually be snuffed out by death? [/QUOTE]

I think the only point of life is living it. Not to avoid death but to live.
You don't eat to avoid death. You eat because you feel like it, and that gives you pleasure.
And you use your mind, create a new theory, because that gives you pleasure.
If not, why search the cure for cancer? People will die, sooner or later. But most of people doesn't want to die. They want to be alive, to do things they love.
If you ever felt pleasure in the multiple aspects of your live, than what's the use of looking for a justification, a purpose? Living is not good enough for you?

Yeah i think that people determine their own meaning of life. Whether it be creating a higher power or a God and serving him to fill the void of a meaningless life or just living life for yourself, coming up with activites to occupy your time and achieving goals for happiness. I think that people realize they are scheduled to die but they don't want to sit around and wait for that train.

The feeling of having a short period of time here on earth motivates them to do something. So my next question is if life was eternal and you never died do you think people would still view life as meaningless?

Why not?

If you decide it's not worth it, then what?

Will your life be better if you're trying or if you're not trying?

Like Val suggests, I eat because I enjoy food. To extend his point, I also like to eat well. Eating here is a metaphor for all the activities and facets of life. Because I enjoy my life, I do not look for a reason to live. If I did not enjoy my life, I guess I would look for reasons not to end it.

Well if you run out of other reasons not to end it, consider this one: Live to post here!

Cause I for one always learn from your posts. Thats as good a reason as any, sometimes.

Am i wrong in thinking that we strive to find meaning in our lives because they are short? Or does time life not matter

What we do in this life matters to the beings with whom we share this world, and the ones who will come after us.

It makes no difference that the earth will be destroyed some day. The present moment is all we can ever experience anyway. It is worth making an effort because we what we do determines how we feel right now. Our actions also enhance or degrade the happiness and well-being of myriad life-forms that are aware of pleasure and pain, and IMO, the feelings of all sentient beings are paramount in the universe.

Our actions will affect the lives of our offspring and other beings for the foreseeable future: decades, centuries, maybe even millennia. Whether or not they know or remember us, the ripples our lives made in the fabric of their cosmos will linger. That is reason enough to try.

Terry, you are sounding very buddhistic. I agree, of course.
EM, thanks.

Dang Terry, I don't know.

This sounds almost like an afterlife of sorts also. In the Afterlife thread you said no afterlife.

My "actions will affect the lives of our offspring and other beings for the foreseeable future: decades, centuries, maybe even millennia. Whether or not they know or remember us, the ripples our lives made in the fabric of their cosmos will linger."????

See, I consider that a form of an afterlife. That is an afterlife in my book.

Maybe its just semantics again, perhaps we just have different definitions of afterlife.

By afterlife, I don't mean I necessarily have to be aware of this realm or floating around like a ghost or in heaven or hell or something, or remember my earthly name or identity, etc.

If my actions (my essence???) lives on for years or millenia after I die, I consider that an afterlife...

After effects, yes, but if "I" am not around in some form to experience them, there is no "afterlife" for me.

where does everyone get this idea that life is short? what exactly can you do that is longer than life, life is the longest thing you will ever know. think of all the things you have done in your life so far, ok if i do that it takes a while, and i dont remember half of what i have got up to, there's tons i have forgot or whatever and i'm only 20, even if i only live till 40 thats still a long time, what's everyone's rush? i can't help thinking that all the people who rush around doing so many things because "life is short" miss a hell of a lot too. a musician called bob brozman has a saying i like; "life is short, slow down".
another thing i've never really understood much is people's need, or wish, to be remembered after their death. some people worry a lot that once you're dead then you just disappear and are forgotten about......so? it won't make any difference to me if that happenes, i'll be dead. i don't mind if i'm remembered or forgotten when i'm dead because my point in life is to live it and enjoy it and try to make sure it stays as interesting as possible. my only goals for the course of my (probably, hopefully) looong life is to become a better person, better artist, better guitarist throughout my whole life. keep trying new things and getting excited by different things all the time. i want my life to be full of funny, happy, scarey, sad, silly, daft and terrific and terrible moments, as long as it doesn't become dull. i think (because i'm ranting now and i'm not quite sure) my point is that i don't have designs on becoming "someone" or "getting ahead" of anyone, that isn't the point for me, the only thing worth "trying" for in life is to have a life you enjoy and that interests you.....