Is life worth it?

Forums: Philosophy, Life, Meaning Of Life, Atheist, Nihilist
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We all die in the end. Life is too short to do something meaningful. A few generations after you die you will be “completely” dead, no one will even remember you. If you’re famous like Caesar Jesus or the Beatles, the memory of you will die with mankind when it goes extinct. So there’s only this short time to create something that will live longer than you but also die relatively soon, in the great scheme of things.

So it looks like the best we can do is enjoy the little time we have. But what means enjoy?

Life itself feels like an endless striving for something better than we have currently and to be satisfied and happy is impossible because even if we have everything, we’ll get bored and find ourselves some crises. We sort of destroy ourselves in the process of trying to be a more and more ideal version of us and even if we live healthy, with happy relationships, whatever you want, what is the meaning of that? Why should I live healthy, maintain happy relationships, and be averagely happy when I could be just as averagely happy living an unhealthy lonely lifestyle.

Like why should I live when there are thousands of people who live the same life and there’s nothing special about my life. Why should I try to get good at something when there will always be someone better? Why should I try to fake being happy because fake it until you make it and I don’t want to ruin people’s mood, why should I do that when I did exactly this my whole life and there’s no “make it” that I get out of the fake it and even if I am sort of happy when I’m around people I still can’t enjoy life when I’m alone?

No life is really unique, all people have sort of the same brain structure or something and all our efforts all our accomplishments are in vain when we die?

We only live because we’re taught that living= good and dying= bad and scary. So we don’t die. I mean I wouldn’t want to die because I think “oh no, why make such a short time even shorter?”

I just don’t see the point in assigning any meaning or whatever to life. What are the reasons we do anything at all? We just want to get the best out of this short experience, even though it’s hard not to suffer all the time. And why do most of us still prefer this suffering to nothing at all, or death? I’d rather feel pain than nothing at all.

Why do we even care. Some of our problems are so unnecessary. We waste so much time, well we waste practically all of it.

And then we come up with religions to comfort us and give us a fake sense of meaning where there is none (personal opinion). What’s the point.

Does anyone think the same? What’s this philosophy called? Absurdism? Nihilism?

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Type: Question • Score: 6 • Views: 3,827 • Replies: 19

It's quite natural at your age (and even beyond) to question things - your reality, your belief system, philosophies... life and death.

You are at a normal juncture in your life - question away! Not everyone figures it out, but it's quite natural to question all these things. I remember doing the same thing at your age Smile

And I've been fortunate enough to live a comfortable and happy life, full of friendships, adventures, great books, the experience of travel, etc.

We want to be happy and fulfilled. That doesn't necessarily mean being the best at a particular thing, but to enjoy what we're doing. Some people are just not competitive or ambitious - that's not for everyone. If you don't like babysitting the Henderson kids - don't! If you don't want a part-time job at McD's - don't! If you hate history, don't take it in university! If you don't like Diana, don't hang around with her! Find out what you do like, and that will often change over time, and if you don't have anything you want to do, don't sweat it. If you like doodling, doodle. Baking cookies? Bake away. Listening to music - do that. And you don't have to figure it out this year... you have, hopefully, many years ahead. One experience often leads to another. You haven't been exposed to everything yet. Take your time.

Truly happy people work at what they enjoy doing and engage in activities that interest them.

What is the meaning of life? Or death? No one has an answer. It's whatever you decide to make of it.

And questioning is the first phase. You go, girl.

3 Replies

@Mame,

Thanks for your detailed reply. We can indeed enjoy life if we do things we like doing. But what if someone can’t do these things. Take for example someone who likes running. They really want to run, they see people running everywhere, on the tv, in the park, they dream about running every night. They think running is the best thing in the world, they know everything about running theory, they dream about running every night, and when they wake up they’re immensely disappointed - because this person hasn’t got legs. Or some disability that makes them unable to run. Does this mean running isn’t right for them? But what if they don’t enjoy anything else as much as they would enjoy running? Isn’t it unfair?

But not being overly ambitious seems a very good quality in people. Unfortunately, I am overly ambitious. But maybe I can learn not to be.

Don’t people get bored with their work after a few years? I’ve personally never been able to keep something up for more than a few years because then I always felt like there was nothing new and interesting about the activity anymore. What if a person needs constant excitement in their life?

1 Reply

@Sad teen ,

Quote:

Why do we even care. Some of our problems are so unnecessary. We waste so much time, well we waste practically all of it.

And then we come up with religions to comfort us and give us a fake sense of meaning where there is none (personal opinion). What’s the point.

Your thoughts are those of the atheists of the world. Words of hopelessness, beyond the death of these bodies in which 'WE', the invisible minds develop there is nothing, for 'WE ' die with the body.

The reward that the mind receives is that which the mind believes.

This body that you see it isn't really me
It's but the womb in which I'm being formed
For I am spirit, I am mind
And it's the only place you'll find
'Who I Am' until the day I'm finally born
For I will not be free, until this body that you see
Has returned to the dust from which it came
It's then that I'll be born from this womb in which I'm formed
To carry on in life's eternal game.

What a hopeless life you must live, as is written by the great satirist.

Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. I envy those who are dead and gone; they are better off than those who are still alive. But better off than either, are those who have never been born etc.

A man may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long he lives, if he does not get his share of happiness and does not receive a descent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off.

Man and animal receive the same ultimate reward, total oblivion, from the dust they came and to the dust they shall return. A wise man is no better off than a fool, the reward for doing good is the same as that for doing evil, so don’t be too good or too wise, Why kill yourself?

We are all going to our final resting place, and although life is useless, the conclusion of the matter is, if you live a religious life you may at least experience some peace in the short span of consciousness that has been allocated to you in this useless life.

So go ahead and eat, drink and be merry, drink your wine and be cheerful. It’s all right with God. Enjoy your life with the woman you love, as long as you live the useless life that God has given you in this world. Enjoy every useless day of it, because that is all that you’ll get for all your troubles.

Never again will you take part in anything that happens in the world, because there will be no action, no thought, no knowledge, no wisdom in the world of the dead to where the righteous, the wicked, the wise and the fools, animal and man, are all going. For the living know that they are going to die, but the dead know nothing.

Is this your hopeless belief also?

0 Replies

Sad teen wrote:

What's this philosophy called?

To me it sounds like you are describing clinical depression.

0 Replies

@Sad teen ,

Sad teen wrote:

Thanks for your detailed reply. We can indeed enjoy life if we do things we like doing. But what if someone can’t do these things. Take for example someone who likes running. They really want to run, they see people running everywhere, on the tv, in the park, they dream about running every night. They think running is the best thing in the world, they know everything about running theory, they dream about running every night, and when they wake up they’re immensely disappointed - because this person hasn’t got legs. Or some disability that makes them unable to run. Does this mean running isn’t right for them? But what if they don’t enjoy anything else as much as they would enjoy running? Isn’t it unfair?

Well, obviously, if one has no legs or prosthetics, one can't engage. Then one should simply find something else one might like. If you're 5'2 and can't get on the basketball team, find something else. But usually, people tend to find things to do that they CAN do. Sewing, writing, drawing, etc.

Sad teen wrote:

But not being overly ambitious seems a very good quality in people. Unfortunately, I am overly ambitious. But maybe I can learn not to be.

Ambition and competition are not good or bad... either you have it or you don't, like rhythm... some people just can't dance. I am just not competitive, but if I'm playing tennis with my friend and the loser has to do the other's dishes or mow their lawn, I'm NOT going to lose!

Sad teen wrote:

Don’t people get bored with their work after a few years? I’ve personally never been able to keep something up for more than a few years because then I always felt like there was nothing new and interesting about the activity anymore. What if a person needs constant excitement in their life?

My husband has been a geologist for 48 years and he still absolutely loves going into the field, running drilling programs, examining rocks, writing reports, etc. He still gets excited about projects. I spent my last 7 years working at a library and loved every minute of it - helping people find what they needed, printing out resources, recommending books, etc. It is possible to become bored with your work, but if you ensure you're doing what you love and you're always learning, it's unlikely. Unlike my husband, I've had many 'careers' and that was how I planned it. I don't think I could have done just one thing my whole life. Once I mastered it or had enough experiences, I moved on. But that is me and that is him.

You can find excitement in many ways - hobbies, activities, friends, learning a language, trying something new... there is nothing wrong with sampling the buffet of life instead of eating the same meal every day. I love buffets! Smile

2 Replies

@Mame,

Quote:

You can find excitement in many ways

But not every way that excites you, might be acceptable to the rest of society in which you live. Don't you agree Mame?

Would you prefer to live in a world where everyone does whatever excites them, regardless of the harm they may do to their neighbours?

Or would you rather live in a world as prescribed by Jesus? A world where everyone does to their neighbour, only that which they would want done unto themselves?

What a wonderful world that would be.

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Mankind goes extinct is very tiny affair in this magnificent cosmos.

Sounds the eternity and glory belongs to the First Order. “…shining like the sun’s rays…”

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@Sad teen ,

Sad teen wrote:

we’ll get bored and find ourselves some crises. . .

Life is difficult enough as it is without finding ourselves some crises. Staving off boredom with bad actions and behavior, like living an unhealthy, lonely lifestyle will just lead to greater unhappiness in a probably more shortened life.

So what if you're not special among the 7.9 or so billion people of the earth? Why is your happiness contingent upon specialness?

So, life isn't inherently meaningful; give your own life your own meaning.

1 Reply

@InfraBlue,

" life isn't inherently meaningful; give your own life your own meaning."
Very good comment.

0 Replies

@Sad teen ,

Titling yourself 'sad teen' persuades the 'respondee' to respond 'delicately', in order to tend unto your premise, in such fashion, that causes little, or no, distress. Enjoy, as you see fitting, every moment. For, in my opinion - You are Necessary - Your lifes' experience/s are Necessary - Your views, opinions and beliefs are Necessary - How else can perfection manifest itself, other than by experiencing Every imperfection First. Have a lovely Day

0 Replies

@Mame,

To add to some of this - about trying to be better than someone else --- I think you have that wrong - to be fulfilled stop focusing on others and try to be the best you there is. For example want to play a sport - set goals for yourself - look more to improve on yourself than worry about that fred is better than you. Screw Fred...you cannot control what is outside of you - so focus on you and what you need to improve. Fred will either be better than you or not but you can be better than you were a month ago. This can be used with any facet in your life.

And help others for the shear joy of helping someone else - not because you are worried if you will leave a name for yourself. It can be something as simple as helping a little old lady across the street - you just made her day and it feels good to do that. You give some one you don't know some kind words - they may have had just the worst day of their life and you just impacted them to think well maybe the world is not so bad.

There are so many small things that are really big things. You don't have to be a super star to feel like one.

Watch its a Wonderful Life and see how one little life can have a big impact.

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@Mame,

Mame has the right idea - there is so much in this world to offer - that if you search you can find something else as satisfying. I dream of flying all the time - I have many dreams where I am flapping my arms and working hard and flying and to be honest it is awesome. I wake up and realize no I cannot fly, I'd love to especially from the wonderful feeling I get from my dreams, but that doesn't mean there aren't other things I can do just as fulfilling.

And as an aside Mame

Quote:

If you're 5'2 and can't get on the basketball team, find something else.

My older daughter is 5'2" and just played for her college last year at basketball so Mad

1 Reply

@Linkat,

I hate to defend someone who is as horrible as Mame is, but she did say "if".

Your older daughter would be an example of someone who is 5'2" and CAN get on the basketball team.

1 Reply

@Mame,

Most young people, today, realise - They 'Don't' have many years ahead of them.
Humankind will be extinct by 2025 - All organic-based lifeforms will be gone by 2027. This is widely accepted by the youth of today.
And the causes thereof are irreversible.
With this in-mind - Answer, accordingly.
Have a lovely Day

1 Reply

@oralloy,

oralloy wrote:

I hate to defend someone who is as horrible as Mame is, but she did say "if".

Your older daughter would be an example of someone who is 5'2" and CAN get on the basketball team.

I'm just playing with Mame. I like to tease

2 Replies

@Linkat,

'Toying' (Teasing)? You reap what you sow.

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@mark noble,

How did you derive the number 2025 and 2027? Accurate enough?

1 Reply

@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

oralloy wrote:

I hate to defend someone who is as horrible as Mame is, but she did say "if".

Your older daughter would be an example of someone who is 5'2" and CAN get on the basketball team.

I'm just playing with Mame. I like to tease

Oh, now I'm 'horrible', lol.

Kudos to your daughter, Linkat. I was 'steered' into gymnastics and track because of my agility and speed. BBall wasn't wasn't an issue as I leaned more towards baseball. To each his own. And I recognize when you're teasing. Never fear, it'll be coming backactcha!

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@htam9876,

Coz 'piggy' told me. Whilst I was having fun.

Loves' labour is never lost - It kills time, perhaps, but, ultimately - fish endure themselves.

Have a lovely day

0 Replies

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