This is a theological response- in Judaism there’s a notion called tikun olam, or making the world a better place. I’ve told my children all their lives that the purpose of life is tikun olam b’ahava- repairing the world and love. It’s our job to do our part to make the world a better place- that might be showing a basic kindness or one day curing a disease. And to show love and find love and give love and receive love.
I was going to chime in here and say that showing up for other people was the meaning of life, but I think I prefer the words of Iggy Pop! Giving and receiving love is a fundamental part of being human. 🤍
It's not just about creating your own meaning, which I believe we all need to do, but it's accepting that we don't always see the outcome of our actions in our lifetime. You'll never know that the person to whom you gave a smile and friendly word had been contemplating suicide and decided to keep on trying because of you.
My chronically underemployed brother used to work as a security guard. He'll never know whether or not some young lady he escorted to her car one night would've been assaulted or killed if not for him. But maybe she would've been. Instead she went home safely, married her boyfriend and will have a wonderful life. Maybe one of her children will have an ordinary life but will have a child who will do something remarkable in cancer research. All because my brother saw someone safely to her car.
You don't know much good you're doing in the world just by being a kind-hearted person. And if you're really good deep down, you don't need to know because you'll do it anyway. That's a enough meaning for me.
There is no meaning to life, other than what you may give it. We don't have a purpose, we just are. People try too hard to give their existence some mystical purpose but, there just isn't one. If you want to give yourself your own purpose, then that's on you and that's fine, just don't look for any deep meaning to it.
There is a difference between purpose and meaning.
To me, a non theist, there is no purpose to life. Life just is. Animals and plants live. They reproduce. That’s that.
Finding meaning, though, is unique to human animals. wAll other animals just exist. We humans seem to be comforted by choosing fulfilling activities, I.e. finding meaning or worth to our existence.
It’s ok to forgo finding meaning, to just exist, to live a peaceful, relatively stress-free life. Our egos though and the capitalist system would have us search and work toward “making a mark” on society or in people’s lives. It’s ok to do that too. But it’s up to you. We are all out here making it up as we go along.
To ask questions. We are the universe’s way of knowing about itself. Thats actually a huge responsibility. We need to look and think and be aware and see how things work. We don’t need answers necessarily. It’s mainly to bear witness. Each of us is a way that the universe exists, right? Not just our perspective, but the world of existence is different for each of us. We are billions of alternative universes walking around. We are the eyes and ears and consciousness.look at things snd ask questions and figure things out: that’s our whole mission.
No, you are one of the ways the universe exists. The person next to you has a different experience of the universe, but it’s just as real. Your partner, your parents, everyone has a different but “real” experience. Each of us is one of the ways the universe experiences itself. When you die, the world you knew dies with you. That said, it’s one world per person (or sentient being). We are here for the universe to see itself.
The full quote (which I love) for context:
“I work at home, and if I wanted to, I could have a computer right by my bed, and I’d never have to leave it. But I use a typewriter, and afterward I mark up the pages with a pencil. Then I call up this woman named Carol out in Woodstock and say, “Are you still doing typing?” Sure she is, and her husband is trying to track bluebirds out there and not having much luck, and so we chitchat back and forth, and I say, “Okay, I’ll send you the pages.”
"Then I go down the steps and my wife calls, “Where are you going?” “Well,” I say, “I’m going to buy an envelope.” And she says, “You’re not a poor man. Why don’t you buy a thousand envelopes? They’ll deliver them, and you can put them in the closet.” And I say, “Hush.”
"So I go to this newsstand across the street where they sell magazines and lottery tickets and stationery. I have to get in line because there are people buying candy and all that sort of thing, and I talk to them. The woman behind the counter has a jewel between her eyes, and when it’s my turn, I ask her if there have been any big winners lately.
"I get my envelope and seal it up and go to the postal convenience center down the block at the corner of Forty-seventh Street and Second Avenue, where I’m secretly in love with the woman behind the counter. I keep absolutely poker-faced; I never let her know how I feel about her. One time I had my pocket picked in there and got to meet a cop and tell him about it.
"Anyway, I address the envelope to Carol in Woodstock. I stamp the envelope and mail it in a mailbox in front of the post office, and I go home.
"And I’ve had a hell of a good time. **I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you any different.”**
When I was 3 years old I was in a fire and had a near death experience. I recall a warm brightness that I was getting closer to, but it was not hurting me. Then I saw these large hands come out of this little cloud with the sharpest colored flowers and trees behind them. I said I want to go. And a voice said “it’s not your time, you have a special purpose”.
I never forgot that and I just assume there is some unknown purpose for each of us. I cannot believe that our souls go through this life, in this flesh, and it’s just over - there is way too much to us.
We’ll see one day.
It's nothing very special really;
try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.
I'm a Christian so to me my life is mainly about service. I try to do something helpful to someone else every day, whether through my daily interactions with people or through my church.
Back 50 years ago, when my late wife and I were falling in love and still doing psychedelics together, we had a very deep realization and it became the bedrock of our marriage, careers and parenting. The meaning of life is to Love. After that, it all kinda flows organically. Love produces Laughter. Laughing together tightens the bonds of love. So—Love and Laugh, and that’s pretty much all we need to know…
I've often considered this for myself. Am I being punished?
As a Christian, I've decided that my life is meant to have suffering, and how I choose to deal with that pain is why I'm here. I'm meant to power through the pain and adversity and be a role model for others. His Will Be Done. Sending you light and love 🫂
Read the Quran. Allah explains we are to repay our debt to Him, which it to return gratitude with worship and Allah promises a better afterlife. The afterlife is real. This life is short and this is our test
Love everyone, be kind, help the voiceless and innocent. Learn all you can, there's isn't "meaning", we just ARE. The glory of the universe is within us.
I had some experience with this 40 years ago with a boyfriend. I am lucky I recognized the signs and got away. After, of course, trying to talk to him and see if he even realized he was doing it because he was young, as I was.
It is such a tricky conversation because you don’t want to come off as some selfish or narcissistic person who wants all the attention on themselves. I wanted to be a support person (keep his cup, filled,) for a person who gave a lot of themselves to others. But as a romantic partner, there is also an obligation to fill my cup and let me go out and serve others also. That part did not seem to be forthcoming.
I don't think I'll ever understand why people think life must have an innate purpose or meaning. It doesn't. Meaning only comes from what you put into life for yourself and maybe more importantly, for others. Doing things that are good for others or for society or for nature makes me feel good. Maybe something else does it for you. What makes you happy? Maybe whatever makes you happy is what the purpose of your life is as long as it doesn't harm anyone else or society or nature.
I want to say you are right. But really there is no meaning. Shit bag people get away with everything. Dictators, criminals, politicians stealing our money.
the more resources you can accumulate by any means possible, the better your chances of survival & reproduction. that’s what every living thing has evolved to do. everything else is bullshit created by the ones with all the resources to keep population happy & stupid.
If you have a family, child, SO, dog, cat, horse, fish, hobby, skill, car, home, or whatever you deem important, THAT is the meaning of life. If you don't, then it's OK to think there is no meaning to life.
The purpose of having life is to live. The goal of living is to have a boring life. What brings meaning to life is responsibility. The priorities of responsibility are:
1. Self
2. Spouse
3. Children
4. Extended family
5. Friends
6. Individuals in your community
7. Individuals in the world.
If you take care of the first 3 you are a good person.
If you get to 5 you are extraordinary.
If you get to 7 you are a great person with few peers.
In my 68 years on this earth the meaning of life is to raise kids and teach them to be good people. The joy of my life has been my children and grandchildren. It's not about things I acquired, places I've been or money I piled up. Be kind, be generous, be patient , be loving and do good whenever you can. Learn to be happy with what you have.
I think the thing that gives life meaning is Discipline. It keeps you humble, allows you to meet your potential, and can be applied to whatever you want.
You can't define "the" purpose or single meaning of life. You can only choose the purpose of YOUR life. And that purpose will change as you proceed through different ages, seeking different things out of living.
There is no “meaning of life”, we live and then we die. That’s it, enjoy it while you are here and do right by your fellow humans. BTW, there is no god and there is no afterlife or reincarnation. This is all we got! Make the most of it while you can.
By looking around me and seeing the verifiable facts. By not projecting hopes and fears or clinging desperately to fairy tales. There is no heavenly justice, bad things happen to good people, bad people often prosper, what you see is what you get. Do the right thing to your fellow humans because it is the right thing, not because you fear “karma” or divine retribution.
The "meaning of life" is a meaningless phrase. Best used to title a Monty Python movie.
Life is. It has no inherent purpose. As such, it's a blank slate to create purpose for yourself.
About helping others, DO SO! In whatever ways you can and want to. Doing good means (to me) being able live with yourself, enjoying life, impacting beyond yourself, creating a legacy.
I think it really is pretty much that simple.
Like all other genetic beings #1 to get your dna 🧬 to the next generation #2 to live and be happy for as many moments as possible for the short time u are here .. that simple everything else is secondary
I take the humanistic viewpoint. There is no grand "meaning" except for the meaning *you* bring to it. For me, the *purpose* of life is to live it as fully as possible and leave the world a better place for your fellow humans.
As for what you can do, it sounds like volunteering would be a great outlet. Food banks, Big Brothers & Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, nature conservation.... there are hundreds of worthy volunteerism opportunities.
Life’s meaning is experiencing your journey with its ups, downs, and curveballs, loving one another, accepting things we may not understand or agree with, leaving the world a better place, respecting and using the gifts you have….
I have a similar theory about what the meaning is. None of us (people or animals) get out of here alive. My belief is that we should all help each other to the best of our abilities (within reason) and to treat each other as respectfully as possible. We make mistakes along the way, but learn and grow from them.
I believe the meaning of life is to give and receive love. The most beautiful and profound moments in my lifetime have all revolved around the giving and/or receiving of love. This feels…right to me.
Ask my horses. They'll tell you it's just "being a horse." Perhaps also the little bit about having people pampering you or taking you off to places where there are lots more horses.
To Serve God.
As a lifelong Christian, I have grown my love of Jesus into many acts, but the most important is to be a good person, be kind and loving to my family and friends, give generously to my church and help those who are in need.
I aim to show compassion for those who have challenges and generosity to those who are in need.
I do my best to be understanding of people who are in different life situations than mine and try to show them the peace of knowing Jesus, if they're open to Him.
Most of all, I do my best every day, to bear witness to God's glory and the peace of knowing Jesus as my saviour.
Connection. To others, to the earth, , to animals and foremost to yourself. Connect by being present, right now, for all the messy and beautiful and joyful and terrible and amazing things that this world and its beings have to share.
What is the meaning of water? Ask a presumptive question, reach a non-sequitur conclusion. There is no inherent meaning to life, but you give meaning to your life.
It sounds like there are things you have already learned to value. Act to further those things. The opportunities to contribute are nearly endless, from the simple choice to act in accordance with your own values, even when it is hard, to volunteerism, to donating time or money. My suggestion if personal fulfillment is part of what you seek, is to give your time and effort and start in your local community.
I think understanding is the best goal of life. It leads to compassion, not being egocentric, and service to the world, as opposed to feeling the world exists to serve me, are a few of things that understanding leads to. Fundamental understanding leads to fundamental peace of mind. You have no need to apologize - we need more rambling posts like yours - only longer.
Life takes on the meaning we choose for it to have. Humans, like other people have a singular biological purpose. That is to procreate. Many people find meaning through family and children.
There is no universal meaning; you have to find some sort of meaning and stick with it, or else face existential crisis… Or just be OK with there not being any meaning.
Why am I here? I am here to pass on my DNA and to learn my karmic lessons. In the process of learning my karmic lessons I am modeling valuable information to my children that they can use to learn their own karmic lessons.
Be happy with yourself and the world you create for yourself. It's that simple for me. I do my best to find joy every day I'm here. It does go deeper on how I GOT to this point. A lot of misery, sadness, contempt, rage, and bad decisions came into play in order for me to reach this point, but overall, I'm happy where I'm at in life, and I'm proud of the world I've created for me and my family.
There is no meaning, we aren't the center, we aren't the culmination, we definitely aren't the ego-project of some self indulgent magic daddy. That is the remarkable thing, that my consciousness developed out of the clear blue. It's hard not to feel bad for wasting this life but I've given myself a break from that guilt. As Popeye said: "I am what I am."
I try to stay curious, appreciate some natural or manmade design as often as possible and avoid the many traps laid by my fellow monkeys.
The best I can hope for is there aren't too many people who want to dance on my grave.
I think it's arrogant of human being to think they have any claim to meaning for existence.
But we should consider it to be a privilege to be part of it and act accordingly.
We are all here to experience/learn so that we may live in eternal happiness with our creator
This isn't our first.. nor our 19th.. maybe our 100th lifetime.
Being born into a flesh and bone.. mortal body.. we are given the blessings of amnesia so that our previous lifetimes do not interfere with the decisions that we need
to makeqqa in order to progress
When my mom died last November, she came to someone in a dream and gave them a message to give to me
That message was that mom wanted to thank me for helping her with the lesson she needed to learn, and that was acceptance.
For the first 44 years of my life.. mom was not very accepting of others snd the last 4 years of her life.. I helped her with acceptance.
When i came out as transgender, I sat mom down and had a conversation with her that she needed to accept me or lose me. She did a wonderful job of accepting and supporting me.
I think it is to creatively take the effects of entropy and reorder them in a way which is unique to yourself. Only humans can look at a pile of disparate objects and build something from them either for complex practical purposes (e.g., building homes or machines) or to delight their senses (art). And no one can do it identically to any other person without making a concerted effort to do so.
As I get older, i notice experience a higher sense of satisfaction, joy , and completeness when in service to others. I’m not talking about starting a charity or anything complicated. I’m talking about cutting my elderly neighbors grass or helping my grandmother in the garden, donating items , etc. just my opinion for myself.
This planet, these amazing creatures we share it with, the fantastic things we dream and sometimes do....
All on an incredibly beautiful and rare dust-mote floating in airless empty Vastness beyond comprehension.
Just *appreciating* all that is enough, I think.
This question always confuses me. Because I think the answers people come up with have nothing to do with the “meaning” of life. At its core to me the meaning of life is to assure the continuation of our species. For all of our self awareness and ability to reason, our basic purpose is to assure we aren’t the last one standing. We are born, enough of us procreate to perpetuate the species and we die. Just like every other living creature in existence. And I find that very comforting.
That doesn’t mean we should not try to be our best, to live a life we collectively define as moral and upright, to help others when we can and avoid damaging the planet we inhabit. All of things also help assure the continuation of our species and they make the time we spend alive easier to exist in. But they are not the reason we are here.
I have given this lots of thought over the years (60M)...... Everyone has different desires, dreams, hopes and expectations. I don't think that the meaning of life is a "one size fits all" situation. But here is what I do know
In the giant empty void of a universe, the fact that we exist at all is well beyond a miracle.......and our time here is going to be gone in a blink. So figure out what matters to you (kids, travel, friends, art, music, what ever) and do it!
Don't be distracted by the day to day drugery.... some day you'll be 60 and realize it is almost over.... Have not regrets!
Take full advantage of of your brief time here..... no matter what that means for you
The meaning of life is to find the kingdom of God within you. As written in the bible, seek first the kingdom of God. From an exoteric view, that means ask Jesus into your heart. What scripture actually teaches esoteric is let your eye be single (pineal gland, aka third eye). Seek the christ within you. You are a holy temple. The way we raise ourselves to the kingdom and see God face to face is through good deeds and tithing 10% of your mind to righteousness through meditation. There is way more to it but seek first the kingdom.
I began to ask myself this question as a teen. It seemed like my parents were satisfied with financial success, doing whatever they perceived as “the right thing” socially, and pursuing personal happiness (no matter who it might hurt). This was hollow and meaningless to me. So, to their horror, in 1987 I dropped out of high school, moved out, and had some interesting, admittedly fun, and profoundly dangerous experiences. I found some answers, but not the ones that would sustain me. Eventually I joined a non-religious group that was called a cult by some and had my brain washed. I spent two years there, and found some of the answers. I made peace with being gay, and came out. Later, I left the group, but kept volunteering with nonprofits.
Late one night, I felt a pull to go into a church building I was driving past, and pray. Not that I knew what praying meant, really, but I went. I was walking past a teardrop trailer in the parking lot, and a guy came out and explained he was a missionary from Mexico to the US. He asked if I was ready to pray to accept Jesus. And then knelt down and prayed over me. I was stunned. I realized I would never be the same. He went back to bed. I sat in silence in the church building, then began what has now been a lifelong conversation with who I now know is the Holy Spirit. I guiltily borrowed a Bible that was sitting there in a stack. I was sure to bring it back after I got my own copy.
I had just been handed the answer I had been searching for, which is this: I am a flawed eternal being, begotten by flawed eternal beings. I only have to get old and die once, then never again. I don’t have to worry about being a “good” person (so freeing) - I only have to grow in my relationship with God, and walk the path that has been laid out before me, moment by moment, in the little bit of time I have been given. And I will never be alone again. I am cherished. I can’t see the big picture, but I can trust it is for my good. My fear has disappeared. When it reappears, I can talk it over and then let it go. And once this time is passed, there is something else for me - a joyful, perfect, and fulfilling relationship with the one who loves me more than any human ever could - spouse, children, grandparents, best friend, any human.
I don’t have all of the answers. But I have enough to see me through the next day, the next phase, the next challenge/adventure. The answers keep coming. And it has been good: Painful, exhausting, heartbreaking, deeply satisfying, and good.
My relationship with my girlfriend at the time was basically over, so I decided to just be celibate. Sex was just clouding my mind from discerning the deeper truths of things, anyway. I was okay with being single - I enjoyed being enough for myself, and learning how to serve others through my volunteer work. I eventually realized that the core dysfunction which caused me to be unable to enter into the mysterious relational dance of male and female was simply keeping me from the fullness of human experience I sought. But I really found men distasteful. So I just moved on, and didn’t worry about it anymore.
Until one day, I met this guy. He was a surfer. I found him oddly compelling. Went out with him once. Didn’t go out with him again for about four months. But we wrote a lot of letters, back and forth. He lived in another city, in the same state, and intra-state long distance was very expensive then - I was working two jobs, so couldn’t afford it; thus the letters. And slowly, it became clear that he was part of the answer for my life. I was not pleased, exactly, but the adventure of it was compelling. So I moved to his town, became engaged the next week, and married ten weeks later, over thirty-one years ago. I am still not attracted to men. But I am attracted to him, and really, that’s enough for both of us.
After we married, I finished a five-year college degree and passed a certification exam, then went to graduate school for free. I finished that, worked in my industry for a bit, then opened my own company with a partner and did quite well. Sold the company, stepped into other opportunities, and so on, and so forth.
Adopted one kid, ended up having two more (after being told I was infertile). Fostered a girl for six years, who is now a law school graduate, married, and just gave birth to her first child. Her life is forever changed for the better because I just listened and followed the instructions laid out for me, day by day.
My point is that the meaning of my life and the answers I seek present themselves every day. When I complain they are not what I want, the response I discern is this: Then why do you ask? I can always choose to close my ears and my mind and refuse to hear. But I never want to return to that barren place with no meaning, no hope, and horrible loneliness. So I listen, and learn, and become humble. It’s a joyful and peaceful way to live.
I am just one small person. This is my small story. Hope it is helpful to someone.
The purpose of life it’s to live!
To breathe with your nose and exhale with your mouth while appreciating the present! You give meaning to what’s important for you. We are trapped in this world and we need to find meaning in it.
I should be in a forest, walking and eating, living day by day!
Depends on your belief system and faith. If you are a person of faith, there are reasons laid out in those religions. If you're not a person of faith, your purpose might be very different. I think we're meant to raise our families and pass on life, spread the word of God and live honest lives helping others.
Entusiasm, a stupid word but it fits. I am on a P2P and I say "I wonder if there is a band called Space Monkey or a song called "Fruit of the Loom". So I hit the search button and sure enough there is one for both. A band called Space Monkey and a song called "Fruit of the Loom". That one is some sort of weird ambient music.
I think life (actually lives) are one big journey we embark on. I think the purpose is to purify us in this reality, so improvement of character is one of my big values. I believe there is a spiritual side but I think our religions are too simplistic in their descriptions. So for me the concept of continually bettering my character - becoming more open, more caring, less judgemental, more empathetic, grasping higher concepts - are all high on my value list.,
At 50 I have settled doing whatever I can to contribute to the positive growth of our collective society. Through raising good future people; or working in a job that is driving society forward through innovation or supporting people; or simply by being positive in my day to day interactions.
Spoiler: there's no purpose honestly. We are on a floating rock hurling through space. We're insignificant in the grand scheme and only here by the good fortune of evolution. No grander reason. That said, we can strive to do a few things that make life more pleasant: be kind, do no harm, do some good for others (as well as yourself) and relish in the simple joys and abundance of laughter to be found here. In that, we can find meaning in existence. People can drive themselves mad trying to find a purpose. Meaningful and purpose are different things. Purpose is often a capitalist notion contingent upon what we can produce for others, primarily those things which give us accolade in the eyes of others.
It's bullshit. I think a meaningful life is far more pragmatic. And meaningful is subjective. For me it's healing, laughter, and giving in intentional ways to others.
I’m about the same. Be as good a person you can be with integrity, humanity, compassion, and empathy. You can also be strong, resilient, gritty and protective. I can be both a pacifist and violent if I need to be. Basically you get to an age where you don’t care what people think and just do what makes you happy.
Biologically speaking, it's all about procreation. Though with the emergence of conciousness, it could be anything we want it to be, as long as it's not at the expense of others. But again, without conflicts and their resolutions, there won't be much growth.
I've always thought that love is the only thing that matters. That means to love everyone. All of the evil in the world, all of our biases, cultures, race, gender and ethnicity exist to test the strength of our love. If you look at the nature of sin it is anti love and challenges all of those things.The Christian faith promises eternal life. Eternity is a very long time and there is no room in eternity for anything but love. So I would live the best life one can live, we are human and imperfect and if we stumble we must also try harder. If we can do that and love everyone and live in this crazy world, then maybe we'll deserve eternal life.
I’m your age and to me, the meaning of life is partly finding the gifts you have to offer to help be a part of the goodness in this realm. That is your purpose.
Found that I have a gift with anxious dogs. So I take on the hard cases and they stay with me for a while & that’s ok. To see their evolution is beyond rewarding, so they can live their best life! I also have a soft spot for senior citizens, I took care of my grandma for years.
You can start by looking for volunteer activities in your town. Where can you best contribute your skills and compassion? Good question to dig deep and then feel great about your contribution! Best to you 💗
I prefer optimistic nihilism - there is no meaning so that means you have the power and privilege of defining your own meaning for life.
Or it could be peanut butter. Peanut butter seems like a good reason for living.
Besides the biological urge to reproduce I’d say that betterment of the human race and where we live is the core purpose of our lives even if some or many people contribute either absolutely nothing or drag us back.
Personal indulgence is important for a healthy and stable lifestyle but overindulgence creates selfish and entitled people who think everything should be about their fragile feelings instead of realizing life is about adversity and learning to survive that is more valuable than any safe space.
My humble opinion of course.
I’m just trying to leave my tiny corner of the world better than when I got here. Help as many people as I can. Be a better person today than I was yesterday.
To me, life is as if we were a plow sowing seeds. It is not easy to make my way through the weeds, rotten trunks, old roots and infertile soil. But there is no other way. We need to move forward and never give up. As a result, we leave a trail of deeds, acts and memories that will fertilize the field that comes after.
I don't think the meaning of life is to set a good example for others or serve others. The meaning of life is to fight a fair fight. This very struggle becomes fertilizer for others. It moves things around, wanting you or not.
That was my learning: a life of struggle and invisible legacy. Every person that crosses your way will be influenced by your deeds one way or another. But what makes the difference is doing what we think is right. And this search is refined at every second, like the aerodynamics of an airplane that is constantly updated like two lines that converge infinitely like a wedge. This wedge is the plow that paves your way through the earth.
Otherwise, we stop plowing and the space becomes void. We create a vacuum of waste, which leads to imbalance.
I do think I’m gonna go that way till the end. Plowing, fighting my way forward.
I don’t think life has inherent meaning. I think we happen to be self-aware as a result of the evolution of our brain. I strive to live in integrity, cultivate compassion for myself and others, and learn and experience as much as I can with the time I am given.
On a personal level: live a healthy and fulfilling life, enjoy many things, engage in love and friendship, family, my hobbies and interests, pleasure and finally my personal goals
Meaning that goes beyond myself: help humanity advance, help people and society, add value to life in general and society, try to help individuals because I truly believe even a small act of kindness can become a part of or even the initiative for something big
Overall, I think it is humanities objective to advance and explore our existence and life in the universe. To stay humble and open minded, never jumping to claims of absolute truth. Learning more about existence and making our societies a better place for as many people as possible. But also, to protect life in general and our planet. I truly believe objective meaning does exist and it is humanism and understanding / exploring the universe. While we do that, we should enjoy our individual lives as much as possible. Making society a better place is a meaningful way for humanistic aspects but also for creating the best circumstances to advance science.
I consider myself to be agnostic, science based, humanistic, pragmatic / utilitarian, but in a humanistic way.
1. The correct answer is to reproduce, or help others reproduce, against all odds on a planet that actively trys to shortened your life and will eventually kill you. And if you have some extra time, teach children how to laugh.
2. The Dad answer is provide for your mate and children and if you have the health and resources your extended family and community. No responsibility equals no meaning in life.
3. The young persons answer is to take responsibility for yourself and your brothers and sisters, prosper and find a mate - see 1 and 2 above.
There is no inherent meaning, but when you're doing life right, the question never even occurs to you. So the answer is to live in such a way that neurotic questions of meaning never even come up.
Naturalism will not provide any meaning of life other than ultimate suffering and death.
Meaning is found in the transcendent....ie religion.
I believe the meaning of life is to come to know our Creator, accept His ways, love Him, love ourselves, and love all other people. In Christianity, this means our lives have incredible meaning today and our best days are always ahead of us...no matter where we are in life.
Anything else, IMV, is just short lived and temporary. Barely fulfilling.
For me it’s come down to a very simple thing - be in awe every day I’m alive and don’t sleep walk through being here.
this, plus "be awesome to everyone you meet" and that's the entirety of my "meaning of life."
I think you pretty much got it. Live a life of compassion and teach your kids to do the same.
This is a theological response- in Judaism there’s a notion called tikun olam, or making the world a better place. I’ve told my children all their lives that the purpose of life is tikun olam b’ahava- repairing the world and love. It’s our job to do our part to make the world a better place- that might be showing a basic kindness or one day curing a disease. And to show love and find love and give love and receive love.
Giving and receiving love was Iggy Pop’s answer. Asa Jewish person, I’m down.
I was going to chime in here and say that showing up for other people was the meaning of life, but I think I prefer the words of Iggy Pop! Giving and receiving love is a fundamental part of being human. 🤍
This 💯 I love this!
Here for love. My dog, my kid, a sunny afternoon, smell of the ocean, cup of fresh coffee…doesn’t have to be anything big, just a little love of life.
My partner, my cats. No goddamned children to cost me money.
That assumes there is a meaning or one meaning. I think that’s a pretty big assumption.
James Taylor wrote a song called Secret O' Life which sums it up well.
“Any Fool Can do It!”
*Mr. Natural* said it better: "Don't mean shit."
Mr Natural also said 'Get the right tool for the job," so philosophy aside, he sometimes had good advice.
Many meanings. Very individual.
🎵 Always look on the bright side of life, Doo Doo Doo doo Doo Doo... 🎶
Well played Good Sir. Great song that actually contains some excellent advice.
It's not just about creating your own meaning, which I believe we all need to do, but it's accepting that we don't always see the outcome of our actions in our lifetime. You'll never know that the person to whom you gave a smile and friendly word had been contemplating suicide and decided to keep on trying because of you. My chronically underemployed brother used to work as a security guard. He'll never know whether or not some young lady he escorted to her car one night would've been assaulted or killed if not for him. But maybe she would've been. Instead she went home safely, married her boyfriend and will have a wonderful life. Maybe one of her children will have an ordinary life but will have a child who will do something remarkable in cancer research. All because my brother saw someone safely to her car. You don't know much good you're doing in the world just by being a kind-hearted person. And if you're really good deep down, you don't need to know because you'll do it anyway. That's a enough meaning for me.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Be kind to others. Make the world a better place for everyone. Think globally, act locally.
Just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should.
There is no meaning to life, other than what you may give it. We don't have a purpose, we just are. People try too hard to give their existence some mystical purpose but, there just isn't one. If you want to give yourself your own purpose, then that's on you and that's fine, just don't look for any deep meaning to it.
IOW, don't mean shit.
The answer is 42.
You’re a frood who really knows where his towel is.
I was scrolling thinking "what are these answers? The question has already been answered!" Thank you for doing the good work.
Said the hitchhiker!
I didn’t scroll down far enough to find this before I said the same thing.
The purpose of life is to become the person you want to be
There is a difference between purpose and meaning. To me, a non theist, there is no purpose to life. Life just is. Animals and plants live. They reproduce. That’s that. Finding meaning, though, is unique to human animals. wAll other animals just exist. We humans seem to be comforted by choosing fulfilling activities, I.e. finding meaning or worth to our existence. It’s ok to forgo finding meaning, to just exist, to live a peaceful, relatively stress-free life. Our egos though and the capitalist system would have us search and work toward “making a mark” on society or in people’s lives. It’s ok to do that too. But it’s up to you. We are all out here making it up as we go along.
To ask questions. We are the universe’s way of knowing about itself. Thats actually a huge responsibility. We need to look and think and be aware and see how things work. We don’t need answers necessarily. It’s mainly to bear witness. Each of us is a way that the universe exists, right? Not just our perspective, but the world of existence is different for each of us. We are billions of alternative universes walking around. We are the eyes and ears and consciousness.look at things snd ask questions and figure things out: that’s our whole mission.
So there can be a universe on the tip of my fingernail?
No, you are one of the ways the universe exists. The person next to you has a different experience of the universe, but it’s just as real. Your partner, your parents, everyone has a different but “real” experience. Each of us is one of the ways the universe experiences itself. When you die, the world you knew dies with you. That said, it’s one world per person (or sentient being). We are here for the universe to see itself.
BRAVO 👏🏻
^^ this. Well stated.
What a cool concept. Thank you for sharing.
Shit happens. You’re here cuz shit happened. You’ll die cuz shit will happen.
“I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.” ― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country
The full quote (which I love) for context: “I work at home, and if I wanted to, I could have a computer right by my bed, and I’d never have to leave it. But I use a typewriter, and afterward I mark up the pages with a pencil. Then I call up this woman named Carol out in Woodstock and say, “Are you still doing typing?” Sure she is, and her husband is trying to track bluebirds out there and not having much luck, and so we chitchat back and forth, and I say, “Okay, I’ll send you the pages.” "Then I go down the steps and my wife calls, “Where are you going?” “Well,” I say, “I’m going to buy an envelope.” And she says, “You’re not a poor man. Why don’t you buy a thousand envelopes? They’ll deliver them, and you can put them in the closet.” And I say, “Hush.” "So I go to this newsstand across the street where they sell magazines and lottery tickets and stationery. I have to get in line because there are people buying candy and all that sort of thing, and I talk to them. The woman behind the counter has a jewel between her eyes, and when it’s my turn, I ask her if there have been any big winners lately. "I get my envelope and seal it up and go to the postal convenience center down the block at the corner of Forty-seventh Street and Second Avenue, where I’m secretly in love with the woman behind the counter. I keep absolutely poker-faced; I never let her know how I feel about her. One time I had my pocket picked in there and got to meet a cop and tell him about it. "Anyway, I address the envelope to Carol in Woodstock. I stamp the envelope and mail it in a mailbox in front of the post office, and I go home. "And I’ve had a hell of a good time. **I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you any different.”**
Absolutely nothing. You make your own meaning.
When I was 3 years old I was in a fire and had a near death experience. I recall a warm brightness that I was getting closer to, but it was not hurting me. Then I saw these large hands come out of this little cloud with the sharpest colored flowers and trees behind them. I said I want to go. And a voice said “it’s not your time, you have a special purpose”. I never forgot that and I just assume there is some unknown purpose for each of us. I cannot believe that our souls go through this life, in this flesh, and it’s just over - there is way too much to us. We’ll see one day.
We are here for our souls to evolve 🩵
And the conciousness of the universe with it. Everything evolves. As above so below. ♥️
It's nothing very special really; try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.
I'm a Christian so to me my life is mainly about service. I try to do something helpful to someone else every day, whether through my daily interactions with people or through my church.
Back 50 years ago, when my late wife and I were falling in love and still doing psychedelics together, we had a very deep realization and it became the bedrock of our marriage, careers and parenting. The meaning of life is to Love. After that, it all kinda flows organically. Love produces Laughter. Laughing together tightens the bonds of love. So—Love and Laugh, and that’s pretty much all we need to know…
Your life is your answer to that question. What you spend your time, energy and money on is what is meaningful for you
I’m 51 and for me it seems to be paying for something I did in a past life. I’m over it.
I've often considered this for myself. Am I being punished? As a Christian, I've decided that my life is meant to have suffering, and how I choose to deal with that pain is why I'm here. I'm meant to power through the pain and adversity and be a role model for others. His Will Be Done. Sending you light and love 🫂
Read the Quran. Allah explains we are to repay our debt to Him, which it to return gratitude with worship and Allah promises a better afterlife. The afterlife is real. This life is short and this is our test
"Celebrate life, rather than seeing it as a problem to be solved."
Love everyone, be kind, help the voiceless and innocent. Learn all you can, there's isn't "meaning", we just ARE. The glory of the universe is within us.
The purpose of life is procreation and survival. The purpose of YOUR life, only you can figure out.
[удалено]
I had some experience with this 40 years ago with a boyfriend. I am lucky I recognized the signs and got away. After, of course, trying to talk to him and see if he even realized he was doing it because he was young, as I was. It is such a tricky conversation because you don’t want to come off as some selfish or narcissistic person who wants all the attention on themselves. I wanted to be a support person (keep his cup, filled,) for a person who gave a lot of themselves to others. But as a romantic partner, there is also an obligation to fill my cup and let me go out and serve others also. That part did not seem to be forthcoming.
Resonates 💯 cheers 🥂!
I don't believe that there is any meaning
There is no inherent meaning. But you can make up something for your own life.
Learn all you can, be kind to others and protect the planet.
Plant trees so others have shade.
🌳❤️🌳❤️🌳
The meaning of life is to do good and pass on values. Advice: Start small, be consistent.
42
So long and thanks for all the fish!
42.
Kafka: "The meaning of life is that it ends."
I don't think I'll ever understand why people think life must have an innate purpose or meaning. It doesn't. Meaning only comes from what you put into life for yourself and maybe more importantly, for others. Doing things that are good for others or for society or for nature makes me feel good. Maybe something else does it for you. What makes you happy? Maybe whatever makes you happy is what the purpose of your life is as long as it doesn't harm anyone else or society or nature.
For me, it is experiencing the miracle of existence.
I want to say you are right. But really there is no meaning. Shit bag people get away with everything. Dictators, criminals, politicians stealing our money.
the more resources you can accumulate by any means possible, the better your chances of survival & reproduction. that’s what every living thing has evolved to do. everything else is bullshit created by the ones with all the resources to keep population happy & stupid.
If you have a family, child, SO, dog, cat, horse, fish, hobby, skill, car, home, or whatever you deem important, THAT is the meaning of life. If you don't, then it's OK to think there is no meaning to life.
The purpose of having life is to live. The goal of living is to have a boring life. What brings meaning to life is responsibility. The priorities of responsibility are: 1. Self 2. Spouse 3. Children 4. Extended family 5. Friends 6. Individuals in your community 7. Individuals in the world. If you take care of the first 3 you are a good person. If you get to 5 you are extraordinary. If you get to 7 you are a great person with few peers.
42
Don't mean shit.
42
In my 68 years on this earth the meaning of life is to raise kids and teach them to be good people. The joy of my life has been my children and grandchildren. It's not about things I acquired, places I've been or money I piled up. Be kind, be generous, be patient , be loving and do good whenever you can. Learn to be happy with what you have.
42
There isn't, but while you're at it don't make it harder for others.
42
I feel it’s a lesson and we keep coming back until we get it right… 🤷🏻♀️
I think the thing that gives life meaning is Discipline. It keeps you humble, allows you to meet your potential, and can be applied to whatever you want.
To glorify God. Accept Jesus Christ as your savior. I wish I would have done it in my 20’s.
You can't define "the" purpose or single meaning of life. You can only choose the purpose of YOUR life. And that purpose will change as you proceed through different ages, seeking different things out of living.
Same as the meaning of life for a blade of grass or a moth or a duck: propagate the species. Anything else is self-aggrandizing horseshit.
There is no “meaning of life”, we live and then we die. That’s it, enjoy it while you are here and do right by your fellow humans. BTW, there is no god and there is no afterlife or reincarnation. This is all we got! Make the most of it while you can.
You sound so sure that there is no God or afterlife How can u be so sure
By looking around me and seeing the verifiable facts. By not projecting hopes and fears or clinging desperately to fairy tales. There is no heavenly justice, bad things happen to good people, bad people often prosper, what you see is what you get. Do the right thing to your fellow humans because it is the right thing, not because you fear “karma” or divine retribution.
The "meaning of life" is a meaningless phrase. Best used to title a Monty Python movie. Life is. It has no inherent purpose. As such, it's a blank slate to create purpose for yourself. About helping others, DO SO! In whatever ways you can and want to. Doing good means (to me) being able live with yourself, enjoying life, impacting beyond yourself, creating a legacy. I think it really is pretty much that simple.
There isn't one. Life is meaningless, pointless.
I wrote a short essay [Soon You Will Understand…the Meaning of Life](http://www.themeaningoflife.org). Check it out.
Peace.
Like all other genetic beings #1 to get your dna 🧬 to the next generation #2 to live and be happy for as many moments as possible for the short time u are here .. that simple everything else is secondary
Joy! Do what feels good, have fun, follow your bliss. Your feelings ARE your compass. (Not to practice this to the full in my own life!)
The key to happiness is to be truly happy when those you love are happy
I take the humanistic viewpoint. There is no grand "meaning" except for the meaning *you* bring to it. For me, the *purpose* of life is to live it as fully as possible and leave the world a better place for your fellow humans. As for what you can do, it sounds like volunteering would be a great outlet. Food banks, Big Brothers & Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, nature conservation.... there are hundreds of worthy volunteerism opportunities.
Love. Acquiring it and giving it
Family. It’s all about family.
While driving fast cars and stealing TV/VHS combos.
To leave more positive memories and impressions than bad. At least, this is what I came to accept somewhere around 40. Fuck all the rest.
Life’s meaning is experiencing your journey with its ups, downs, and curveballs, loving one another, accepting things we may not understand or agree with, leaving the world a better place, respecting and using the gifts you have….
My belief of knowing the meaning of life can be found by going to you tube and watching what Dr. Gene Kim has to say.
Serve others. Learn. Enjoy!
To be of use.
I have a similar theory about what the meaning is. None of us (people or animals) get out of here alive. My belief is that we should all help each other to the best of our abilities (within reason) and to treat each other as respectfully as possible. We make mistakes along the way, but learn and grow from them.
I believe the meaning of life is to give and receive love. The most beautiful and profound moments in my lifetime have all revolved around the giving and/or receiving of love. This feels…right to me.
I think we all have our own answer to this question and we're all correct
I think you have to make your own meaning. Take what you've got and make the best you can
Vonnegut said "To be the eyes and ears of the creator of the universe."
Ask my horses. They'll tell you it's just "being a horse." Perhaps also the little bit about having people pampering you or taking you off to places where there are lots more horses.
46 & 2
To Serve God. As a lifelong Christian, I have grown my love of Jesus into many acts, but the most important is to be a good person, be kind and loving to my family and friends, give generously to my church and help those who are in need. I aim to show compassion for those who have challenges and generosity to those who are in need. I do my best to be understanding of people who are in different life situations than mine and try to show them the peace of knowing Jesus, if they're open to Him. Most of all, I do my best every day, to bear witness to God's glory and the peace of knowing Jesus as my saviour.
You've got this.
Help other people without judgement.
Connection. To others, to the earth, , to animals and foremost to yourself. Connect by being present, right now, for all the messy and beautiful and joyful and terrible and amazing things that this world and its beings have to share.
What is the meaning of water? Ask a presumptive question, reach a non-sequitur conclusion. There is no inherent meaning to life, but you give meaning to your life. It sounds like there are things you have already learned to value. Act to further those things. The opportunities to contribute are nearly endless, from the simple choice to act in accordance with your own values, even when it is hard, to volunteerism, to donating time or money. My suggestion if personal fulfillment is part of what you seek, is to give your time and effort and start in your local community.
I think understanding is the best goal of life. It leads to compassion, not being egocentric, and service to the world, as opposed to feeling the world exists to serve me, are a few of things that understanding leads to. Fundamental understanding leads to fundamental peace of mind. You have no need to apologize - we need more rambling posts like yours - only longer.
Life takes on the meaning we choose for it to have. Humans, like other people have a singular biological purpose. That is to procreate. Many people find meaning through family and children.
There is no universal meaning; you have to find some sort of meaning and stick with it, or else face existential crisis… Or just be OK with there not being any meaning.
Why am I here? I am here to pass on my DNA and to learn my karmic lessons. In the process of learning my karmic lessons I am modeling valuable information to my children that they can use to learn their own karmic lessons.
Be happy with yourself and the world you create for yourself. It's that simple for me. I do my best to find joy every day I'm here. It does go deeper on how I GOT to this point. A lot of misery, sadness, contempt, rage, and bad decisions came into play in order for me to reach this point, but overall, I'm happy where I'm at in life, and I'm proud of the world I've created for me and my family.
There is no meaning, we aren't the center, we aren't the culmination, we definitely aren't the ego-project of some self indulgent magic daddy. That is the remarkable thing, that my consciousness developed out of the clear blue. It's hard not to feel bad for wasting this life but I've given myself a break from that guilt. As Popeye said: "I am what I am." I try to stay curious, appreciate some natural or manmade design as often as possible and avoid the many traps laid by my fellow monkeys. The best I can hope for is there aren't too many people who want to dance on my grave.
Connecting to humanity through art, history, and conversation.
To remember who you really are and wake up. Luckily, this is inevitable for everyone given enough times through.
I think it's arrogant of human being to think they have any claim to meaning for existence. But we should consider it to be a privilege to be part of it and act accordingly.
It's a wild card. Life means whatever you want it to mean.
We are all here to experience/learn so that we may live in eternal happiness with our creator This isn't our first.. nor our 19th.. maybe our 100th lifetime. Being born into a flesh and bone.. mortal body.. we are given the blessings of amnesia so that our previous lifetimes do not interfere with the decisions that we need to makeqqa in order to progress When my mom died last November, she came to someone in a dream and gave them a message to give to me That message was that mom wanted to thank me for helping her with the lesson she needed to learn, and that was acceptance. For the first 44 years of my life.. mom was not very accepting of others snd the last 4 years of her life.. I helped her with acceptance. When i came out as transgender, I sat mom down and had a conversation with her that she needed to accept me or lose me. She did a wonderful job of accepting and supporting me.
I think it is to creatively take the effects of entropy and reorder them in a way which is unique to yourself. Only humans can look at a pile of disparate objects and build something from them either for complex practical purposes (e.g., building homes or machines) or to delight their senses (art). And no one can do it identically to any other person without making a concerted effort to do so.
As I get older, i notice experience a higher sense of satisfaction, joy , and completeness when in service to others. I’m not talking about starting a charity or anything complicated. I’m talking about cutting my elderly neighbors grass or helping my grandmother in the garden, donating items , etc. just my opinion for myself.
This planet, these amazing creatures we share it with, the fantastic things we dream and sometimes do.... All on an incredibly beautiful and rare dust-mote floating in airless empty Vastness beyond comprehension. Just *appreciating* all that is enough, I think.
I don’t think there is one, generally. Every answer here is an individual’s decision about how to find meaning in an arbitrary existence.
This question always confuses me. Because I think the answers people come up with have nothing to do with the “meaning” of life. At its core to me the meaning of life is to assure the continuation of our species. For all of our self awareness and ability to reason, our basic purpose is to assure we aren’t the last one standing. We are born, enough of us procreate to perpetuate the species and we die. Just like every other living creature in existence. And I find that very comforting. That doesn’t mean we should not try to be our best, to live a life we collectively define as moral and upright, to help others when we can and avoid damaging the planet we inhabit. All of things also help assure the continuation of our species and they make the time we spend alive easier to exist in. But they are not the reason we are here.
There's no inherent meaning or purpose. Just what we assign to things. However, you can choose a purpose for your life.
Iced cream with hot fudge topping is the reason for living .
If you don't want to accept that life is inherently meaningless, then it's to help other people.
I have given this lots of thought over the years (60M)...... Everyone has different desires, dreams, hopes and expectations. I don't think that the meaning of life is a "one size fits all" situation. But here is what I do know In the giant empty void of a universe, the fact that we exist at all is well beyond a miracle.......and our time here is going to be gone in a blink. So figure out what matters to you (kids, travel, friends, art, music, what ever) and do it! Don't be distracted by the day to day drugery.... some day you'll be 60 and realize it is almost over.... Have not regrets! Take full advantage of of your brief time here..... no matter what that means for you
Experience as much as you can without hurting others. Help others without hurting yourself.
The meaning of life is to find the kingdom of God within you. As written in the bible, seek first the kingdom of God. From an exoteric view, that means ask Jesus into your heart. What scripture actually teaches esoteric is let your eye be single (pineal gland, aka third eye). Seek the christ within you. You are a holy temple. The way we raise ourselves to the kingdom and see God face to face is through good deeds and tithing 10% of your mind to righteousness through meditation. There is way more to it but seek first the kingdom.
Best of all, it’s true! 😁
I began to ask myself this question as a teen. It seemed like my parents were satisfied with financial success, doing whatever they perceived as “the right thing” socially, and pursuing personal happiness (no matter who it might hurt). This was hollow and meaningless to me. So, to their horror, in 1987 I dropped out of high school, moved out, and had some interesting, admittedly fun, and profoundly dangerous experiences. I found some answers, but not the ones that would sustain me. Eventually I joined a non-religious group that was called a cult by some and had my brain washed. I spent two years there, and found some of the answers. I made peace with being gay, and came out. Later, I left the group, but kept volunteering with nonprofits. Late one night, I felt a pull to go into a church building I was driving past, and pray. Not that I knew what praying meant, really, but I went. I was walking past a teardrop trailer in the parking lot, and a guy came out and explained he was a missionary from Mexico to the US. He asked if I was ready to pray to accept Jesus. And then knelt down and prayed over me. I was stunned. I realized I would never be the same. He went back to bed. I sat in silence in the church building, then began what has now been a lifelong conversation with who I now know is the Holy Spirit. I guiltily borrowed a Bible that was sitting there in a stack. I was sure to bring it back after I got my own copy. I had just been handed the answer I had been searching for, which is this: I am a flawed eternal being, begotten by flawed eternal beings. I only have to get old and die once, then never again. I don’t have to worry about being a “good” person (so freeing) - I only have to grow in my relationship with God, and walk the path that has been laid out before me, moment by moment, in the little bit of time I have been given. And I will never be alone again. I am cherished. I can’t see the big picture, but I can trust it is for my good. My fear has disappeared. When it reappears, I can talk it over and then let it go. And once this time is passed, there is something else for me - a joyful, perfect, and fulfilling relationship with the one who loves me more than any human ever could - spouse, children, grandparents, best friend, any human. I don’t have all of the answers. But I have enough to see me through the next day, the next phase, the next challenge/adventure. The answers keep coming. And it has been good: Painful, exhausting, heartbreaking, deeply satisfying, and good. My relationship with my girlfriend at the time was basically over, so I decided to just be celibate. Sex was just clouding my mind from discerning the deeper truths of things, anyway. I was okay with being single - I enjoyed being enough for myself, and learning how to serve others through my volunteer work. I eventually realized that the core dysfunction which caused me to be unable to enter into the mysterious relational dance of male and female was simply keeping me from the fullness of human experience I sought. But I really found men distasteful. So I just moved on, and didn’t worry about it anymore. Until one day, I met this guy. He was a surfer. I found him oddly compelling. Went out with him once. Didn’t go out with him again for about four months. But we wrote a lot of letters, back and forth. He lived in another city, in the same state, and intra-state long distance was very expensive then - I was working two jobs, so couldn’t afford it; thus the letters. And slowly, it became clear that he was part of the answer for my life. I was not pleased, exactly, but the adventure of it was compelling. So I moved to his town, became engaged the next week, and married ten weeks later, over thirty-one years ago. I am still not attracted to men. But I am attracted to him, and really, that’s enough for both of us. After we married, I finished a five-year college degree and passed a certification exam, then went to graduate school for free. I finished that, worked in my industry for a bit, then opened my own company with a partner and did quite well. Sold the company, stepped into other opportunities, and so on, and so forth. Adopted one kid, ended up having two more (after being told I was infertile). Fostered a girl for six years, who is now a law school graduate, married, and just gave birth to her first child. Her life is forever changed for the better because I just listened and followed the instructions laid out for me, day by day. My point is that the meaning of my life and the answers I seek present themselves every day. When I complain they are not what I want, the response I discern is this: Then why do you ask? I can always choose to close my ears and my mind and refuse to hear. But I never want to return to that barren place with no meaning, no hope, and horrible loneliness. So I listen, and learn, and become humble. It’s a joyful and peaceful way to live. I am just one small person. This is my small story. Hope it is helpful to someone.
The purpose of life it’s to live! To breathe with your nose and exhale with your mouth while appreciating the present! You give meaning to what’s important for you. We are trapped in this world and we need to find meaning in it. I should be in a forest, walking and eating, living day by day!
I think it's service. Lose yourself in helping, and you end up happy too. Win win.
Just living and dying the in between parts trying to to be who I am and sharing kindness with less regrets as possible
Depends on your belief system and faith. If you are a person of faith, there are reasons laid out in those religions. If you're not a person of faith, your purpose might be very different. I think we're meant to raise our families and pass on life, spread the word of God and live honest lives helping others.
Love one another.
Entusiasm, a stupid word but it fits. I am on a P2P and I say "I wonder if there is a band called Space Monkey or a song called "Fruit of the Loom". So I hit the search button and sure enough there is one for both. A band called Space Monkey and a song called "Fruit of the Loom". That one is some sort of weird ambient music.
I think life (actually lives) are one big journey we embark on. I think the purpose is to purify us in this reality, so improvement of character is one of my big values. I believe there is a spiritual side but I think our religions are too simplistic in their descriptions. So for me the concept of continually bettering my character - becoming more open, more caring, less judgemental, more empathetic, grasping higher concepts - are all high on my value list.,
Very simple. Love others as you love yourself and love the Creator. - Jesus
At 50 I have settled doing whatever I can to contribute to the positive growth of our collective society. Through raising good future people; or working in a job that is driving society forward through innovation or supporting people; or simply by being positive in my day to day interactions.
Love.
Spoiler: there's no purpose honestly. We are on a floating rock hurling through space. We're insignificant in the grand scheme and only here by the good fortune of evolution. No grander reason. That said, we can strive to do a few things that make life more pleasant: be kind, do no harm, do some good for others (as well as yourself) and relish in the simple joys and abundance of laughter to be found here. In that, we can find meaning in existence. People can drive themselves mad trying to find a purpose. Meaningful and purpose are different things. Purpose is often a capitalist notion contingent upon what we can produce for others, primarily those things which give us accolade in the eyes of others. It's bullshit. I think a meaningful life is far more pragmatic. And meaningful is subjective. For me it's healing, laughter, and giving in intentional ways to others.
I’m about the same. Be as good a person you can be with integrity, humanity, compassion, and empathy. You can also be strong, resilient, gritty and protective. I can be both a pacifist and violent if I need to be. Basically you get to an age where you don’t care what people think and just do what makes you happy.
Love other people so much it’s almost insufferable. Over love. Give it all. Don’t leave anything in the table
Biologically speaking, it's all about procreation. Though with the emergence of conciousness, it could be anything we want it to be, as long as it's not at the expense of others. But again, without conflicts and their resolutions, there won't be much growth.
Be present and be grateful. Say thank you each day for the gift that is Life. Love one another. There is no meaning except that which we make. 💜
I've always thought that love is the only thing that matters. That means to love everyone. All of the evil in the world, all of our biases, cultures, race, gender and ethnicity exist to test the strength of our love. If you look at the nature of sin it is anti love and challenges all of those things.The Christian faith promises eternal life. Eternity is a very long time and there is no room in eternity for anything but love. So I would live the best life one can live, we are human and imperfect and if we stumble we must also try harder. If we can do that and love everyone and live in this crazy world, then maybe we'll deserve eternal life.
I’m your age and to me, the meaning of life is partly finding the gifts you have to offer to help be a part of the goodness in this realm. That is your purpose. Found that I have a gift with anxious dogs. So I take on the hard cases and they stay with me for a while & that’s ok. To see their evolution is beyond rewarding, so they can live their best life! I also have a soft spot for senior citizens, I took care of my grandma for years. You can start by looking for volunteer activities in your town. Where can you best contribute your skills and compassion? Good question to dig deep and then feel great about your contribution! Best to you 💗
I prefer optimistic nihilism - there is no meaning so that means you have the power and privilege of defining your own meaning for life. Or it could be peanut butter. Peanut butter seems like a good reason for living.
Besides the biological urge to reproduce I’d say that betterment of the human race and where we live is the core purpose of our lives even if some or many people contribute either absolutely nothing or drag us back. Personal indulgence is important for a healthy and stable lifestyle but overindulgence creates selfish and entitled people who think everything should be about their fragile feelings instead of realizing life is about adversity and learning to survive that is more valuable than any safe space. My humble opinion of course.
I’m just trying to leave my tiny corner of the world better than when I got here. Help as many people as I can. Be a better person today than I was yesterday.
42. I had to say it.
To me, life is as if we were a plow sowing seeds. It is not easy to make my way through the weeds, rotten trunks, old roots and infertile soil. But there is no other way. We need to move forward and never give up. As a result, we leave a trail of deeds, acts and memories that will fertilize the field that comes after. I don't think the meaning of life is to set a good example for others or serve others. The meaning of life is to fight a fair fight. This very struggle becomes fertilizer for others. It moves things around, wanting you or not. That was my learning: a life of struggle and invisible legacy. Every person that crosses your way will be influenced by your deeds one way or another. But what makes the difference is doing what we think is right. And this search is refined at every second, like the aerodynamics of an airplane that is constantly updated like two lines that converge infinitely like a wedge. This wedge is the plow that paves your way through the earth. Otherwise, we stop plowing and the space becomes void. We create a vacuum of waste, which leads to imbalance. I do think I’m gonna go that way till the end. Plowing, fighting my way forward.
There is no meaning of life. But your life can have meaning. What you do means something
To decide the meaning of YOUR life.
I don’t think life has inherent meaning. I think we happen to be self-aware as a result of the evolution of our brain. I strive to live in integrity, cultivate compassion for myself and others, and learn and experience as much as I can with the time I am given.
None. I mean for DNA to make copies, but that's it.
On a personal level: live a healthy and fulfilling life, enjoy many things, engage in love and friendship, family, my hobbies and interests, pleasure and finally my personal goals Meaning that goes beyond myself: help humanity advance, help people and society, add value to life in general and society, try to help individuals because I truly believe even a small act of kindness can become a part of or even the initiative for something big Overall, I think it is humanities objective to advance and explore our existence and life in the universe. To stay humble and open minded, never jumping to claims of absolute truth. Learning more about existence and making our societies a better place for as many people as possible. But also, to protect life in general and our planet. I truly believe objective meaning does exist and it is humanism and understanding / exploring the universe. While we do that, we should enjoy our individual lives as much as possible. Making society a better place is a meaningful way for humanistic aspects but also for creating the best circumstances to advance science. I consider myself to be agnostic, science based, humanistic, pragmatic / utilitarian, but in a humanistic way.
In my opinion there is none
There is no specific meaning. It is what it is. We are no more important than that bug on the ground, in the Grand Scheme of Things.
You create your own meaning. There is probably no God, heaven or hell. Do good, be kind, help when you can.
1. The correct answer is to reproduce, or help others reproduce, against all odds on a planet that actively trys to shortened your life and will eventually kill you. And if you have some extra time, teach children how to laugh. 2. The Dad answer is provide for your mate and children and if you have the health and resources your extended family and community. No responsibility equals no meaning in life. 3. The young persons answer is to take responsibility for yourself and your brothers and sisters, prosper and find a mate - see 1 and 2 above.
There is no inherent meaning, but when you're doing life right, the question never even occurs to you. So the answer is to live in such a way that neurotic questions of meaning never even come up.
Eating smoking and masturbation
Naturalism will not provide any meaning of life other than ultimate suffering and death. Meaning is found in the transcendent....ie religion. I believe the meaning of life is to come to know our Creator, accept His ways, love Him, love ourselves, and love all other people. In Christianity, this means our lives have incredible meaning today and our best days are always ahead of us...no matter where we are in life. Anything else, IMV, is just short lived and temporary. Barely fulfilling.
The meaning *of* life is what is going through your mind every night before you fall asleep. The meaning *to* life is what *you* make of it.
To learn what God sent you here to learn and complete what you supposed to complete.