What is the meaning of life?

[WSUCougar]

My humanities teacher in high school used to ask us that at the start of every class. It was an intentionally open-ended question.

Here, I'm sure we'll get several replies along the lines of "Pepper Jack Doritos" and "Subby's capris," but let's see what else we get for an answer.

[KevinNU7]

Why does everything need to have meaning?

[cthomer5000]

I think it's really what you make of it. Which is a fancy way of saying there isn't one.

All I need to do is take a look at photos of space showing thousands of galaxies in just the tiniest fraction of the sky to realize that what i do here in my life on this planet means absolutely nothing in the scheme of things. I don't believe I'm unique or special in any important way, and I don't believe we as a species are either.

[st.cronin]

It's found in the living. It's not the destination; it's the journey.

[WSUCougar]

Why does everything need to have meaning?
To quote Stephen in Braveheart, "The Almighty says don't change the subject and answer the fooking question!"

[cthomer5000]

Why does everything need to have meaning?

If you interpret "meaning" as there being a point to doing something, I think anything has to have meaning to make it worth doing.

[flere-imsaho]

"To crush your enemies -- See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!"

[WSUCougar]

So if you take the stance that there is no specific meaning to life, are we simply another creature living and dying on the planet?

[WSUCougar]

"To crush your enemies -- See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!"
But can you define the Riddle of Steel?

[oliegirl]

For me, it's family. The relationships with your parents, siblings, etc...that take you all of childhood and early adulthood to learn to appreciate and enjoy, and then figuring out the new relationships with a spouse, child, etc. I know that my family is always there for me and gives me the strength to get through things that I don't know if I could get through otherwise.

[Pumpy Tudors]

There lots of good meanings here

hxxp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/life

[WSUCougar]

So you consider the primary essence of human presence on the planet is to be a member of a family (love, support, etc.).

[oliegirl]

So you consider the primary essence of human presence on the planet is to be a member of a family (love, support, etc.).


I consider being a part of a family to be one of the primary essences of human presence. Throughout history, there has always been "family" in different forms - and it exists everywhere - from bugs to humans - it's everywhere.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Seriously, to me, it's an empty question. It's like asking "What is the meaning of metal?" Basically, it is what it is. I'll assume that "life" in this question actually means "human life." At its base, "life" is important in maintaining our surroundings so that they continue to be familiar to us. If human life disappeared, the universe would just be something else. Would it be better or worse? Well, that depends on which creature or element or celestial body you're asking. Ultimately, though, it would just be different.

Personally, I only place additional value on human life because I am a human myself. If I temporarily eliminate that bias and try to come up with a more objective answer, it really does seem like an empty question to me.

[Castlerock]

Life is a shit-sandwich and every day you gotta take a bite.

[Butter]

"You see that house? That is where I was born. My mother said to me, 'Gaston. The world is a beautiful place, and you must spread joy and contentment everywhere you go.' And so I became a waiter...

Well, I know it is not a great philosophy but... Well, fuck you. I can live my life in my own way if I want to."

[st.cronin]

Seriously, to me, it's an empty question. It's like asking "What is the meaning of metal?"

What if the question instead is "What is the meaning of your life?"

[Marc Vaughan]

It's found in the living. It's not the destination; it's the journey.
Thats pretty much how I see things, no idea why I'm here - doing the best I can in whatever circumstances I find myself ....

[Pumpy Tudors]

What if the question instead is "What is the meaning of your life?"
To that question, I don't know. I think that question could be answered better by the people closest to me.

[BrianD]

42?

[BrianD]

...or maybe beer. That seems to make life worth living.

[Mac Howard]

To discover the meaning of life. And when we do then we'll all pack up and fade away realising what a waste of time and effort it's all been :)

[Abe Sargent]

To give glory to our creator

[BrianD]

To give glory to our creator

All hail the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

[Godzilla Blitz]

42?

Yes.

And thanks for all the fish.

[Izulde]

There is no inherent meaning to life.

[Coffee Warlord]

"To crush your enemies -- See them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women!"

No, that is what is BEST in life!

[Mac Howard]

To give glory to our creator

But wouldn't that mean he created life merely to be glorified? How egotistical! Sometimes the religious seem to have a very poor opinion of their God ;)

[King of New York]

1) To develop your abilities and your potential to their fullest, and

2) To help others to do the same

[st.cronin]

But wouldn't that mean he created life merely to be glorified? How egotistical! Sometimes the religious seem to have a very poor opinion of their God ;)

I'm tempted to go on a metaphysical tangent.

[WSUCougar]

There is no inherent meaning to life.
So we're just spit out like so many oysters, do whatever, live, die, end of story.

[Butter]

So we're just spit out like so many oysters, do whatever, live, die, end of story.

I agree with Izulde. Sucks, doesn't it?

I think religion was created as a way for people to give their lives a higher purpose when there truly is none.

BTW, oysters?

[WSUCougar]

I was going to say seahorses, and then got cold feet.

So do you form your own meaning for your life, or do you let life pull you whichever way?

[st.cronin]

I was going to say seahorses, and then got cold feet.

So do you form your own meaning for your life, or do you let life pull you whichever way?

By "meaning" do you in fact mean "purpose"? Otherwise, that sentence doesn't really make sense.

[Butter]

So do you form your own meaning for your life, or do you let life pull you whichever way?

I form my own meaning, which to me is just to be as good and nice a person as I can possibly be, while enjoying myself. Boring, but true.

My wife is a Baptist, so she does not share my world view.

[rkmsuf]

Set course for Shaka-Ri!


http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/771/trekga8.png

[Raiders Army]

I tend to agree with those who said there is no meaning.

[WSUCougar]

By "meaning" do you in fact mean "purpose"? Otherwise, that sentence doesn't really make sense.
Well, I was going back to Izulde's statement: "There is no inherent meaning to life." If there is no inherent meaning, is life's meaning therefor formed by each individual on their own, or is there no meaning whatsoever and we bob along like corks in the ocean of existence.

[WSUCougar]

I tend to agree with those who said there is no meaning.
So do you feel that human existence, relative to others creatures, is simply a higher form of the same basic idea? In other words, we are just chimps with Super Sized brains, courtesy of nature?

[BrianD]

So do you feel that human existence, relative to others creatures, is simply a higher form of the same basic idea? In other words, we are just chimps with Super Sized brains, courtesy of nature?

I think I would vote yes to this.

[st.cronin]

Well, I was going back to Izulde's statement: "There is no inherent meaning to life." If there is no inherent meaning, is life's meaning therefor formed by each individual on their own, or is there no meaning whatsoever and we bob along like corks in the ocean of existence.

But what do we mean by meaning, I guess is my point. It seems as though a better word would be "purpose". We surely don't mean definition; a cork bobbing in the ocean still has a definition.

[tanglewood]

Assumming that life has any inherent meaning is anthropocentrism at its most arrogant height.

[WSUCougar]

Assumming that life has any inherent meaning is anthropocentrism at its most arrogant height.
Is it now? Who said that the meaning of human life has to be somehow superior or exclusive of other species?

[WSUCougar]

I think I would vote yes to this.
How do you feel about the human concepts of things like "conscience" and "compassion" - are they simply products of society, or naturally occurring?

[TredWel]

Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, 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.

[BrianD]

How do you feel about the human concepts of things like "conscience" and "compassion" - are they simply products of society, or naturally occurring?

I don't know that I've given it lots of thought, but off the cuff I would say it is generally naturally occurring but heightened through society/religion. I think most people have a recognition of the fact that their existence is based on the whim of others. We are all weak and vulnerable and could be taken out at any time. Avoid any big fights, and you reduce the risk of harm to yourselves. The societal/religious punishments further encourage compassion, or at least indifference.

[Crim]

Pepper Jack Doritos.

[BrianD]

Pepper Jack Doritos.

Certainly better than the Habanero Doritos.

Speaking of compassion, while at a 4th of July picnic, the 4(ish) year old child of the host found her way to the chip table and grabbed a Habanero Dorito without anyone looking. The instant the chip touched her tongue she started balling. While I appreciate the discomfort the little girl was in, I had to remind myself that laughing was probably not a good idea at that moment. The situation really made me want to though. Does that make me a bad man?

[WSUCougar]

Does that make me a bad man?
No, it makes you a typical chimp with a Super Sized brain.

[Noble_Platypus]

It's found in the living. It's not the destination; it's the journey.


No kidding, look what happened to Roland in the last Dark Tower book.

[mrsimperless]

Why aren't apples called reds?

[Raven Hawk]

I think that life can be summed up merely as "Motive." As it is we all have motives for doing everything we do. The collection of these tasks inspired by motive compiles into a larger conglomerate called life. Why do I do the things that I do every day? Because they benefit me in some way. Everybody and everything's motives are different, but everything is done to further their own cause, whatever that may be. For less intelligent creatures, the motive that drives them may be the proliferation or survival of their species. For the most intelligent of people it may be the discovery of solutions to the greatest problems known to mankind, like cold fusion or a cure for cancer. For the greediest of people, it may be to accumulate more wealth than anybody else. For the most charitable of people, it may be the feeling that they get when donating money to a worthy cause, being able to make a difference.

Everybody and everything has motive for doing what they do. Every living creature seeks to improve its own life, whatever that means to them.

[sabotai]

I'll tell you what the meaning of life is.........2 chicks at the same time.

[DanGarion]

Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, 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.
But then you can't have religion and war...

[DanGarion]

I'll tell you what the meaning of life is.........2 chicks at the same time.
But you'd probably have to have a million dollars to hook that up.

[DaddyTorgo]

there is no meaning to life...no point to life.

you're born...you grow up...make some money...and then die.

i'll echo kevinNU so you all don't think i'm that depressing...why does life need to have a point? fuck that

[sabotai]

But you'd probably have to have a million dollars to hook that up.

Well, that's why we live so long. So that we can have enough time to save up for it! :)

[-Mojo Jojo-]

Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, 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.

...and run our stage files 3 nights a week? :D

[thealmighty]

How depressing. If there really is no meaning/purpose/whatever in/to life, I have screwed up all these years.

I would have been better off shooting each of my daughters at birth, saving me alot of grief, money and pain (since there is no meaning, children, by extension, mean nothing as well).

I should be getting in the teachers and students thread every damn week cuz, let's face it, there are so many hot females in high school and I should screw all of them (no meaning seems to me to mean there is no reason not to do whatever the hell I feel like doing at any given point in the time continuum).

While I'm at it, maybe I should have gone to that farm where you fuck the donkey or horse or whatever it was. Why the hell not give it a try.

Why don't all of you send your wife/girlfriend over to me for a night (or day...jobs are now unnecessary) since they really, in the end, mean nothing for the overall scheme (of course, there is no overall scheme, so I just screwed that one up as well).

So much lost time to get back. So much to do before my meaningless end arrives.

How depressing.

(of course, you all can be right just as easily as another, but it's still depressing to me to think we are just temporary, walking blobs of water and fecal matter)

[-Mojo Jojo-]

How depressing. If there really is no meaning/purpose/whatever in/to life, I have screwed up all these years.

I would have been better off shooting each of my daughters at birth, saving me alot of grief, money and pain (since there is no meaning, children, by extension, mean nothing as well).


Well, that's one way to look at it. I prefer this approach:

"I don't think we're for anything, we're just products of evolution. You can say 'Gee, your life must be pretty bleak if you don't think there's a purpose' but I'm anticipating a good lunch."

--James Watson

[DaddyTorgo]

How depressing. If there really is no meaning/purpose/whatever in/to life, I have screwed up all these years.

I would have been better off shooting each of my daughters at birth, saving me alot of grief, money and pain (since there is no meaning, children, by extension, mean nothing as well).

I should be getting in the teachers and students thread every damn week cuz, let's face it, there are so many hot females in high school and I should screw all of them (no meaning seems to me to mean there is no reason not to do whatever the hell I feel like doing at any given point in the time continuum).

While I'm at it, maybe I should have gone to that farm where you fuck the donkey or horse or whatever it was. Why the hell not give it a try.

Why don't all of you send your wife/girlfriend over to me for a night (or day...jobs are now unnecessary) since they really, in the end, mean nothing for the overall scheme (of course, there is no overall scheme, so I just screwed that one up as well).

So much lost time to get back. So much to do before my meaningless end arrives.

How depressing.

(of course, you all can be right just as easily as another, but it's still depressing to me to think we are just temporary, walking blobs of water and fecal matter)

there's a difference between "no meaning to life" and a hobbesian "state of nature." Just because there's no meaning to life doesn't mean we havn't all agreed as a condition of social existence to live under a Lockian "social contract"

[Groundhog]

If you're religious, then the meaning of life is to please whichever god/s you believe in.

If you're not religious, then really, there is no meaning. Life is what you make of it. I rise each day, get dressed, go to work, get stressed, then finally go home again, all so I can get cash to do the things I like doing. The "meaning of life", if you want to phrase it that way, is really to make myself happy. It may sound selfish, but included in the things that make me happy would be making the ones I care about happy, too.

[Bonegavel]

My mother (christian) often goes on the tangent of thealmighty with the "well, if there is no purpose or god why don't I just murder/rape/steal or whatever I feel like doing" to which I repy "because that would be against the law and I don't like jail."

We are simply animals that have the unfortunate hyper-awareness of time and self. If we didn't have these sensitivities, we would simply be trying to fill our days feeding ourselves and fending off predators (or predating).

Meaning of life is what each of us makes it. We take our past experiences (family, friends, social) and mush it all together to form stuff-to-do until we die. I prefer to spend my time with my family trying to teach my daughter how to be a good citizen and all-around human being. Even if it doesn't always make life easier, it feels good.

[Mustang]

But you'd probably have to have a million dollars to hook that up.

Chicks dig money. At least the kind that like to double up on a guy like me..

[WSUCougar]

Meaning of life is what each of us makes it.
So each human acts upon their life circumstances to give it meaning?

For example, an aborigine in the Australian bush kills 150 koala bears and a savage bull platypus during his life, eats and lives well relative to other aborigines, mates and bears children, and does whatever daily tasks an aborigine does. These represent the meaning of his life?

But what if a very similar aborigine gets clunked in the head by a Coke bottle that fell out of an airplane (heh), pursues this as some kind of religious quest such that eventually he ends up graduating from MIT and makes some ground-breaking scientific discovery that saves humanity from extinction.

That represents the meaning of his life?

[DanGarion]

But what if a very similar aborigine gets clunked in the head by a Coke bottle that fell out of an airplane (heh), pursues this as some kind of religious quest such that eventually he ends up graduating from MIT and makes some ground-breaking scientific discovery that saves humanity from extinction.

That represents the meaning of his life?
No that means the gods must be crazy!

[WSUCougar]

No that means the gods must be crazy!
I'm glad somebody caught the reference.