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Ive been taught by science that we are basically just a complex animal meant to survive until sexual maturity and that we are only made to survive and reproduce. This of course is true , but we are highly intelligent(well some) and seek a higher purpose in our lives.
I find purpose by being good to others and by sharing my emotions and feelings. I believe that having each other and being together is the reason for living. I wish everyone could get along , but it doesnt seem like it could ever be and that's a shame that we are so bad to each other.
Ive been taught by science that we are basically just a complex animal meant to survive until sexual maturity and that we are only made to survive and reproduce. This of course is true , but we are highly intelligent(well some) and seek a higher purpose in our lives.
I find purpose by being good to others and by sharing my emotions and feelings. I believe that having each other and being together is the reason for living. I wish everyone could get along , but it doesnt seem like it could ever be and that's a shame that we are so bad to each other.
Twenty years ago, I served with a man in my ARNG company who stated that he viewed life as nothing more than the suffering we had to endure to get to heaven. He further stated that he would kill himself and get there sooner, but such a sin would bar him from heaven. So that was his 'purpose' - getting his ticket to the happy-land in the sky.
Oh, and - surprise, surprise - he was in general a pretty dour and unpleasant individual.
What a sad and wasted life his was... (maybe still is, I don't know)
Ive been taught by science that we are basically just a complex animal meant to survive until sexual maturity and that we are only made to survive and reproduce. This of course is true , but we are highly intelligent(well some) and seek a higher purpose in our lives.
I find purpose by being good to others and by sharing my emotions and feelings. I believe that having each other and being together is the reason for living. I wish everyone could get along , but it doesnt seem like it could ever be and that's a shame that we are so bad to each other.
I agree 100%. My purpose in live is to live, laugh, and love. Lots of laughter. Lots of love. In fact, I fell in love with my husband because he makes me laugh so damn much!
I'll share how I found my way out of existential angst. I realized that although my existence has no eternal or cosmic meaning or significance, my existence could have meaning and significance locally, in space and time to the people around me whose lives I touch and influence. My life matters to my wife and kids. If I committed suicide, it would deeply sadden them and disadvantage them in their lives. And I choose to care about their feelings. And although, they, like me, are nothing more than a contained chemical reaction and all the feelings they have are nothing more than a chemical reaction playing itself out, I am a homo sapien and I am content to do what homo sapiens do, care about the feelings of other homo sapiens, even while knowing my "caring" is just a chemical reaction itself. My wife and kids give my life meaning, locally in space and time, no matter how ephemeral. The human mind is the only thing capable of giving meaning and it is also the only thing that craves it. So, I get my need for meaning fulfilled by the only humans I'll ever know (my contemporaries). It would be convienient to be like the deer who have no need for meaning and blissfully live their lives without it. But, I am a human, so I will do what humans do: live my life, satisfy my needs, experience my emotions, and enjoy my fellow humans.
I'm just living life the way I want to and making time for things I enjoy, and trying to do some good along the way whenever/wherever/however I can.
I don't need a make-believe supreme being to believe in. We're born, we live, we die. There's not a thing I can do about birth and death, but I sure am trying to get some good living in.
My life's meaning is no more significant or insignificant than that of any other organism in this world...it just 'is'.
I think Heffenhardt stated the meaning in life very eloquently.
We can have lofty ideas about changing the world, we can even do life changing deeds but most of us will never be great world leaders or inventors or someone who cures cancer.
Instead we find meaning in the humble elements, the birth of a child, the love we share with our family, pride in our job that we do well at, a vegetable garden or whatever we build and nurture. These are the things that give life depth and meaning.
If people only found meaning in daily life because they figured they're going to heaven, well, I'm afraid to leave the house and be among them.
Djuna said it all. There is meaning where we make it meaningful in whatever way that means something to us.
right, Dusty..
do the best you can for you and those around you...enjoy each day to the fullest and relax...be kind and generous but don't be a doormat. try to be content and happy...I think that's enough of a purpose..why do we need to have life after death? it's right here, right now...
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