Purpose of life,... In your Opinions

[doppelgaenger]

I think that if someone is going to say "reproduction is the meaning of life" and then say "I will never have children" they should take a pistol and shoot themselves in the head.
It is an idiot's way of saying "I don't have a reason to live." - nihilism. It doesn't matter what sports you play, what music you listen to, or what text you read - you are not living in accordance with the views you associate yourself with. Hypocrisy in a sense. Neither intelligent nor reasonable.

So, a nice dosage of cyanide should help neutralize your 'chemical imbalance', and if you want die with a smile on your face, spank the monkey beforehand.

[Petit Papillon]

Bla bla bla yadda yadda yadda

I would never think that Illusional starts such thread . Since when you're so serious? :p

Leave philosophy to Greek philosophers !!

[valhensing]

What meaningful stuff?

You cling to a tiny, insignificant speck hurtling blindly across the maelstrom of eternity. What can you possibly do that is meaningful? All you really can do is create gods in a vain and ultimately hollow attempt to convince yourself that existence has meaning.

If I implied reproduction is meaningful I apologize. It isn't. But it is the true (and only) goal of all life.

Just because I acknowledge the reality of my existence does not mean I'm going to march off to the nearest cliff and throw myself off. Nor does it mean I'm going to find a suitable mate to share my genetic material with. For better or worse, I am intelligent and capable of reason. I wouldn't be aware of any of the above if not.

I exist to reproduce but I choose to ignore that imperative. Instead, the focus of my life is to maintain the proper balance of chemicals to achieve that special cocktail that keeps my emotions neutral at best, while occasionally seeking to spike them into the positive. I live for self-gratification and pleasure. I acknowledge that everyone else is in the same boat as me. I see no particular reason to interfere with their pursuits in so far as they do not interfere with mine. That's my life.

I pursue hobbies. I read books borne from great minds in the hopes of gleaning at least a patina of their "significance". I seek the company of fellow humans for the pleasure and contentment it provides. In many ways I'm more liberated and active thanks to my beliefs than those who think life is meaningful, or who believe there's a god to grant them purpose and reward.

man, hat off to your explanation i could never make it as clear as u did.

But when my tiny little brain suggest "meaningful", i wasnt thinking about being meaningful in compare with the universal. I meant meaningful for yourself (i stopped trying to be a meaningful existence to the universal ways ago). In compare to all the galaxies and milky ways in existence, i think even the 7 billions people of the human race mean nothing at all.

All i want to say is just to find something that in the end, before u die, u think your life is at least meaningful to you... not "ok, im dying. bye bye life. Never really like u in the first place"

[Gribble]

I have plenty of reason to live. Life's goal is reproduction. That can't happen if I allow myself to die. Self-preservation is a very real and immediate instinct and it is incredibly difficult to overcome. Suicide, despite the mewling of the masses, requires a wealth of courage. Besides, though life is meaningless I rather enjoy sex, food, music, thrills, etc. I have every intention to continue enjoying these things. When I am old and decrepit and pleasure is beyond my reach I'll consider suicide and whether or not my emotional state is strong enough to overpower my will to survive. Until then I eat, I drink and I am merry.

I choose not to reproduce. That doesn't mean I choose not to wear a condom. Nature doesn't account for that. In essence, I am using deception to satiate nature's demands without actually impregnating anyone. If I chose to deny my sexuality I might very well find myself staring at that pistol--or developing horrific sexual perversions. The sexually repressed are the most disturbed and deviant of us all.

How exactly is one supposed to live in accordance with these views? You may call me a nihilist for simplicity's sake, but be aware that I make no attempt to live within the boundaries of a predefined philosophy. "Nihilism" =/= depression. My existence is exceedingly brief. The things I do lack meaning. Therefore I put my best effort forth to experience and enjoy as much as possible without getting hung up on fabricated concepts of duty, honor, territory, guilt or shame. I have personal goals, the most significant of which being the pursuit of knowledge. I have hopes and desires. I experience love, anger, hate, joy. These things seem important to me. Yet I am still just an insignificant human. What seems significant to me is no more important than what seems significant to a termite. Life's purpose remains unaltered despite the feelings, goals, hopes and dreams of a species that amounts to little more than dust.

[doppelgaenger]

Why don't you just come out and say it? The meaning of life is happiness and success - drop the scientific shit already.

[Gribble]

No, it's not.

I am capable of enjoying happiness and success. I'm capable of enjoying a tug job, too, or scratching a mosquito bite. Lots of things. None of these things, save procreation, is the purpose behind my existence.

The fact that you and most everyone else disagrees with me--and strongly--leads me to believe I've come very close to hitting the nail on the head. Coincidentally, the quote of the month suits me just fine: "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. " ~ Mark Twain

[doppelgaenger]

Whatever, dude. You're full of shit.

[valhensing]

ok i think there's a different. Are we talking about the purpose of life itself or are we talking about the purpose of our lives? Because if it's our lives, the purpose would be different among people because what's the target in your mind would be the purpose in your life and YOU decide it. And i DECIDE the purpose of my life is for me to be happy . And it should also be the purpose of lots of ppl out there too: making ME happy

[Gribble]

Whatever, dude. You're full of shit.

Wow. That's such a typical idiot's response. Kind of amusing coming from the guy who loves to write about how much of an intellectual he is without actually attempting to say anything of substance or engage in intelligent, respectful debate.

ok i think there's a different. Are we talking about the purpose of life itself or are we talking about the purpose of our lives? Because if it's our lives, the purpose would be different among people because what's the target in your mind would be the purpose in your life and YOU decide it. And i DECIDE the purpose of my life is for me to be happy . And it should also be the purpose of lots of ppl out there too: making ME happy

The question is "What's the purpose of life". I spend mine trying to be happy, too. I still believe the actual purpose of my life is no different than the purpose of any other life form's.

[Sonrisa]

I choose not to reproduce. That doesn't mean I choose not to wear a condom. Nature doesn't account for that. In essence, I am using deception to satiate nature's demands without actually impregnating anyone. If I chose to deny my sexuality I might very well find myself staring at that pistol--or developing horrific sexual perversions. The sexually repressed are the most disturbed and deviant of us all.

How exactly is one supposed to live in accordance with these views? You may call me a nihilist for simplicity's sake, but be aware that I make no attempt to live within the boundaries of a predefined philosophy. "Nihilism" =/= depression. My existence is exceedingly brief. The things I do lack meaning. Therefore I put my best effort forth to experience and enjoy as much as possible without getting hung up on fabricated concepts of duty, honor, territory, guilt or shame. I have personal goals, the most significant of which being the pursuit of knowledge. I have hopes and desires. I experience love, anger, hate, joy. These things seem important to me. Yet I am still just an insignificant human. What seems significant to me is no more important than what seems significant to a termite. Life's purpose remains unaltered despite the feelings, goals, hopes and dreams of a species that amounts to little more than dust.

I, I, I, I, me, me, me, me. doesn't seem like much of a purpose. i despise people who only live and care for themselves.

[Gribble]

If we all cared for ourselves there would be no need for charity.

Let the weak die and the strong prosper.

[Sonrisa]

What's the definition of weak and strong?

[returnofthezro]

didnt read the thread, so this has already been said, but the purpose of life in my opinion is survival, everything in life that is necessity boils down to that, you can talk all you want about a career, goals blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, if you are fed, safe and making babies, you are doing what you are supposed to do, at the basic level we are no different to other animals on the planet

[valhensing]

here we go with making babies again..... man!

[returnofthezro]

i was giving my opinion bitch, no need to start having a cry