What's the point in life?

The point to life? To entertain the higher-level beings who are running our universe on their computer like an epic-scale version of The Sims.

In a more serious philosophical note, I like to borrow from Thoreau a little by saying the point is to experience all there is to being and enrich yourself as much as possible. In the event there is no life after death, you will have had an enviable life and surely passed on that zeal and wisdom to others along the way. If there is life after death, well then fantastic, you'll probably learn what the point of it all was afterward.

 

I'd assume the point is the 'dot', above the lowercase 'i' in 'life'.




Of course, you probably want something more serious, so, to copy and paste, something I said, from another topic:


Optimistically, it is to leave an impression, upon those who are here, and who will come. To guide them to endeavor, to enlighten them to knowledge, to inspire them to greatness, to instill them to love. Your meaning is as wide as the universe is expansive, as endless as the passage of time.

Pessimistically, it is to endure great turmoil, to strive to know purpose but never be sure. It is to be bent so much, one breaks, and gives in to futility. We simply exist, not for any significant reason, but to accept that nothing we do, will be remembered. Your meaning is just a means of deluding yourself, that you are worth anything.

Realistically, it is to live. To do what you enjoy, to indulge as you see fit; be it alone, or with others. You get what you put in. No more, no less.

Personally (for me), it is unwritten. There may be no meaning to life, but that doesn't mean you can't find something interesting to do, while you are here. And the longer you linger, the more likely you will find something that, even if just temporarily, will amuse, comfort, or propel you. And who knows? You might just be the one, who opens the eyes of thinkers, the hearts of lovers, and the souls of individuals.

 

To live

 

42

 

What *is* life? Answer me that, and I'll tell you the point of it.

 

In my opinion, there is no point - Just to live. Or just go with what Kaiser said... makes a lot of sense.

 

There is no objective point to life.

Though, I suppose you could take the only objective point of an animal's life and apply it to ours (we are also animals): to survive and produce as many healthy offspring as possible to carry on your DNA. I feel that is the closest to an objective reason we can come.

In the end, we create our own subjective reasons to live to fill the painful void of not having an objective reason.

 

Observe:

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I think it depends on the person... We all have different reasons to live...

 

Ultimately, I believe there is only two things a human being can want; happiness and love. What brings them to someone will vary from person to person, but life is a constant pursuit of those emotions. Some may even argue you only really need to say happiness or love, but not both. For me, I'll have gotten to life's "point" when I find my soul mate, find my best friends, help others, tell my story, travel the world and become a journalist. These things are continuous actions, that won't end until I do. I'll always be looking for new friends and helping others. I'll always want to see and love my soulmate, whomever they may be. I'll always want to write and travel. Life's point is to be happy. So do whatever you can to bring happiness upon you and others.

 

I always find your posts just so thoughtful and insightful.. You just have a wonderful way of looking at life and at the people around you.. I do think you get what you put in as well and I always try to put in as much as I can, so I can enjoy my time and feel like I am contributing, wether it just be contributing to making my family happy or putting a smile on my nieces face or something more meaningful scale.

 

Wow. Thank you. I'd never realized before that the universe was such an essentially quiet place.

 

thousands of years of philosophers sitting around and trying to answer this in-between jacking off and starving to death, and they have not reached a real sold conclusion

i think the more common consensus now though is life is meaningless from the get go so you make your own meaning and fulfillment

it's a shit answer but whatever

 

To leave the earth in a better condition than when you entered it .

 

I know. Fascinating, isn't it?

 

42.


Still working on the question though...

 

I won't get all religiousy here, but, the book of Ecclesiastes, from the Bible, has a thing or two to say about this deepest of questions. There is no other book like it in the tradition, it is a true (if not overly rigorous) philosophical treatise, there are no miracles, revelations or stories, just a keen observation of reality.

The author is widely believed to be Solomon, the wealthy, powerful and wise king of the Israelites. It starts off with the following observation:

He notes that although he has acquired great wisdom...

Or that fools and wise men both will die...

Or that nothing really changes...

Or this most startling of assertions from the Bible: that the good will sometimes perish and the wicked will sometimes prosper, followed by a call for moderation...

Or this most realistic and sublime of observations...

The famous phrase "all is striving after the wind" is from this book and refers to the ultimate futility of all effort and striving "under the sun". But it would be a mistake to see this as his conclusion, or to call it pessimistic.

In the end, he enjoins us to consider that life is to be enjoyed as the mysterious gift that it is. That we need to accept that we will probably never understand the big WHY, but that our purpose is to live our lives doing good deeds in their season, fully and joyfully. Yes, he argues for God to be in it as an essential component of understanding, but this work can be appreciated without necessarily believing in a deity.

 

Life is for living

 

Let's see...

I entered this world as a young person, with a fully functional body.
If I die of old age, I'll leave this world with a body I might not even be able to move, half of it probably failing, and who knows if I'll remember everything.

Sorry, but I know I'll leave this world in a worst condition than the one I came in :lol:

(I know what you mean, but couldn't resist the joke:lol