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I don't believe my life has purpose, per se. I am an accident of nature and as such I have no more value than any other living thing. If it has a purpose at all it is to care for others and educate others to do likewise. Its difficult to think that but also provides one with a sense of freedom. My particular set of atoms are arranged just for me. What do you think?

Amisja 8 Apr 6
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34 comments

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0

The purpose of your life is to become a link in the chain of human existence. But if you dont, no big, others will. And you do have much more value than other living things, you have a long and rich ancestry, be proud of your past.

gater Level 7 Apr 6, 2018
3

'Caring for others and educating others to do likewise' is the greatest purpose.

Thank you

3

It's up to me to give my life purpose. I don't think I do too bad a job of it.

2

I always wanted to work with dolphins...then my life would have some porpoise.......

2

Listen, don't belittle yourself ever. You are not an acident, it is very fortunate that you live on this little insignificant planet we call Earth. Out of the billions and billions of planets and suns, you are here in this beautiful world. Think if you were somehow living on Saturn, Mars, Venus and so on. Your purpose should, we should all have the same purpose, and that is to leave this little planet a better place for humanity, so cheer up, move ahead, and make a difference.

Seriously not depressed. I am surprised it came out that way. I find it exhilarating to think that my weird freaky set of atoms came together in this way. Its an amazing set of billions of accidents that made me...and you. When there is nothing left to worry about...you are free

@Amisja Great that you are not depressed. My wife died a couple of years ago, and I plunged into the deepest for of depression one can realize, nearly did me in, I love to skydive so I planned one time to let it all hang out and fake a malfunction, I was fully committed when I left the airplane, but then in the few seconds I had left, I was not afraid to die, but I realized that life will go on regardless of what I did, so I pulled. That made me free, if you understand what I mean.

@felixjensen99 I absolute do. I am so terribly sorry for your loss and subsequent dark place. Just keep holding on to your place on this little blue rock...we need you. Much love Jayne

@Amisja Dark places are really hard to come out of. I don't know if you have ever suffered a personal loss, I hope not. I am an educated person, so perhaps I look at life more analytically than most. My wife died of Alzheimer's, one of the more devastating diseases out there, not just for her but for the caregiver. Your partner goes from a vibrant human being to someone who doesn't even know who she is, or who you are. I looked at my options, and I didn't like any. I am an x paratrooper so I started to do things more and more dangerous. One day, I decided to end it all, make it look like an accident, right? but in the few moments I had, I realized, I could not do that, I think that made me free.

@felixjensen99 You are a survivor. Be proud of the love and care you gave your wife. I know a lot about Alzheimer's from an academic perspective but not from a 'real' personal point of view. I do know the last sense a person looses is love. I send love from UK xx

2

I'm with you. It's all pretty amazing just with that.

2

We are all driven by our DNA. Fundamentally, I agree with your assessment. We are all part of, not separate from this amazing system called Mother Earth. You might enjoy reading Ismael by Daniel Quinn. It nicely lines up with your ideas and you might find it a comfort.

2

It seems kind of arrogant to suppose that your own life is some big deal in the universe with a great cosmic meaning. I'm as egotistical as the next man but, come on.

Your life can be meaningful and important if you make it that way, but meaning to it....nope, I agree...just riding the rock till we pop.

2

The impact you have on the lives of others determines the significance of the life you lead. Nelson Mandela

Beautiful but is significance the same as purpose?

2

We create our own meaning, and we create our own purpose.

2

Meaning is what you make of it. Nihilism is comfortably terrifying. We tell ourselves nothing matters, but really we have deep seated attachment to certain people and ideas. You get to choose what gives you meaning. That’s the beauty of ultimate freedom. Select appropriately.

1

I always felt after doing the math for epidemiology, that its amazing we actually exist at all. If we were a stock on the stock exchange, no one would invest in the human species. And everything about the human mind seems so oblivious to its actual situation. I think the more I hear about sentient compassion, like caring and education, the more I realize its the best part of being human. I personally prefer empathy and working to help people live better as a sort of purpose to being in human. Oddly enough society does not seem to based on that. But whatever.

argo Level 4 Apr 19, 2018
1

Free free free freeeee

You are

1

I think we can learn a lot about this from observing the birds and animals. They don't spand a lot of time looking at the sunsets and discussing how their offspring are progressing. Mostly it's just survive and find food for another day. That's really basic to everything.

1

I think you have nailed it

1

You're closer to a sane self-estimation than most people.

You are not really an accident of nature, that would imply agency on the part of nature (as well as ineptitude). You're just at the end of a causal chain acted upon by natural laws and your own choices and the choices of others. You have no externally bestowed purpose, but can determine for yourself all the intrinsic purpose anyone would ever need. Particularly if you have realistic, as opposed to the more typical grandiose, goals. People feel inadquate mainly because they don't live within their true scope as a mortal being of limited attributes. They try to pretend they're immortal and in god's back pocket, and that's where the hilarity ensues.

Thats really sad. However I do think we are all accidents. The initial big bang was and its continued from there.

I re-read this and I don't think accident does presume agenda as in nature is not sentient on of itself. Nature didn't have a whoops moment! I think I mean accident more as a random occurence rather than broken china or a bumped vehicle. Am I making sense?

@Amisja Yes. Personally I feel one can't talk about an accident without an assumption that it shouldn't have happened that way, therefore there's a correct / intended way and that requires some agency [failing to properly] act upon things. But if you simply meant "random event" then we're in total agreement.

Sorry if I'm being tiresomely literal, it's a failing of mine. On the other hand, our chosen semantics tend to influence our thinking and feeling. I regard existence as impersonal and this allows me not to feel put-upon, short-changed, or mis-used, and has greatly contributed to my subjective quality of life.I suppose that to say you're the outcome of random causal chains still suggests to some a lack of value in your existence but I don't (and suspect that you don't) think that conclusion follows. We decide the value of our own existence quite apart from how we got here. Or should, anyway.

@mordant Perdantry has its place and online discussions are definitely it! Without the nuances of human language much can be misunderstood. I'd say my life has value only because its mine and I kinda like it. I think my life probably has some value to a few others too...but outside of that, in a couple of generations, I will be nothing more than a fading photo and that is absolutely fine. I wasn't here before and didn't matter then. It was chance...a billion to one chance over 13.4 billion years that brought me into existence. It was chance/accident/a series of random causal chains. It wasn't god/design/fate...To be its like realising you have won the lottery and only have finite time to spend it all...whippee

@Amisja I'm with ya there.

1

Just riding this rock around the sun as many times as I can before I die. Life is short, enjoy it.

Beautiful

1

No one was ever asked by their parents if they wanted to be born, but here we are.

1

You know, I believe pretty much as you do.
But, while I can admit that for myself, it bothers me a bit to hear someone say it about themselves.
I guess it my empathy for those lacking self confidence. Although I know that not what you mean. You know?

Did it sound like that? I think that outside of the constraints of believing in a devine being in whose image I was created and must all consumingly good and pure...I am free.

@Amisja No, you really don't sound like that. For some reason, that's how I projected myself into that statement. I'm still pondering. Which is both good for me and a bit aggravating.
I admire your outlook and hope I can find some of that for myself.

1

We definitely don’t have a divinely dictated purpose. Aside from that I always thought there were three options:

1.) You’re so aloof you never thought to have a purpose.
2.) You’re aware enough to have a purpose.
3.) You’re wise enough to know you don’t need one.

2 and 3 are not mutually exclusive.

I actually disagree with you on “having no more value than other living things.” I think humans actually do have more objective value as they exhibit cultural transmission in a way that is immensely powerful unlike any other species. It’s an admittedly biased view, but I think it’s still true. Additionally, we are the only species that could defend the rest of life from cosmic existential threats. And of course some of what we could do seems dissmissable in light of what we actually do (wreak havoc on ecosystems and cause extinction) but that doesn’t make us less special.

1

I agree.
I mean nothing to the universe.
I only matter to the people I'm in contact with (momentarily or longterm).
The only purpose(s) I might ever have are the ones I give myself.

I find it very freeing.
I pick and choose what matters to me and live my life accordingly.
I do my best not to make life sucky for anyone else, and I try to ease other's pain when I can.
I don't want to be miserable, so I try not to make others miserable.
But I do it all knowing that in the end, it won't matter.

1

In truth our life has no purpose or meaning. There is definitely an amount of freedom in that. That's why we should not worry about the opinions of others. A hundred years from now all of us including our detractors will be pushing up daisies. Just sit back and enjoy life. Have that scotch or other drink. Love and laugh as much as possible.

1

I looked at your photos and your atoms appear to be arranged perfectly.

1

I agree.

0

Purpose is everything. Your pupose gives your life meaning. Everyday you decide how to respond to fate.

0

Biologically we have but one function: reproduction. (Thank goodness its fun).
Spiritually our function is to attain knowledge and become one with the source of all things. Attainment of Total Consciousness.
Seems strange that our everyday lives are spent doing everything else but our true purpose.
Just something I saw on a bumper sticker.

Hmmm I won't say 'typical man'...reproduction actually bloody hurts!

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