Freed Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 What is our purpose in life? My time is running out and I don't even know why I was born in the first place? I wish I my life had a purpose. I'm just wasting away. Time goes by too fast. I'll be dead soon and may never know why I was born in the first place? Do our lives have any purpose? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted September 22, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 22, 2020 Life has no inherent purpose as far as I can tell. You will hear that the our purpose is to spread the gospel, recruit for Islam, make a positive difference, leave this world a better place, seek happiness by whatever means works for you, propagate your species and yada yada yada. I think the purpose of living is living, doing the dance, being part of the play. I don't think you can make a mistake. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted September 22, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 22, 2020 You were conceived because your biological mother and father had sex. You were born because your mother carried you full term. Things don't happen for a reason; things happen because of cause and effect. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TABA Posted September 22, 2020 Moderator Share Posted September 22, 2020 Why were you born? Because your mother and father had sex, and one particular sperm fertilized one particular egg, creating a unique individual, YOU. I’m not being flippant here or suggesting you don’t know the facts of life: my point is that’s it, that’s the reason, the ONLY reason you were born. I don’t believe in some kind of cosmic plan or purpose. We were not put here as part of somebody’s plan. Things happened, and here we are. Purpose? Your purpose is not set by a deity or by the universe. Your purpose is something you derive for yourself. It’s whatever motivates you, gives you satisfaction, or brings you joy. It could be a career, or developing a talent, or loving some person, or pursuing a dream. Or all of the above. That’s how I see it in a nutshell. Somebody more eloquent than me will probably expand on this. But we’re here because stuff happened, and our purpose is for us to decide. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Thanks everyone. Hedonism here I come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagdish Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 Maybe we will find out when we pass from this earth. Now if you don't believe that then that is ok too. Just my humble op Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LogicalFallacy Posted September 22, 2020 Moderator Share Posted September 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Freed said: What is our purpose in life? This is best answered by Carl Sagan: Quote "“The significance of our lives and our fragile planet is then determined only by our own wisdom and courage. We are the custodians of life's meaning. We long for a Parent to care for us, to forgive us our errors, to save us from our childish mistakes. But knowledge is preferable to ignorance. Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reassuring fable. If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal.”" The Pale Blue Dot 2 hours ago, Freed said: My time is running out and I don't even know why I was born in the first place? As others said, your parents had sex, though that's not necessarily the case these days. Perhaps more accurate to say an egg and a sperm combined to form you. 2 hours ago, Freed said: I wish I my life had a purpose. Refer to Carl Sagan's quote above. 2 hours ago, Freed said: I'm just wasting away. Time goes by too fast. I'll be dead soon and may never know why I was born in the first place? Time does go fast, but a lot of it is attitude based. Find what you want to do, then go do it. 2 hours ago, Freed said: Do our lives have any purpose? Only the purpose we give ourselves. As far as we can tell there is no God telling you to love him or go to hell. And if there were I would not consider that a purpose - I'd consider it extortion. I repeat Sagan "If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal." 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin webmdave Posted September 22, 2020 Admin Share Posted September 22, 2020 You may want to read Viktor Frankl's book, Man's Search for Meaning: https://exploringyourmind.com/the-meaning-of-life-according-to-viktor-frankl/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted September 22, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 22, 2020 4 hours ago, Freed said: I'll be dead soon Does death have a purpose? Does it have a meaning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 I know HOW I was made. Just not WHY? As far as death goes for a purpose. I dunno? If I knew I wouldn't have posted this topic. Everyone has to die someday. I guess I'll start making my up my own purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LogicalFallacy Posted September 23, 2020 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Freed said: I know HOW I was made. Just not WHY? Because your parents wanted a baby. That's about the extent of the "why". You are imposing purpose into your existence, but apart form your parents wanting a baby there is no apparent why. Sometimes why questions simply don't make sense. Richard Dawkins on asking why: 1 hour ago, Freed said: As far as death goes for a purpose. I dunno? If I knew I wouldn't have posted this topic. Everyone has to die someday. Yep. We die because of entropy. Embrace it, and live your life to the fullest. (Fullest being whatever that means for you) 1 hour ago, Freed said: I guess I'll start making my up my own purpose. Exactly! Now you are beginning to understand. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ Weezer ◊ Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 This is how I eventually answered the question about purpose. What does every living thing in nature strive to do? Live. (except for humans who sometimes hamper their own health and kill themselves) Join in with mother nature, look at the big picture, and to the best of your ability, help all living things on earth to have the best life possible for the long term. And the first step in this process is like the doctors oath to do your best to do no harm. HA! In my old age I am still working on that first step. And figuring out what is in the best interest of the "whole", over the long haul, will keep you busy the rest of your life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Thanks guys. Answers heeded. It is actually more satisfying to think it is up to me to live life MY way. Not some Sky Guys way. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted September 23, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2020 Take this life and make it your bitch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted September 23, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2020 And don't be afraid to carpe the hell out of some diems. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 16 minutes ago, TheRedneckProfessor said: Take this life and make it your bitch. Oh my gosh. You have no idea how much I love this comment! You men can be so funny! Thanks for the good laugh. And yes I will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 Ugh. Work calls. Gotta go make my pennies. Later folks. Stay safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ DestinyTurtle ◊ Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Your purpose is to love someone or something... you don't need religion to figure that out. Do you have someone in your life you love? Great! A cat? Awesome! Neither? Try exploring art, or trying something new. Art helps me center myself, my emotions, and feel a sense of purpose in my life... but that's me and I might be projecting? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astreja Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Purpose isn't something that comes prefabricated in a gift box. You have to build it yourself, assemble it from your own observations. My purpose is "lifelong acquisition and curation of experiences and knowledge, for the purpose of synthesizing it into new forms and giving it back." Various forms of art, including but not limited to music, painting, sculpture, visual arts, writing, cooking, horticulture, interior design and photography, have been my output channels so far. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disillusioned Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 There's a false dichotomy that's often drawn between atheistic and religious worldviews as they concern questions of purpose and meaning. It's very tempting to think that if there is no ultimate purpose, then there is no purpose. But this is simply false. The assertion that life has no meaning in the absence of God is refuted simply by saying "well, it still means something to me..." More generally, I think it's fairly safe to say that things have meaning only inasmuch as they mean something to someone. They have purpose only inasmuch as they are intended to do something by someone. Certainly the "someone" in both cases is not Jehovah, but so what? That still leaves pretty much everybody else... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freed Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share Posted September 25, 2020 On 9/23/2020 at 11:02 AM, TheRedneckProfessor said: And don't be afraid to carpe the hell out of some diems. Sorry I don't know what this means? I came from under a rock I suppose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LogicalFallacy Posted September 25, 2020 Moderator Share Posted September 25, 2020 37 minutes ago, Freed said: Sorry I don't know what this means? I came from under a rock I suppose? Eh no one understands the professor at times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted September 25, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 25, 2020 https://www.britannica.com/topic/carpe-diem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator TheRedneckProfessor Posted September 25, 2020 Super Moderator Share Posted September 25, 2020 26 minutes ago, LogicalFallacy said: Eh no one understands the professor at times Least of all, himself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrkhoos Posted September 25, 2020 Share Posted September 25, 2020 I have no idea. But if there is such a cosmic purpose, you are already doing it, regardless of your being aware or not. So don't worry about it. For example, a virus is not aware it is being studied in a laboratory but it still is. In order to investigate if there is a purpose you could use psychology/ meditation practices plus science practices. My own personal observation is that sentient lifeforms like humans animals etc are driven by a search for states of what we call "pleasure" and avoiding states of "pain" . Religious people too, look how they talk about Heaven and Hell. Society is a dynamic attempt of harmonizing different pleasure seeking persons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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