For Deep Thinkers ONLY

[lindya]

I like your theory on that! I don't know if the golden part was sarcasim but if it was that was funnny, I hope you don't mind me copying and pasting this somewhere? I woulden't write it off as mine either hehee

 

 

It was only semi sarcastic - and yes, if you can find a context in which to use it feel free to do so. No need to credit lindya from Loveshack either!

 

I had a look to see what wikipedia say about the meaning of life. Obviously there's a fair selection to choose from....but I like this:

 

...to participate in the chain of events which has led from the creation of the universe until its possible end (either freely chosen or determined, this is a subject widely debated amongst philosophers)

 

Get your ticket for life, and be a part of it all!

[HokeyReligions]

There is no meaning to life. Life just is and it doesn't have to have "meaning"

 

Those who want it to find their own meaning. Those who don't need life to have meaning don't go searching for it. We live we die. Whatever happens in between is an individual choice.

[Guest]

In a similar way, that's what I think goes on in life. Existence is meaningless....but to prevent ourselves from going crazy we try to bring some meaning to it. That's why we strive for so many things in our live constantly....whether it is love or money or fame or something

If life is meaningless, then there shouldn't be a problem with going crazy and slaughtering each other.

 

Your premise is an assumption at best, and it may be incorrect.

[Interloper]

You spelt campaign wrong! You clearly do not have the intellect to be in this thread.

 

Yeah i know, i'd had a few DeBeers

[filiasan]

Here is my answer to your question: More or less, no. One has to make their own purpose. Otherwise, it is lost. Still, I think that making your own purpose is far greater than FULFILLING one that's preconceived.

[boshemia]

Let me use a diamond as an analogy. In and of itself, its just nothing but a sparkly hard thing. Yet, people will pay thousands of dollars for this thing that is just nothing but a rock

 

Yet you miss the point, a diamond would be worth nothing if it was just a matter of walking outside and finding one. It's value lies in it's rarity. More importantly the value isn't always in what it is but what it means. To you someone else's diamond means nothing, to an old woman it means memories of her long dead husband, to a daughter it is a symbol of her mothers love, to me it is the only part of marriage that does last forever... it means something different to each of us.

 

You ask for the deeper meaning of life, it's an unfair question. Only you can answer that question for yourself. If all life means to you involves being born, living life and dying then that's all it will ever mean. Nothing more, nothing less...

 

To me life means loving as many people as I can while I am still here and leaving something worthwhile behind when I die. It works for me, and it's a fairly simple plan. I could be totally wrong, I could die and expect to meet the God who created me and find nothingness. My husband could die expecting nothingness and find God. What happens after life is unknown. We all have to figure it out for ourselves and just hope we are right.

 

I don't really care what I find after life... I have my beliefs but they are mine alone. So my question for you is...

 

Do you believe in life before death?

[luvstarved]

OK here's my two cents: not enough to buy a diamond but...

 

First of all, your assertion has been asserted thousands of times before. Welcome to Philosophy 101. The half empty glass here is nihilism and the half full could be existentialism, though either can be interpreted in a negative or positive way.

 

My thoughts on the subject are quite simple. I am a deist. That's one notch above agnostic. Yeah, there is a God, but we don't know any more than that. So rather than break our brains trying to figure him out, which we are inherently incapable of, we should focus on the earthly and human realms and trust that everything outside of that is out of our hands, but presumably in good hands!

 

The bottom line in terms of meaning is, this life is all we know and all we have. We have been given life to do with what we choose. There is no other experience or knowledge from which we can draw. You can think yourself past the pinky toe of Pluto and you won't get any more of an answer than that. Does it mean something? It does to me. And that's the full scope of my ability to say there is meaning: there is if I think there is.

[UnknowingOW]

Actually, o deepest of thinkers, this topic has been discussed many times on LS. However the topic starters tended not to assume inanity on the part of the audience and therefore some very interesting discussions ensued.

 

Note to all self-styled geniuses: invariably, people who proclaim their great intellect on LS then go on to disprove their own statement by making grand pronouncements in pitiful prose fraught with errors in spelling and grammar.

 

There's a saying:

 

 

 

Wait a sec... Think of all the great ones who weren't afraid to put the idea out there and then find a way to support it?

 

Who thought Darwin was for real?

 

And if it spelling and grammar were needed to become a doctor...well, have you ever tried to read their documentation before the editing beings?

[UnknowingOW]

Enough about the diamonds...they are not the most precious stone, but DeBeers certainly has everyone convinced of it.

[blind_otter]

 

Who thought Darwin was for real?

 

 

Alfred Russel Wallace.

 

Who wrote a letter to Darwin about his theories, and subsequently Darwin suddenly decides to publish a paper that contained a lot of Wallace's theories.

 

The poor guy never gets any credit.

[TheSilentType]

Actually, o deepest of thinkers, this topic has been discussed many times on LS. However the topic starters tended not to assume inanity on the part of the audience and therefore some very interesting discussions ensued.

 

Note to all self-styled geniuses: invariably, people who proclaim their great intellect on LS then go on to disprove their own statement by making grand pronouncements in pitiful prose fraught with errors in spelling and grammar.

 

There's a saying:

 

 

 

It's funny....I never recalled seeing your post before. This has happened to me before, where old posts would all of a sudden pop up in a thread. Don't know why this is happening.

 

Anyways, I never proclaimed to be a genius, but I'm taking steps to get there . All I do take credit for is thinking a little harder than most people on issues like this, and not accepting the "just because" arguments typically tossed around by religious folk.

 

I'm not sure why you posted...but debate the point, not the person It says a lot about the strength of my argument that you choose to offer criticism about me instead of what I have proposed.

 

As far as I'm concerned, no one has really refuted my original premise that life is in of itself meaningless....the only meaning that it has it what we have chosen to give it in an effort to give ourselves some piece of mind

[serial muse]

Enough about the diamonds...they are not the most precious stone, but DeBeers certainly has everyone convinced of it.

 

not the most precious, perhaps, but the hardest of all.

 

yet fundamentally unstable when not at incredibly high pressures. given enough time, even diamonds will fall apart and tumble into graphite.

 

how's that for deep? :-P

[blind_otter]

As far as I'm concerned, no one has really refuted my original premise that life is in of itself meaningless....the only meaning that it has it what we have chosen to give it in an effort to give ourselves some piece of mind

 

I posted about this earlier in the thread but realized that it was a little dense and verbose which made the point difficult to understand.

 

But I think that this is a chicken/egg question. I have to wonder whether the great minds of the human race just found their purpose -- or whether they actually DID tap into something greater than themselves.

 

And perhaps it is the inability to tap into something greater than ourselves that leads to the cultivation of a truely admirable intellect.

[lindya]

Anyways, I never proclaimed to be a genius, but I'm taking steps to get there . All I do take credit for is thinking a little harder than most people on issues like this, and not accepting the "just because" arguments typically tossed around by religious folk.

 

Without wishing to sound critical, there's no evidence of you thinking very deeply about this issue at all. You've presented no detailed, intellectually challenging theories about this...just a very basic statement that life has no meaning.

 

As far as I'm concerned, no one has really refuted my original premise that life is in of itself meaningless....the only meaning that it has it what we have chosen to give it in an effort to give ourselves some piece of mind

 

So essentially you're looking for other people to put time and effort into formulating theories that you can either reject or get some level of mental stimulation from. This may be partly why Outcast was critical in her post. It's like announcing that you're going to throw the best party of all time...then asking the guests to sort out the location, food, drink and entertainment.

 

Here's my bottle of wine: Do you agree that there is such a thing as life? If life exists, then it is something that can be defined in basic terms. For instance, all living things consume water and nutrients. There's one definition, or meaning - if you like - of living. Purpose of living things? Well, amongst other things...plants create oxygen which sustains other forms of life - who, in turn, create carbon-dioxide which the plants need.

 

So you now have both meaning and basic purpose. You want higher purpose? Maslow's hierarchy of needs can give you some answers in terms of human drives, instincts and goals. As we satisfy basic needs, we develop more sophisticated needs (eg for knowledge, fulfilling relationships and a sense of purpose). Most of us define success in life in terms of continually identifying needs and finding ways to have those needs met.

 

The alternative to all this would be nothingness. If life and an empty void are equal in value (which, again, is what you imply when you claim that life has no meaning) then why are you yourself so anxious to fill voids? You've started many threads here, and the only possible explanations I can think of

 

a) Getting responses to your questions will provide you validation from others that you exist

b) You want to hear people's ideas and opinions.

 

Either way, starting a thread on Loveshack shows that you would prefer to spend 5 minutes writing or reading a post than staring at the walls with no thoughts in your head. If you really believe that life has no meaning, then why - like everyone else - would you bother to search for ways to fill voids in your time with activities that stimulate you?

 

Just as you seek to fill voids, so does nature. You're here for the same reason as an insect is. To get a shot at existing and to assist nature in filling the void. You just happened to get luckier than the insect in being further up on the food chain and being given more opportunities (and time) to have a stimulating life.

[magichands]

I've just brought a big plastic bottle of Diet Coke, but everyone knows it's the thought that counts.

 

I really like lindya's post. All of it. I was going to hang out here in the corner, put a lampshade on my head, and listen - but lindya has inspired me to try some mingling. Here goes.

So you now have both meaning and basic purpose. You want higher purpose? Maslow's hierarchy of needs can give you some answers in terms of human drives, instincts and goals. As we satisfy basic needs, we develop more sophisticated needs (eg for knowledge, fulfilling relationships and a sense of purpose). Most of us define success in life in terms of continually identifying needs and finding ways to have those needs met.

As far as I'm concerned, no one has really refuted my original premise that life is in of itself meaningless....the only meaning that it has it what we have chosen to give it in an effort to give ourselves some piece of mind

Well, I can't help but think what a privileged position you are in to be contemplating your navel. And that perhaps you would be a lot happier if you didn't know where your next cheeseburger is coming from.

 

I get the distinct impression that your view is being cluttered by a crust of lint...can you get a cotton swab, and some rubbing alcohol, and have a good clean out down there?

 

Oh crap...I just knew I should have stayed under that lampshade. (Although it did hurt when that idiot tried to pull my f*cking nose off. Not too bright, that one.)

[calalily]

I have to agree with previous posters, in that it seems to be pointless to make a thread asking for meaning if you think there is no meaning.

 

My personal perspective is that if you remove religion from the equation, there is still some sort of meaning in life. The impact that you leave on fellow humans is enough, and on the Earth itself. We have the example of Hitler - no longer here, but he impacted on the world in a terrible and huge way. We also have the example of Death Valley, in the US made so by tree felling by the Native Americans. We can impact on meaning for others who come after us, and the messages that we leave behind will be the boon or curse to others after us.

 

There are various theories of ethics to suit an explanation of the meaning of life - utilitarianism, virtue ethics etc.

 

Personally, I think that there is at the core of my beliefs that even if religion is wrong, created solely by the prefrontal cortex, there is a meaning of life. That is that against all odds, all adversity, life is persistent, and will not allow itself to be wiped out. Life has struggled through many periods of almost annihilation, but continues to strive. The dinosaurs were wiped out, yet little shrews and other mammals survived that terrible period to go on and evolve into mammalian life, and eventually us.

[2sunny]

piece of mind OR peace of mind???? just wondering - in my little brain that works differently than others...

 

not to say I am brilliant, I just think differently than others....

[Bogun]

So here is my simple question.....

 

Do you think there is any point or great meaning to our existence?

 

My answer: NO

Where was the simple question?? That one is too hard. But I'll my 5.5 cents into the mix.....

 

You're basing your question on two premises. One that there is, or is not a meaning to our existence. And secondly that there is existence. Someone somewhere said that the world/existence is a creation of your own mind.

 

 

Now to a more interesting topic. Anyone else think Ripples is hot? I want a threesome with Ripples and Lindya.

[lindya]

Now to a more interesting topic. Anyone else think Ripples is hot? I want a threesome with Ripples and Lindya.

 

There's a fine example of someone creating his own meaning in life.

[A beginner]

Hi, just browsing, and by 'happenstance' landed on this thread.

 

My first response: I think that the meaning of life is to find yourself.

I understand what you are asking, but hard to put it to words. I myself 'am going throug this question. I see the whole diamont theory, and of how we make purpose for ourselves.

 

I think that we live in the mind too much, so maybe living life instead of inspecting it is a meaning we should look at, but find it unsatisfactory. We know that its more to it than that. So I believe.

 

I think that there really isn't a meaning to life, it is just the fact that we have senses to aid in our curiosity, and the fact that our brain is so complex, with ability to comprehend and process so much data.

 

A meaning of life could possibly be to just exist, and experience; OR to undergo a change of evolution; OR to learn, discern, exercise, and exploit our senses.

 

Lastly, I think that the meaning of life is simply to evolve to a higher state of consciousness so as to know what truly makes us who we are, in other words to search within us what our life is made up of. <---microcosm.

The macrocosm meaning is to become one with ourselves, by what I mean by this is to somehow share the experience of everyone else and try to get to the level of life where we are all one....I think , i dunno. I'm a beginner at this.

[A beginner]

Without wishing to sound critical, there's no evidence of you thinking very deeply about this issue at all. You've presented no detailed, intellectually challenging theories about this...just a very basic statement that life has no meaning.

 

 

 

So essentially you're looking for other people to put time and effort into formulating theories that you can either reject or get some level of mental stimulation from. This may be partly why Outcast was critical in her post. It's like announcing that you're going to throw the best party of all time...then asking the guests to sort out the location, food, drink and entertainment.

 

Here's my bottle of wine: Do you agree that there is such a thing as life? If life exists, then it is something that can be defined in basic terms. For instance, all living things consume water and nutrients. There's one definition, or meaning - if you like - of living. Purpose of living things? Well, amongst other things...plants create oxygen which sustains other forms of life - who, in turn, create carbon-dioxide which the plants need.

 

So you now have both meaning and basic purpose. You want higher purpose? Maslow's hierarchy of needs can give you some answers in terms of human drives, instincts and goals. As we satisfy basic needs, we develop more sophisticated needs (eg for knowledge, fulfilling relationships and a sense of purpose). Most of us define success in life in terms of continually identifying needs and finding ways to have those needs met.

 

The alternative to all this would be nothingness. If life and an empty void are equal in value (which, again, is what you imply when you claim that life has no meaning) then why are you yourself so anxious to fill voids? You've started many threads here, and the only possible explanations I can think of

 

a) Getting responses to your questions will provide you validation from others that you exist

b) You want to hear people's ideas and opinions.

 

Either way, starting a thread on Loveshack shows that you would prefer to spend 5 minutes writing or reading a post than staring at the walls with no thoughts in your head. If you really believe that life has no meaning, then why - like everyone else - would you bother to search for ways to fill voids in your time with activities that stimulate you?

 

Just as you seek to fill voids, so does nature. You're here for the same reason as an insect is. To get a shot at existing and to assist nature in filling the void. You just happened to get luckier than the insect in being further up on the food chain and being given more opportunities (and time) to have a stimulating life.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh how interesting. sounds like you described me. haha.

i think I agree with what you said.

To me Life and Void are equal in value. as someone put it, if u were to die today, the world would still go on. well, that would prove that existence of thyself, is as meaningful as well as un-meaningful as the void. It just so happens that one is called the void and the other life.

Although I don't think its filling voids, I think its more like comprehension of such two articles that is what is being asked. It is like being inside the shell, but knowing that there's an outside of the shell type of thing.

[Wax Lyrical]

If life is nothing more than a series of chemical reactions, then the meaning of life is to sustain those chemical reactions until such time as they cannot be sustained.

 

But if life is more than mere chemical reactions, then you'll need to first define what life is before you can begin to suppose its purpose.

[Guest]

I'm looking for the thoughts of the deep thinkers and non-religious people out there on the following issue...I know there's atleast one of you out there...so I'd like to hear your view.

 

 

 

So basically, you can't be religious and a deep thinker? WOW, I wish I'd known that earlier, would have saved me SO many years of thinking myself into many many dark places!!

[Ariadne]

Oh,

 

What if I'm not a deep thinker?

 

Your life has the same meaning as the life of a grass or a zebra. What is the meaning of a grass? Maybe it has a purpose, to be a part of a whole, but that's it.

 

(I just don't know why men need to make all this stuff though, must be another purpose, make stuff haha)

 

Ariadne

[maoserr]

Point or great meaning:

 

The point of life is to figure out the point of life. That's my opinion.