Silk Road forums
Discussion => Philosophy, Economics and Justice => Topic started by: valakki on May 24, 2013, 07:26 pm
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I tried to quit using but I was struggling. And i couldn't stay sober. Some hash brownies down the hatch.
Im staying in my parents house, stoned and I told my mother I do drugs. And all she said: "why didn't you bring me some? "jokingly..
A huge weigh has been lifted from my heart.
Breathing feels amazing.
I have always been looking for the reason to live. I have explored my brain, hacked my brain. Creating new realities and new order just to blast it apart again.
I have found answers.
.
What we are, where we come from, where we are going, why we act the way we do.
Are we really conscious?
I see robots driven by genetic commands! programed by others!! swimming in the sea of illusions!
Is it really what my life is all about? I asked myself. being a slave machine?
My whole body is screaming for freedom. Something that never existed and never will. Driving me insane with rage.
Once a friend of mine asked me what I wanted to be if I could be anything. I told him i would like to be a particle. Bouncing all over the galaxy. Dieing and Reforming. A particle affected by nothing. Alone and Free.
No thoughts, no mindfuck. existence and unexistance at the same time. Like death.
My mind expanded. beyond everything I could have ever imagined.
and suddenly everything became clear.
The meaning of my life is to make someone else happy."
Please share your personal stories and views. I dont want to be the center of attention of this thread. I needed to vent and exhale but now I pass the spliff. post whats on your mind. Your own views.
This one is about you!
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Just to live, the best way you can! People make life way more complicated than it needs to be!
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There is no meaning but the meaning you make for yourself. "You" are an illusion generated by various electrical and chemical reactions occurring inside 'your' brain.
Create a meaning for yourself or become complacent with a life of no meaning. Don't let anybody else tell you the meaning of your life- unless, of course, you decide the meaning of your life is to be a little bitch to the opinions of others.
Peace!
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There is no meaning but the meaning you make for yourself. "You" are an illusion generated by various electrical and chemical reactions occurring inside 'your' brain.
Create a meaning for yourself or become complacent with a life of no meaning. Don't let anybody else tell you the meaning of your life- unless, of course, you decide the meaning of your life is to be a little bitch to the opinions of others.
Peace!
This is straight bs. Here you are saying there is no meaning but the one u make for yourself. Two opposites. There is a meaning, and if you don't know it it means you have become lost in a world where you don't even know who you are as an individual. No need to worry because you can always get back on track to who you really are. Hopefully you figure it out before you lose this beautiful life that you have right now!
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This is straight bs. Here you are saying there is no meaning but the one u make for yourself. Two opposites. There is a meaning, and if you don't know it it means you have become lost in a world where you don't even know who you are as an individual. No need to worry because you can always get back on track to who you really are. Hopefully you figure it out before you lose this beautiful life that you have right now!
No matter how many times I reread your post, I have absolutely no idea what you're trying to say.
I'm fairly comfortable with where I am as an individual, that being a non-traditional borderline transvestite musician who holds overtly strong viewpoints that fall into the radical left. I'm also comfortable where I am as a human; I am nothing in the grand scheme of things and for the moment can only conspire to be. Objectively, I'm merely another meat bag among the masses; this doesn't depress me. I'm perfectly complacent being a product of the interactions of energy and its condensed form, matter.
How certain are you that I'm off track on life? Do you know anything of who I am, save for what I've said?
Where is your proof that there is an objective purpose- and why is subjective purpose such an evil, in your eyes?
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Since we're all dying I'd say that the meaning of life is what you make of it.
Try to keep happy by extracting the happiness from whatever the fuck makes you happy, even if it's doing drugs.
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Zvp I can tell by your theory how you feel about life and the type of person you are, It's that simple! I am not going to waste words on this thread and it's not that I don't care to discuss life. It's the only thing I ever talk about! The only thing worth talking about in my opinion. Please don't get me wrong I have been way down on life, to the breaking point. That's where you really find the meaning of life, when you are about to lose it! I have been pronounced deadthis moment in life I am trying to help and show others how to find the bliss that I have achieved. You have to pardon me, threads like this make me incredibly uneasy. I don't under on a hospital bed, and that's where it all came together for me. I don't have words to describe my experience, if I could I can guarantee that it would change many lives. At stand how people don't get life. I do actually understand why, but at the same time I don't. I do know that each person will figure it out eventually, so that's what comforts me.
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What is the meaning of life??
I hate to break it to you but the meaning of life is simple. First is to truly understand what meaning is, too many forget what the word means
Meaning = To state or describe exactly the nature or scope of something
In this case life. What is the nature and scope of human life??
The answer is "Sex"
Everything we do is for procreation. If it were not, we would have died out log ago.
Dont get me wrong, you can come up with all kinds of meanings for your life. However the overall meaning of life, the one that is shared by all humanity, is sex.
;)
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What is the meaning of life??
I hate to break it to you but the meaning of life is simple. First is to truly understand what meaning is, too many forget what the word means
Meaning = To state or describe exactly the nature or scope of something
In this case life. What is the nature and scope of human life??
The answer is "Sex"
Everything we do is for procreation. If it were not, we would have died out log ago.
Dont get me wrong, you can come up with all kinds of meanings for your life. However the overall meaning of life, the one that is shared by all humanity, is sex.
;)
You have the right idea, but it gets more simpler. Humans are not the only ones reproducing. I think we forget that we are a part of nature, that we in face are wild animals that have domesticated ourself and others. The entire world is a living thing and life manifest everywhere on this planet, from humans all the way down to bacteria. The meaning of life when u look at it this ways is all about "sex", you are absolutely right! Live, Fuck, keep living thru offspring! So simple!
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From a conversation with Alan Watts and Timothy Leary:
Timothy Leary: What is the purpose of life?
Alan Watts: That is the question!
Timothy Leary: What do you mean?
Alan Watts: The purpose of life is to ask the question, what is the purpose of life?
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From a conversation with Alan Watts and Timothy Leary:
Timothy Leary: What is the purpose of life?
Alan Watts: That is the question!
Timothy Leary: What do you mean?
Alan Watts: The purpose of life is to ask the question, what is the purpose of life?
Do you think anyone ever gets an answer to this question?
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What is the meaning of life??
I hate to break it to you but the meaning of life is simple. First is to truly understand what meaning is, too many forget what the word means
Meaning = To state or describe exactly the nature or scope of something
In this case life. What is the nature and scope of human life??
The answer is "Sex"
Love is attraction. Attraction is more fundamental to life than even sex. Even inanimate objects are attracted to other objects. Sex is merely a manifestation of the much greater principle of attraction.
Man is not just an animal. He has an animal nature, and in that respect the purpose of his existence is to reproduce, but he also has a divine and spiritual nature. The purpose of existence must be something that applies to all levels, not just the level of his animal nature. Love, which is attraction, the will to unity, is the only principle I can think of that would apply to all levels of human existence.
To say that "sex" is the purpose of life is to debase everything by lowering it to the animal level. But love or attraction is a principle that is manifested in all levels existence, not just on the animal plane.
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What's wrong with the animal level?
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What's wrong with the animal level?
There is nothing wrong with it. But to say that 'sex' is the purpose of life is too restrictive. It excludes too much. It excludes any purpose that is higher than (or outside of) the animal level. It excludes beauty, love (in the higher sense), knowledge, etc, etc. The purpose of life must of course encompass the animal level, but it must also cover that which is beyond the animal level in human nature.
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What's wrong with the animal level?
There is nothing wrong with it. But to say that it is the purpose of life is is too restrictive. It excludes too much. It excludes any purpose that is higher than (or outside of) the animal level. It excludes beauty, love (in the higher sense), knowledge, etc, etc. The purpose of life must of course encompass the animal level, but it must also cover that which is beyond the animal level in human nature.
Well this is the problem when trying to pin life down, there's too much data. I am not saying its all about being animals, I am saying I think we neglect our animal nature too greatly. This type of thinking leads to repressed and unhappy individuals. SR is an example I can use. Countries outlaw certain drugs, but here is a thriving community born of the repression of government laws outlawing certain drugs. Drugs to me are a natural part of life as a human being, I see this in the way all drug laws fail miserably to deter individuals from using drugs.
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From a conversation with Alan Watts and Timothy Leary:
Timothy Leary: What is the purpose of life?
Alan Watts: That is the question!
Timothy Leary: What do you mean?
Alan Watts: The purpose of life is to ask the question, what is the purpose of life?
i like that
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I am not saying its all about being animals, I am saying I think we neglect our animal nature too greatly.
I'd say in our culture we tend to glorify our animal nature, while neglecting our spiritual nature. We live in a very materialistic society that values sensualism, hedonistic pleasure, etc. I am not saying any of these are bad things. I am saying that humans need a balanced life that is not repressive either to our spiritual or to our animal nature. Exclusion of either side of our nature can lead to unhappiness.
The spiritual level is higher than the animal. Our animal nature is a necessary and important part of our nature, but we can reach higher stages of development that are beyond the level of animal programming -- intellection, spirituality, etc. Hedonistic pleasure and sensuality can be very satisfying at one level of development, but they can lead to unhappiness when one is ready to go beyond that level.
The levels of development correspond to maslow's hierarchy of needs:
1. physiological (sex, sleep, food, etc)
2. safety (health, employment, property, etc)
3. love and belongness (friendship, family, sexual intimacy)
4. esteem (self-esteem, achievement, respect of others, etc)
5. self-actualisation (morality, creativity, rationality, etc)
6. self-transcendence (spirituality)
Getting 'stuck' at any one of the stages 1-5 leads to unhappiness. All of one's needs must be satisfied, not just physiological needs.
By 'animal nature', I mean the stage of development corresponding to physiological and safety needs in the above hierarchy.
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I think obviously these ideas are why people turn to religion and i understand why, but in the face of science our universe seems to have little inherent meaning.
there is nothing but harmonious unity between science and religion. i challenge anyone to name a single scientific fact that is in conflict with the central teachings common to all major religions. I see nothing but confirmation of religious scripture in the face of science. For instance, the fact that the universe is fine-tuned for the existence of intelligent life is a pretty solidly established scientific fact which demonstrates that it is vastly more probable that our universe is the result of design than chance. This only reinforces the idea of the existence of a cosmic designer. On scientific grounds alone, belief in God is rationally justified. (This has nothing to do with creationism. The exquisite fine-tuning of the universe is universally accepted in mainstream science.)
but science, though it does not, i think, conflict with religion, should not be regarded the final authority on the ultimate nature of reality. Science has its own limitations. It's main limitation is its "objectivity" -- which actually means inter-subjectivity: in science, data that are shared between experiencing subjects are considered "objective". Sharing the perception that humans have two legs makes it an "objective" observation. In contrast, seeing auras is usually considered "subjective" because this perception is not shared by many people. However, if the majority of people would learn to see auras, auras would become "objective" data that would provide a basis for scientific investigation. Hence, the scientist's state of consciousness influences his perception and limits objectivity in science.
Other limitations include: language and mathematics (reality is a mystery that is beyond words, concepts, numbers, logic, etc. -- to describe reality in terms of words and symbols is to falsify it, even if it useful for certain purposes), rationality (trying to force the universe into a rational model based on the human brain is clearly anthropocentric, and leads to omissions and distortions), empiricism (inner experience is normally excluded from the realm of science, but this exclusion is an unnecessary limitation--inner experience can provide raw data in a 'broad science' view of science), testability (e.g. the string theory and M-theory that are not testable and therefore are considered "unscientific" by many physicists).
But even with its limitations, science is uncovering evidence of the spiritual reality -- quantum-relativistic ideas of an all-pervasive cosmic consciousness or Mind as the ground of existence (eugene wigner), lervin laszlo's concept of the PSI field (akashic field) and his connectivity hypothesis, david bohm's theory of holomovement, sheldrake's morphogenetic fields, the fine-tuning of the universe above mentioned, evidence of paranormal activity, telepathy, precognition, etc.
I think obviously these ideas are why people turn to religion and i understand why, but in the face of science our universe seems to have little inherent meaning. The numbers are staggering- our sun is one of more than 100 billion( with a B) stars in our galaxy, and our galaxy is one of more than 100 billion ( with a B) galaxies that we can see- truly staggering. so really any big picture of universal meaning seems silly to me, but in the end we are given some time and to spend it the best way would seem good- like sharing love being creative and shit like that. but great thread
I fail to see any logical connection between the size of the universe and the existence or validity of meaning and purpose within the universe. In fact, according to physicist Roger Penrose, the odds of our solar system's being formed instantly by random collisions of particles is about 1:1010(60), a vast number. It is vastly more probable that we should be observing a much smaller universe, if that were the case. Observable universes like that are much more plentiful in the ensemble of potential and actual universes than worlds like ours and, therefore, ought to be observed by us if the universe were but one random member of an ensemble of worlds. The fact that we live in a very large universe with billions of stars, etc., is only further evidence that the universe is designed; if the universe evolved by chance, it should be much smaller than it actually is.
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there is nothing but harmonious unity between science and religion ( except for the fact that science must be testable repeatable and falsifiable, )
I said "a scientific fact" that is contrary to the central teachings of religion--i.e. something uncovered about the universe by the scientific method. Testability and falsifiability are methodological -- they are not facts about the universe that science has revealed to us. There is nothing that science has revealed about the universe that is contrary to the central teachings common to all major religions. On the contrary, it seems that the closer we get to reality, the more common ground we find between science and mysticism.
Moreover, religion IS testable and falsifiable through the experience of gnosis. One can become a personal witness to spiritual reality by following the necessary steps and instructions to experience enlightenment, just as one can test whether or not Jupiter has a moon by looking through a telescope. The metaphysical claims of religion are testable hypotheses.
but wait so is religion- thats why there are so many religions and they all get along so well- oh nevermind)
all religions are the same. the reason for apparent religious differences is that the ultimate nature of reality cannot be described in human language, so different cultures develop different symbols, different artistic representations for that Reality, but at the mystical level, all religions are one, all religions are teaching the same thing. clashes of religion are based on misunderstanding. people see only the symbol, and not the Reality that is represented by the symbol, which is not confined to a single religious sect or denomination, but is the common property of all sentient beings. What Jesus taught, what mohammed taught, what krishna taught, what the buddha taught, are all the same -- or rather, they saw the same thing through different cultural lenses. Religious differences are actually cultural differences.
ummmm... ok... sure why not- at least youre not a new age
Correct, I am not New Age. I am a perennialist.
religious zealot who knows shes right and everyone else is wrong.
I don't think everyone else is wrong. In fact, most people would agree with me. The founders of all the major religions of the world agree with me.
but hey yea total evidence, the universe is designed, totally.
the exquisite fine-tuning of the universe does strongly suggest that there is design and purpose in the universe.
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...fuck the "meaning" of life.... what is your purpose?
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hi all,
just follow your nose, have fun, and be nice.
dont worry.
we are one!
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I loved every single answer! and finally some good conversations! thank you for sharing!
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valakii-
thank you for shooting your positive electrons ( he he) into the thread- obviously the meaning of life the universe and everything is pretty heavy and there is the potential for such a discussion to implode into something that is not conducive to the exchange of ideas so i would like to say - thanks to you for the positive vibe
vw
Yeah this is one of the rare threads about life that has not turned into a dogmatic argument between the participants. Kudos to all!
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there is nothing but harmonious unity between science and religion.
What world are you living in?
i challenge anyone to name a single scientific fact that is in conflict with the central teachings common to all major religions.
Oh I see, "central teachings". You're changing the definition of "religion" to suit your purposes. This does not wash. When you say "religion", you will be understood by the overwhelming majority of humanity to be talking about specific religious formations, with specific god personalities, that make myriad specific and demonstrably false claims about the nature of existence. You don't get to conveniently ignore this fact.
I see nothing but confirmation of religious scripture in the face of science.
Of course you don't, you're seeing through the eyeglasses of religion.
For instance, the fact that the universe is fine-tuned for the existence of intelligent life is a pretty solidly established scientific fact which demonstrates that it is vastly more probable that our universe is the result of design than chance.
Patently false. You cannot draw conclusions about the math of the universe. All we are able to know is provided to us already by the information of existence. To say that existence implies design is working in the wrong direction. You have tricked yourself into thinking that mathematics equals design. It is our propensity toward patterns and design that reveal the mathematics of the cosmos, not the other way around.
This only reinforces the idea of the existence of a cosmic designer. On scientific grounds alone, belief in God is rationally justified. (This has nothing to do with creationism. The exquisite fine-tuning of the universe is universally accepted in mainstream science.)
This is ego, sanctified. You are failing to see that the god you are positing can only mean 'all of everything, entirely', i.e. pantheism, and clearly encompasses both the conscious and unconscious. It is simply unreasonable to assign a singular awareness to the concept of all existence, given these parameters.
In addition, let's revisit again the fact that you are changing the definition of the very concepts you are arguing for. When you say "God", humanity understands you as vindicating (or vilifying) highly specific personalities and traditions (YHWH/Allah/Jesus/Elohim), yet you use it in a mysterious and purposefully non-specific way.
1. To do this is to know that you are being misunderstood by your audience.
2. To do this is to admit that all religions are ultimately incorrect about their most dangerous claim–that religion X is the true and exclusive source of all truth
3. Religions still still successfully cling to 2 because thinking like yours allows it to do so
As I have said before in a different thread, religions have simply rigged the game against themselves. They cannot be the exclusive source of all truth they claim to be and exist in a universe where certain questions cannot be answered using language or even at all. QED.
I said "a scientific fact" that is contrary to the central teachings of religion--i.e. something uncovered about the universe by the scientific method.
Here you go again with this "central teachings" nonsense. The fact that you must make this distinction means the religions themselves are ultimately fiction. As long as we allow people who base their thinking upon the unreasonable notion that religion X is non-fiction an equally valued opinion on matters concerning REALITY, we will fail to even begin to address how to go about answering questions of existential importance.
Testability and falsifiability are methodological -- they are not facts about the universe that science has revealed to us. There is nothing that science has revealed about the universe that is contrary to the central teachings common to all major religions. On the contrary, it seems that the closer we get to reality, the more common ground we find between science and mysticism.
Science and some forms of mysticism, yes. Except here's the thing: we can adopt practices for achieving mystical/transcendental experience without leaving the context of scientific thinking. If we cannot answer certain questions yet (or ever), then we LEAVE THEM UNANSWERED until we can figure out a way to answer them reasonably. Religion refuses to do this, which is why it is forever doomed to find itself in conflict with science. Your redefinition of "religion" does not have this problem, but the act of redefining renders your opinion inapplicable to the conversation at hand.
Moreover, religion IS testable and falsifiable through the experience of gnosis. One can become a personal witness to spiritual reality by following the necessary steps and instructions to experience enlightenment, just as one can test whether or not Jupiter has a moon by looking through a telescope. The metaphysical claims of religion are testable hypotheses.
The experiential phenomenon you are calling "gnosis" is necessarily contained within the biology of the brain. To attach literal truth to such experiences, as such, is just a bad idea. We should know better than to expect our brains provide us with a flawless linguistic reproduction of our direct experience of the nature of truth. Here in 2013, in fact, we do know better.
all religions are the same.
This is not true, you know it's not true, and you lose all credibility when you say things like this.
the reason for apparent religious differences is that the ultimate nature of reality cannot be described in human language, so different cultures develop different symbols, different artistic representations for that Reality, but at the mystical level, all religions are one, all religions are teaching the same thing. clashes of religion are based on misunderstanding. people see only the symbol, and not the Reality that is represented by the symbol, which is not confined to a single religious sect or denomination, but is the common property of all sentient beings. What Jesus taught, what mohammed taught, what krishna taught, what the buddha taught, are all the same -- or rather, they saw the same thing through different cultural lenses. Religious differences are actually cultural differences.
Therefore all religions are fiction. As I said above.
Correct, I am not New Age. I am a perennialist.
You're also repurposing language with a consequence of being happily misunderstood.
I don't think everyone else is wrong. In fact, most people would agree with me. The founders of all the major religions of the world agree with me.
Your motivated compatibilism dubs you both a heretic and a zealot. Something of which I suspect you're inwardly quite proud of. You're just so terribly clever, aren't you?
the exquisite fine-tuning of the universe does strongly suggest that there is design and purpose in the universe.
Only to one desperately seeking design and purpose in the universe.
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You seem to be a pretty smart cookie, and I hope you can understand that I point out the flaws in your thinking because I think this. I'll leave you with a favorite formulation of a fun thing to think about, by Douglas Adams:
"imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, "This is an interesting world I find myself in, an interesting hole I find myself in, fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well, must have been made to have me in it!" This is such a powerful idea that as the sun rises in the sky and the air heats up and as, gradually, the puddle gets smaller and smaller, it's still frantically hanging on to the notion that everything's going to be all right, because this world was meant to have him in it, was built to have him in it; so the moment he disappears catches him rather by surprise."
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Fuck bitches, get paper..... :o
Nuh, I'm kidding man... It's simple really, do whatever you have to do to make yourself happy. Find what makes you happy and if you have to be miserable and fight for it for half of your life then so be it, because when you get it and are fully happy all the pain, hate and depression will be gone forever. :)
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This is a great trap for pretentious pseudo-intellectuals to give some worn-out answer.
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This is a great trap for pretentious pseudo-intellectuals to give some worn-out answer.
That's what I'm here for, mate ;)
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This is a great trap for pretentious pseudo-intellectuals to give some worn-out answer.
That's what I'm here for, mate ;)
And maybe I'm a pseudo-intellectual that avoided not giving an answer. :P
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To get to the technological singularity so far superior beings can carry on our legacy across the vast universe
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The thing is , There most be a meaning to life , It is simply not possible that there isnt , In theory its possible , THat it all is there for no reason , But when u go in the deeper picture , Something up there .. is much greater then us ,,, And that my friend , We will know - Or not know , When we go to the next world ? Which might be nothing but numbness and death , Or it might be something we have never expierenced or expected .... Just like many things in life , You know , Sometimes u discover something and you are simply shocked about knowing about it ,,, SO is life , IT will not be known to us , Untill we reach that point .. Where its time ..
Just my 2 cents..
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There is no purpose to life in any way in which the human mind could possibly understand and I feel in some way the fallacy is in the question itself. Alan Watts attempted to come to terms with this problem by proposing the purpose is only to ask the question, rather than to find an answer as if we were to find an answer, whether it be spiritual, religious or otherwise, it'd be rather boring wouldn't it, to know what we need to do? Much of the excitement in life comes from the sharing and growth of knowledge, healthy debate and challenging the status quo.
I believe that the future and the wisdom comes from our children, the younger generation. Right now in society, the older generation believe they have the wisdom, but they do not. Take a room of male pensioners out on a dinner and see what proportion of them are wearing a watch. Now take a room full of teenagers and ask the same question. Teenagers do not wear wrist watches, they don't see the point, it's a single function device in an era where technology and the time surround us, whereas pensioners wear one because they lived in a time where to tell the time you had to wear a watch, even if this time has gone by. This shows how as we grow older, our innate tendencies to question everything we do weakens as we conform to society in some way and so we don't really understand what we take for granted - because we take it for granted. Therefore I have a strong belief that if we are to succeed as a species and a society, we must concentrate our knowledge and wisdom on the youngest generation to not give them assumptions, but to give them the skills to decide for themselves and to make choices, rather than have situations pre-decided for them since it is innovation and individual thinking which has prompted all great movements in society. It is the fallacy that when a carrot has grown in the field, we are happy as it has provided food as it is meant to, yet when a child is born, we somehow believe we must teach them how to be a human, rather than let nature do it's work in a time with the highest suicide rates, depression and mental health disorder rates we've ever had in history.
So what is the purpose to life? I don't believe there is one. We just are and the universe does not owe us any explanation or purpose. We do not ask what is the purpose of cotton, it has not grown to warm us, we have simply used it to our needs but that does not mean that it is growing for that purpose at all - it's just another random gene mutation in a long series of mutations spanning millions of years in evolution. So, is life worth living with no purpose? Definitely. We just have to do what we feel makes us happy and contribute what we can to our survival and that of future generations. Happiness does not need a purpose, neither do we, but that doesn't mean it isn't a great thing to share and enjoy.
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Carl Sagan said "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
If this is the truth about life, then the meaning would be to experience life, as much of it as possible. To see, smell, taste, hear and touch everything you can.
Or alternatively there is no meaning to life at all. SO you are completely free to make your own meaning, do whatever you desire, choose your own meaning and purpose.
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Smoke some DMT, then report back.
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42
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well i honor my existence by thriving for psychological and physical progress, which makes me generally happy.
some religions or spiritual groups define the meaning of life in my opinion too simplistic and on a rational level,
since i do not believe we can find an answer to these questions on a rational level I try to pursue it on a emotional one.
to find deeper sense in existence, I consume various psychedelics or practice various types of meditation.
cheers minchia
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Life is what you make of it,there is no inherent meaning. The biggest thing in my mind is to remember that death is closer every day and not to waste my precious time here. The average person lives for 28,251 days. If you’re 25 years old, you’re roughly one-third of the way through. Are you happy with the way things are going?
On my wall hangs a framed piece of paper with no glass over it. On the paper is a big square divided into tiny blocks — 52 blocks wide, 80 blocks tall. It is called a Memento Mori chart, Memento Mori is latin for : remember that you will die.
My birth date is written on the top left corner. The same date, 80 years later, is on the bottom right of the page. With every week that passes, I take a pen and fill in a block.
A few weeks ago, I finished the 29th row, my 29th year alive.
This is my Memento Mori chart. All the weeks I have lived are in black. All the weeks I hope to live are blank.
Every time I look at this, I remember that I am going to die. And that motivates me to live an incredible life.
" All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change.
There is no way to escape being separated from them.
My actions are my only true belongings.
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
My actions are the ground upon which I stand."
Those lines above are from the 5 Remembrances of Buddhist philosophy.
Here’s what they mean to me: Everything that I have and everyone that I know is going to change, fall apart, and eventually go away. The only thing that matters is how I act right now.
That’s why every time I fill in a block on my Memento Mori chart I take a few minutes to consider how I spent my time that week.
Did I:
…spend it with people I love and care about?
…challenge myself?
…worry about stupid shit?
…do things that made me happy?
…try something new?
Some weeks I realize I frittered away my time on meaningless stuff. Other weeks I smile as I remember all the cool things I did.
But every week, no matter what happened, I think about how I’m creating the story of my life with my actions.
And I’ll be damned if I’m gonna write a shitty story.
" Caretake this moment.
Immerse yourself in its particulars.
Respond to this person, this challenge, this deed.
Quit the evasions.
Stop giving yourself needless trouble.
It is time to really live; to fully inhabit the situation you happen to be in now.
You are not some disinterested bystander.
Exert yourself."
- Epictetus
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There is only one meaning: to reproduce yourself.
I think you will enjoy reading the book "The selfish gene" from the great Richard Dawkins
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well i honor my existence by thriving for psychological and physical progress, which makes me generally happy.
some religions or spiritual groups define the meaning of life in my opinion too simplistic and on a rational level,
since i do not believe we can find an answer to these questions on a rational level I try to pursue it on a emotional one.
to find deeper sense in existence, I consume various psychedelics or practice various types of meditation.
cheers minchia
Cheers, mate. This is a straightforward practical formulation. Always be learning. Always strive to be learning. Reminder yourself that you are never finished.
[...] *really, really, REALLY good stuff [...]
Cheers to you as well, Monty! I will be saving your comment in my bank of shit that is useful for helping people wake up to their lives. Our attentions are writing the stories of our lives every second of every minute of every wakeful moment, and they're doing it with or without the input of self-awareness. As you said, I'll be damned if I'm going to just let it write a shitty story.
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Many times when I am troubled or confused, I find comfort in sitting in my back yard and having a vodka and cranberry along with a quiet conversation with Jesus.
This happened to me again after a particularly difficult day.
I said "Jesus, why do I work so hard?"
And I heard the reply, "Men find many ways to demonstrate the love they have
for their family. You work hard to have a peaceful, beautiful place for your friends and family to gather."
I said: "I thought that money was the root of all evil."
And the reply was, "No, the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Money is a tool; it can be used for good or bad."
I was starting to feel better, but I still had a burning question, so I asked it. "Jesus," I said, " What is the meaning of life? Why am I here?"
He replied, "That is a question many men ask. The answer is in your heart and is different for everyone. I would love to chat with you some more, Senor, but for now, I have to finish mowing your lawn."
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On a somewhat more serious note, I take Jesus' statement to heart. He was asked "what is the greatest commandment?" He answered "to love God, and to love your neighbor as yourself." I interpret "God" to mean this present moment. So I need to love this present moment, and live it to its fullest. Love your neighbor, to me just means the golden rule. As much as possible, treat others the way I want to treated. Beyond that, we live and we die, we might as well make life as interesting as we can.
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Life has no meaning, and the universe is indifferent. It is up to each individual to find meaning and purpose in their own life. Humans are simply one very small aspect of a grand system we call the universe. We came from nothingness and will fade to nothingness once the universe grows cold and decays.The natural state of all matter is entropy, and I find this to be the most eloquent truth there is.
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life is just bullshit 8)
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I ask myself this many times each and every single day. I have no idea what the meaning of life is but I hope at the end time I have a better idea. I probably will and then will realize all the stuff I forgot to do. That's the story of my life. Must be meaning in there somewhere. IDK :(
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I ask myself this many times each and every single day.
You're on the right path, that much is undeniable. Seriously, good for you. Keep pushing forward, and GET OUT OF YOUR FUCKING HOUSE.
I have no idea what the meaning of life is but I hope at the end time I have a better idea. I probably will and then will realize all the stuff I forgot to do. That's the story of my life. Must be meaning in there somewhere. IDK :(
I think you're going to find that you already know more about the meaning of life than you ever would have expected. It's just that it's so ... different than what we could have expected.
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To be happy, plain and simple.
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Life is a bitch, and then you die.
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I ask myself this many times each and every single day.
You're on the right path, that much is undeniable. Seriously, good for you. Keep pushing forward, and GET OUT OF YOUR FUCKING HOUSE.
I have no idea what the meaning of life is but I hope at the end time I have a better idea. I probably will and then will realize all the stuff I forgot to do. That's the story of my life. Must be meaning in there somewhere. IDK :(
I think you're going to find that you already know more about the meaning of life than you ever would have expected. It's just that it's so ... different than what we could have expected.
Thanks abitpeckish, I believe your insight is on the money. Especially "GET OUT OF YOUR FUCKING HOUSE" because this would seem to have made the difference between moving forward and falling deeper. Staying mobile! :)
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Don't let anybody else tell you the meaning of your life- unless, of course, you decide the meaning of your life is to be a little bitch to the opinions of others.
Peace!
+1 ;D
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I think it is to find personal virtue, and to give back from to which you came. And through using the resources around us, we create things of value, through this we find personal virtue.