Why bother?

Blahness

If everything is temporary, and there is no "afterlife", why bother doing anything at all? It's only temporary, and it'll not impact you in 200 years.


(Note: I'm Pessmogstic, aka if there is a God, I ought to kick him in the nuts.)

selfAdjoint

If everything is temporary and there is no afterlife then why should I care what impacts or doesn't in 200 years, long after I'm gone? Live for the day.

arildno

This is called "to carp the diadem", if I'm not much mistaken.

Orefa

To echo selfAdjoint's "live for the day"... Notice how what is temporary is also right now. Some would say that the past is dead and the future does not even exist yet, so all you have is the present. If you spend it moping, you're squandering resources. Kick yourself hard and pick up a sport, a hobby, a political cause, a philosophical ideal.

A great philosopher from "City Slickers" said it eloquently (paraphrasing):

Jack Palance: "You know what matters in life?"
Billy Crystal: "No."
Palance, raising a single gloved finger: "One thing."
Billy Crystal: "And what is that?"
Pallance: "That's for you to figure out."

Got it? Figure out the one thing that matters in your life. Then go with it.

zoobyshoe

If you wake up one day and realize you exist, without any pre-existing meaning or purpose, why not do something interesting and engaging with that accidental opportunity?

matthyaouw

If you want to spend your limited existance moping around and not bothering to do anything, feel free. I on the other hand am damn well going to make the most of the time I have and enjoy myself.

sid_galt

Why bother? Because your happiness depends on it.

Moonbear

Exactly. Then again, there are people who do spend their lives sitting around doing nothing; what a waste.

Astronuc

Because we are the stewards of today, and we have an obligation to preserve and even improve the world in which we live for our children, our children's children, and so on.

Also, when you find a lifepartner - you will understand.


On a more profound note - when one takes one's last breath - assuming one will be conscious, what will be one's last thought? Upon what life will one reflect? What will one have contributed to the world during one's life? What legacy will one leave behind?

I think my last thought will be of the one most special woman in my life, and hopefully by then, I will have served her well.

arildno

I'd say what a tragedy..

moose

Just in case someday we will be able to live forever in the real world.

machapungo

Your observations grant you a large degree of freedom to do whatever.

tribdog

I know when I was dying my only thought was that I didn't want to die alone. My life didn't pass before my eyes. And there was no light at the end of a tunnel, no dead relatives, no heavenly harps or anything. It was just hot and smelled like bbq.

jimmy p

I like bbq. Can I join you?