Searching for Meaning: The Point of Life

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The discussion centers on the search for meaning in life, with a focus on the idea that life may ultimately be about simply living rather than achieving lasting significance. The author reflects on the monotony of existence and questions the value of entertainment as a distraction from the inevitability of death. They express a desire for deeper philosophical conversations, feeling frustrated by the lack of engagement from peers. The conversation touches on the notion that awareness of life's lack of inherent purpose can lead to freedom and a focus on the present. Ultimately, the author seeks insights and perspectives to help navigate their existential inquiries.
  • #31
Pianoman14 said:
I agree--the existence of truth can be argued, but when the smoke clears, ultimate standards are a matter of faith. There is no way to *prove* that there is no God or that there is a God. The question is, "What is the most reasonable faith?"
The real question is why do some people need faith and other's don't?

Aetheists lack faith, they simply do not believe in the imaginary things others believe in. This has been discussed before. Not going to be discussed again.

About the statement that no one can exist without a religion:
Merriam Webster's 11th Collegiate Dictionary defines religion as, "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith". Everyone I have interacted with holds to their beliefs fairly strongly, so, according to the definition above, that counts as a religion
Religion counts as a religion? Ok, I'll buy that. Your statement
no one can exist without a religion
Is wrong, as Chi mentioned.

We already had the discussions from people that don't understand what atheism is, and we're not doing it again. Thanks.
 
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  • #32
lisab said:
An excellent plan :approve:.
Except in cases where police will become involved or breaking forum guidelines, cheating on school tests, ticking off that big guy with the gun in the back of the bar...
 
  • #33
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  • #34
Evo said:
]
We already had the discussions from people that don't understand what atheism is, and we're not doing it again. Thanks.

Are you writing as a moderator or as a poster that doesn't want to discuss this? (I don't want to break the rules, but the intent of your post is a little unclear to me here)
 
  • #35
Pianoman14 said:
Are you writing as a moderator or as a poster that doesn't want to discuss this? (I don't want to break the rules, but the intent of your post is a little unclear to me here)
As a moderator who has to close all of the threads that claim to know things about people they don't know.

When joining in as a member, I would not give instructions, I would simply participate in the discussion.
 
  • #36
Evo said:
As a moderator who has to close all of the threads that claim to know things about people they don't know.

When joining in as a member, I would not give instructions, I would simply participate in the discussion.

Point taken. I won't discuss Christianity or intelligent design any more.
 
  • #37
Pianoman14 said:
Point taken. I promise not to discuss creationism or intelligent design any more.
Thanks, as those two areas of religion violate our religious discussion guidelines.
 
  • #38
Evo said:
Except in cases where police will become involved or breaking forum guidelines, cheating on school tests, ticking off that big guy with the gun in the back of the bar...

If I believe that I am right in doing something that to me needs to be done, I stick with my first belief. I can apologize later, I am not going to be railroaded into doing something because of fear of reprimand or imprisonment. I broke the forum rules my first post because I failed to read them thoroughly and I am new to internet guidlines, I am pretty sure there is an ettiquite I will figure out. I broke the rule, I was told it was against the rule. I apologize, meaning that what I did will not happen again from me. I never cheat because I don't believe getting a grade without putting in the effort to learn the material is a waste of my time and I value mine. Ticking off the big guy with the gun in the back of the bar...well what am I doing in that type of place.. I knew the type of person I was hanging around in the first place, when he's about to pull the trigger...Responsibility can never be shucked..I actually think its fun when I get punched in the face for doing something I thought was right. Beats getting punched in the face for leaving my life to random chance and getting random results.
 
  • #39
mentor, not trying to be difficult, but you quoted someone who said christianity when he said creationism...if he said the wrong word, its still his wrong word. If he said it to mean something differently entirely, please make sure his point is not lost. Just a slippery slope if I was asked.
 
  • #40
Kentoro said:
mentor, not trying to be difficult, but you quoted someone who said christianity when he said creationism...if he said the wrong word, its still his wrong word. If he said it to mean something differently entirely, please make sure his point is not lost. Just a slippery slope if I was asked.
I don't undersatnd any of what you said.

I used the autoquote, so it captured what he originally posted.
 
  • #41
Kentoro said:
mentor, not trying to be difficult, but you quoted someone who said christianity when he said creationism...if he said the wrong word, its still his wrong word. If he said it to mean something differently entirely, please make sure his point is not lost. Just a slippery slope if I was asked.

If you edit a post in the first few minutes after you create it, the edit isn't noted. So I believe what happened was Pianoman14 edited his post immediately after posting it, but Evo quoted it before the edited version came up.
 
  • #42
Kentoro said:
If I believe that I am right in doing something that to me needs to be done, I stick with my first belief. I can apologize later, I am not going to be railroaded into doing something because of fear of reprimand or imprisonment.
I don't doubt that you get punched in the face a lot if you act irresponsibly. Part of becomming mature and acting as a responsible part of society is finding out what is aceptable and abiding by the rules that society has chosen. Doing whatever you feel like doing at the moment then saying you're sorry is antisocial behavior at best, illegal and/or dangerous at worse.
 
  • #43
lisab said:
If you edit a post in the first few minutes after you create it, the edit isn't noted. So I believe what happened was Pianoman14 edited his post immediately after posting it, but Evo quoted it before the edited version came up.

That's exactly what happened--I realized I used the wrong word. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
 
  • #44
When ever I see this question come up I always think of Harry Nilsson's movie "The point". :approve:
 
  • #45
Evo said:
ticking off that big guy with the gun in the back of the bar...

I used to like that. I was always the smaller guy, but I always had a bigger gun. :devil:
 
  • #46
"It happens that the stage sets collapse. Rising, street-car, four hours in the office or the factory, meal, street-car, four hours of work, meal, sleep, and Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday and Saturday according to the same rhythm—this path is easily followed most of the time. But one day the "why" arises and everything begins in that weariness tinged with amazement. "Begins"—this is important. Weariness comes at the end of the acts of a mechanical life, but at the same time it inaugurates the impulse of consciousness. It awakens consciousness and provokes what follows. What follows is the gradual return into the chain or it is the definitive awakening"

Congratulations! Welcome to The Absurd! Now you can go kill yourself, create a system to provide meaning for your life, or you can enter a state of revolt. And of course you can always "return to the chain"

In the meantime you may want to check out

"The Myth of Sisyphus"-Albert Camus (Which is where the quote above came from)
"The Stranger"- Albert Camus
Kierkegaard
Nietzche
Gabriel Marcel
 
  • #47
Evo said:
I don't doubt that you get punched in the face a lot if you act irresponsibly. Part of becomming mature and acting as a responsible part of society is finding out what is aceptable and abiding by the rules that society has chosen. Doing whatever you feel like doing at the moment then saying you're sorry is antisocial behavior at best, illegal and/or dangerous at worse.

Sometimes what is needed by man or even society, goes against the rules society has set. Not to mention that society can be manipulated against people in certain cases. (Socrates' death) I try to live my life up to the standards of the wise, not the many. There are some rules that stand in the way of change that needs to take place. Sometimes mankinds responsiblity is to accept the consequences of an action regardless if he knows it is against laws already set in place. If I made it against the law to feed the homeless, there are those that might concede to me believing me to be righteous. There will always be men who decide to fight. I know my example was a gross exaggeration, but each day there are more laws set into place that if one were to examine, might see a pattern emerging.
 
  • #48
JDStupi said:
In the meantime you may want to check out

"The Myth of Sisyphus"-Albert Camus (Which is where the quote above came from)

I've had enough problems with Sisyphus in my life without having to read about it.

Oh, wait... isn't that supposed to be spelled differently?
 
  • #49
i live in the desert with few distractions so i have enough patients to wait and see our purpose in life if we have one.
 
  • #50
Why should there be a meaning to life? I think it's enough to give your life meaning.

And @Kentoro: doing what you want to do and then apologising afterwards makes you a *editied comment* and I really wonder why you've been in jail. I think the mature approach is to find out what is acceptable and what might hurt other people before doing whatever you want to do.
 
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  • #51
Nihilism is the answer. Embrace subjective purpose; destroy objective purpose and empty value systems (but not violently please, I don't want my babies getting hurt).
 
  • #52
Eat, have children, and be eaten. I was 5 when the Salk vaccine came out and at that time, his name was a household word. I don't know how widespread the knowledge of his name is now, but it is unlikely that I will forget it.
 
  • #53
Yes, children are delicious! Wait, what?
 
  • #54
Pythagorean said:
Yes, children are delicious!
They never seem to agree with me.
 
  • #55
collinsmark said:
'Reminds me of Today's Abstruse Goose:

[PLAIN]http://abstrusegoose.com/strips/how_many_pop_culture_references_can_you_identify.PNG

From URL: http://abstrusegoose.com/317"

Maybe life is really just an illusion.

But goddamn, it had me fooled.
 
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  • #56
MathematicalPhysicist said:
Maybe life is really just an illusion.

But goddamn, it had me fooled.
What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet. - Woody Allen
 
  • #57
Jimmy Snyder said:
What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet. - Woody Allen

In that case, you didn't pay for it.
 
  • #58
Jimmy Snyder said:
What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet. - Woody Allen

I flirted with Solipsism for a while as a teenager, but then I realized that I would have no one to talk to if it was right.
 
  • #59
Danger said:
I flirted with Solipsism for a while as a teenager, but then I realized that I would have no one to talk to if it was right.

That's funny. I don't think being a solipsist has any impact. I'm not a solipsist and I'm usually right, but I have no one to talk to anyway.

EDIT: That joke is actually pretty good if you take the time to understand it.
 
  • #60
Danger said:
I flirted with Solipsism for a while as a teenager, but then I realized that I would have no one to talk to if it was right.
Everyone is a solipsist, aren't they?
 

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