The Meaning Of Life

[JKG]

I lately have been asking myself what the meaning of life really is.

About two months ago I became interested in Astronomy, reading about the huge universe. We are so tiny, our earth is nothing compared to the sun, our sun is nothing compared to bigger stars, bigger stars are nothing compared to the clusters of stars they are in, clusters of stars are nothing compared to galaxies... And there are so many, many, many galaxies, even clusters of galaxies... We are just on a tiny planet, while there are probably many way more intelligent beings around the universe.

Isn't our existence totally irrelevant compared to the  gigantic scale of the universe? What could my impact be. My impact on humanity will probably be very insignificant. And the impact of humanity will probably be insignificant to the universe too. If our solar system will absorbed into a black whole, nothing is left from us except from the matter.

So I think now that our and my existence is irrelevant. I will have no impact on the universe, and it is unnecessary which impact I will have on my social environment. Since I got this mindset I feel that I became more unhappy. I am not depressed but simply unhappy. This shouldn't be the way I should live my life. I want to be happy. And I found Aristotle’s reasons that being happy is the meaning of life valid.

 

Then I rewatched some other videos from Leo e.g. about the vision for an self-actualized life. These goals he's been talking about seem nice. They could eventually make me happy. But why all this effort? A life purpose could also make me happy, but then I ask myself: what could be my purpose. I don't see a purpose in human life. I am good at maths and physics and love it. I could imagine becoming a physicist but where is the meaning behind that. Isn't it irrelevant to do research when we will have no impact on the universe. I also thought about life purposes like helping people, but these people are irrelevant (I know this sounds bad).

To become happy there is also stuff like friendships, being emotionally  grounded or of course enlightenment. But as long as I am not enlightened I won't become happy without a direction, a purpose in life. But I generally feel that there is no purpose in life.

So my current paradox: Life has no meaning because humanity has no impact on the universe. But the meaning of life is also to become happy. And to become happy I need (as long as I am not enlightened) a purpose in life. But what could this purpose be, if life is meaningless in one way? Is there even a purpose?

[Aldo Marchand]

@quantum I believe life cares a personal meaning that's very peculiar to each individual.

The countries that  we live and the kinds of life experiences we have influences what we recognize to the real meaning of life.

For me life has it´s most important value in fighting for a better future for ourselves and the ones that we love. 

[Brazilian]

I think life doesen't have a meaning,you create your own

[Alexxx]

We are reflection of the whole universe.

It is universe into universe into universe and so on (infinity) Micro and Macro .

But some general point for us might be "the shift of the consciousness"

Evolution throughout Spiritual Development of the human kind,
which would also help us to not destroy the forests and pollute the planet. 
And after we shift on the next level there would be a whole new meaning.

These two are good addition to your thoughts on the subject:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2016 by Alexxx

[JKG]

13 hours ago, Alexxx said:

Evolution throughout Spiritual Development of the human kind,
which would also help us to not destroy the forests and pollute the planet.

So you mean that human kind should develop itself. From Orange to green and then eventually higher, in the way of Spiral Dynamics. Then the purpose of individuals should be to help human kind to develop, helping the people, helping the environment, having a positive impact on the world.

13 hours ago, Alexxx said:

And after we shift on the next level there would be a whole new meaning.

Yeah, maybe developing to yellow. I didn't thought about it that there could arise new meanings. Meanings that we cannot even think about yet.

I had a funny thought yesterday: I could become a hardcore scientist and try to communicate with other intelligent beings in the universe. With those human kind could try to interact and discover the universe even more, build a community of intelligent beings and so on

 

[MonikaBcn]

@quantum you have the impact on entire universe only through force of gravity for example. Einsteins thery says that all time, past and future exist at the same time. Superstring theory says that everything is built of vibrating energy. Enlightened people say the same: we are all one, beings of light, we are love, we are all and nothing at once.

The idea that we exist "by accident" and for no reason seems insane to me. Even man in the sky watching me masturbate seems more believable than this...

Edited February 10, 2016 by MonikaBcn

[JKG]

@MonikaBcn We all are connected together, we are all one... And we (but only our atomic mass) has an influence on everything. I know all of this but there is still something in my mind that says that I am just a tiny tiny tiny tiny thing. My consciousness wouldn't have an influence, doesn't it?

[MonikaBcn]

@quantum Why do you need to have a massive influence to be happy?

Edited February 10, 2016 by MonikaBcn

[JKG]

Honestly, I don't know.

To become super happy I could also move into a little cabin and do just enlightenment work, until I am super enlightened.

[MonikaBcn]

@quantum im not talking about being super happy, just not sad to start with you have this belief, u dont know why, it doesnt serve you. Why dont you get rid of that belief that you need to have an impact. You have your own house/body/family/work and mind to have a massive impact on

[Keyblade Viking]

Bigger =/= Better lol, the purpose of life is really quite simple, create, let the holy spirit work through you and evolve while sharing in each others gardens.

Make art and live in love, that is the ever so fucking "mysterious" (*whooa*) purpose of life lol, don't judge your life by someone else, everything is ultimately one anyway, we all share in one great body (well most people are a cancer trying to break it down but that's how it's suppose to be anyway)

[Guest]

On 10.2.2016 at 4:41 AM, Brazilian said:

I think life doesen't have a meaning,you create your own

 

1 hour ago, Keyblade Viking said:

Bigger =/= Better lol, the purpose of life is really quite simple, create, let the holy spirit work through you and evolve while sharing in each others gardens.

Make art and live in love, that is the ever so fucking "mysterious" (*whooa*) purpose of life lol, don't judge your life by someone else, everything is ultimately one anyway, we all share in one great body (well most people are a cancer trying to break it down but that's how it's suppose to be anyway)

Pure elevation  

[Grandvision]

This idea of "it exists so it must have a purpose, a meaning" only makes sense from a human mind point of view. What created this universe, if it was ever created in the first place (buddhists say it has no begining and no end, hence was never created), most likely doesn't have a human brain to think like we do. So from this "creator" point of view there doesn't have to be a "why".

[FindingPeace]

Interesting topic. I've been contemplating this recently. I had a realisation - what is this human need for meaning and purpose? It is as though we have to find meaning and purpose in everything rather than just 'being' and enjoying everything for what it is.

There is no 'meaning' of life. And no, there really is no valuable contribution yo ucan make to the grand scheme of things. How would you even quantify 'valuable contribution' anyway. 'Value' itself is just a human concept. Life has no inherent value. It is a phenomenon of nature.

This is really our species greatest undoing - this desperate need to find value and meaning in our own existance and everything therein.

This all said, there is no need for nihilistic reactions. Just because there is no inherent meaning or value doesn't mean that we should all just shut down and give up. I actually find it a liberating truth. It means that we don't have to spend our lives suffering as a consequence to our persistance quest for value and meaning. We can be far more accepting of 'what is' and appreciate life more.

Life itself can hold a unique value to you. It can be a meaning in and of itself. I don't care that I'll make no impact, or that I myself have no value. I don't care that there isn't any overall meaning. I am alive and being so allows me to appreciate the beauty of life and nature, of reality. For as long as I am here and able I shall continue to persue that fact alone.

[so here we are]

the only person who is going to tell you the meaning of life is you so it can be whatever you want. ultimately you decide your interpretation.

[so here we are]

You have to realise there is something much deeper looking through your eyes right now and allow yourself to believe it. As soon as you become interested it starts to grow. If someone else can create a God you can create god for yourself and live your own kingdom of heaven in the deepest sense

[Keyblade Viking]

2 hours ago, Grandvision said:

This idea of "it exists so it must have a purpose, a meaning" only makes sense from a human mind point of view. What created this universe, if it was ever created in the first place (buddhists say it has no begining and no end, hence was never created), most likely doesn't have a human brain to think like we do. So from this "creator" point of view there doesn't have to be a "why".

I used to think so as well until I started seeing purpose in every single thing around me and how everything connect with synchronicity and our minds only work when we live in love and otherwise we become blind and suffer from our lies through karma etc etc.

[JKG]

Thanks for all these answers. I think it got me out of this nihilistic mood I had.

I just didn't wanted to work so hard on something that I loose the real world, happiness, truth, enlightenment... out of my mind.

Life has no meaning, I can choose my own meaning and be free. So everything has a meaning. Beautiful

[AHappyTeddyBear]

Life has no objective meaning. We were simply a byproduct of mother nature. The universe doesnt give a damn about anyone of us. 

There can only be a subjective meaning to life:

That is for you to create.

[Maximillien]

One of Leo's Video about the fact that "there is no such thing as me" made me think that there is no need of meening. "Life" is something that "pop'd" out of chaos, forms of live that don't want to live, or can't live, die, it's Evolution. We are the survivors of a long term selection of forms of life. That's why we want to live. That's why your self try to find a meaning, because without meaning, you may have no reason to live. (sorry for my english, I'm French)