Is there actually any point to life?

[Davetello]

If you think about it from a nihilistic point of view, existence is utterly meaningless and has no intrinsic value. The core reason for life seems to be to procreate and 'continue the species', but what is it that we're actually continuing? What's the point of humanity going on just for its own sake? Particularly when so many humans tend to be very scummy people? Apparently we are here to foster relationships with friends and family members, but most people don't even like each other anyway.

We've become a sentient species, and we are capable of fantastic things. But much of our energies seem wasted - what's really the point of building skyscrapers which rise thousands of feet into the air? What's the point in running around a field or a court kicking or throwing a ball? Is watching films really of any substantial merit?

Despite my comments on how meaningful I find the turtles, it certainly isn't of a high enough level for me to consider it a counter-argument to wiping out our species. If an asteroid was due to hit Earth and send us the way of the dinosaurs, it would probably be for the best. I'd feel pretty relieved, to be honest. We've destroyed this beautiful planet, and we treat each other with absolute contempt - the social stratification which is a major part of our societies is actually unforgivable, and calls into question the claim that we are an enlightened species. There's something highly repugnant about living in a society where some people can't afford to eat or drink, but others live in mansions composing of sixty empty rooms. It truly is reprehensible.

I enjoy things day to day on a micro level, but on a macro level I know this world will always be rotten. In a sense I really can't wait until I hit my 70s or 80s and expire (assuming I don't die before then). I don't really believe in religion or an afterlife so that will be it for me, and I won't have to think about the absolute fcking state of this planet economically, socially or environmentally. And I won't have to feel dislike for my fellow man and woman.

I realise this is a fairly heavy thread, but what is the actual point? Why do we even exist?

People who make comments like I have here are derided as crazy or deeply troubled - their arguments are overlooked and the focus is turned on to their psychological well-being. And, somewhat ironically, that's yet another reason I have a problem with humanity and hope we are eliminated.

[snake]

Deep. So deeeeeeeep.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by snake

Deep. So deeeeeeeep.

Yes, someone opens up a question for debate and all you can offer is sarcasm. I bet you felt very smug when you typed your utterly witless, unoriginal and generic response.

Actually, strike that, I didn't know you were just a young boy. But still, that doesn't grant you license to go around mocking people.

[pandaderek]

I think people have obligations to each other, which gives life meaning. Humans are social beings and love is important to them, otherwise, their life feels like **** when they don't receive any. Especially, if you have kids, they need to feel loved. The love of oneself is, just, as important, but, only compliments the love from another. I'm not talking sex, I'm talking about the sense of feeling wanted or needed. When people lose that, they have nothing that is worth living for.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by pandaderek

I think people have obligations to each other, which gives life meaning. Humans are social beings and love is important to them, otherwise, their life feels like **** when they don't receive any. Especially, if you have kids, they need to feel loved. The love one oneself is, just, as important, but, only compliments the love from another. I'm not talking sex, I'm talking about the sense of feeling wanted or needed. When people lose that, they have nothing that is worth living for.

That's true. But the point I am making is that we only feel these things because we exist in the first place. They're a part of our existence, but they don't justify its ends. They're not really a reason for existence, but more a by-product of existing.

[CyberCubed]

Unless humans die off from disease or an asteroid, we'll probably go on for another million years.

The only 100% extinction is when the sun goes supernova and expands to destroy the Earth, but that's millions of years by now. By then humans might find a way to leave the Solar system and colonize other Earth-like worlds.

Sci-fi has already shown us the future of the human race, sans all the aliens I guess.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Unless humans die off from disease or an asteroid, we'll probably go on for another million years.

The only 100% extinction is when the sun goes supernova and expands to destroy the Earth, but that's millions of years by now. By then humans might find a way to leave the Solar system and colonize other Earth-like worlds.

Sci-fi has already shown us the future of the human race, sans all the aliens I guess.

Can't see humanity lasting that long, not with the way we are quickly degrading the planet and exhausting natural resources.

It's a race against the clock to find and colonise the other worlds you mention. But human beings aren't intelligent enough to do it in time.

[pandaderek]

Originally Posted by Davetello

That's true. But the point I am making is that we only feel these things because we exist in the first place. They're a part of our existence, but they don't justify its ends. They're not really a reason for existence, but more a by-product of existing.

But, that assumes that everything is fixed, where the meaning of things can't be changed.

You're speaking from an objective view where meanings exists in nature, it's fixed. I'm speaking from an objective view, where all beings could agree. It's socially objective (and relative to living beings) because all beings would agree, not because it's something that exists within nature.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by pandaderek

But, that assumes that everything is fixed, where the meaning of things can't be changed.

You're speaking from an objective view where meanings exists in nature, it's fixed. I'm speaking from an objective view, where all beings could agree. It's socially objective (and relative to living beings) because all beings would agree, not because it's something that exists within nature.

You make good and thought-provoking points, but the idea of being reaching a consensus is too fanciful. Technically speaking, equality, harmony, fairness, and ultimately a utopia-like society is achievable, in fact it probably wouldn't even be that difficult to manage. But human beings are far too petty and far too obsessed with what separates us (religion, class, colour etc) than what actually links us together.

On the more philosophical point you are getting at - I just can't see how life can be argued to have substantial meaning, even in a better society. It just doesn't really seem like living is something which is worth holding onto - there is too much wrong with life and not enough right.

[Powder]

Aside from the one you assign yourself, probably not.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Davetello

Can't see humanity lasting that long, not with the way we are quickly degrading the planet and exhausting natural resources.

It's a race against the clock to find and colonise the other worlds you mention. But human beings aren't intelligent enough to do it in time.

Look at the difference between where we are now and back what we were in the year 1900. In only a little over a 100 years the world has changed dramatically.

The world changes dramatically every decade now, what we have now was science fiction back in the 80's. This isn't like how stagnant the world was for years back in the ancient past.

I can certainly imagine by the year 2050, and I hope most of us are still alive by then, will see a totally different world than what we have now. Let alone the year 5,000.

[Jester]

There's got to be more to life than chasing down every temporary high...

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by Powder

Aside from the one you assign yourself, probably not.

Yes, that probably sums it up well. It's subjective to a person, and if someone really finds purpose and happiness in how they operate day to day, week to week, year to year, then that really is all that matters. But on the objective and philosophical level, I have to wonder if they're lying to themselves, or perhaps just blissfully unaware of the greater issues.

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Look at the difference between where we are now and back what we were in the year 1900. In only a little over a 100 years the world has changed dramatically.

The world changes dramatically every decade now, what we have now was science fiction back in the 80's. This isn't like how stagnant the world was for years back in the ancient past.

I can certainly imagine by the year 2050, and I hope most of us are still alive by then, will see a totally different world than what we have now. Let alone the year 5,000.

While I see your point, and I liked your 'glorious time period' topic, I do feel you overestimate humanity and its progress. Much has changed, particularly technologically, but you're too focused on that sort of thing. In terms of science and medicine things haven't progressed at close to the same rate. As for technology, the fact that I am able to talk to you live from thousands of miles away - that's a fantastic thing (although a double-edged sword), but it's really an outcome of imperialism. As the world was colonised by empire and links were forged, even after the dissolution of these empires the next natural step was a globalised interconnected world. And part of that was using technological geniuses to create things such as the telegraph, the telephone, air travel, television and - ultimately - the internet.

I would argue that while technology is a fantastic thing in terms of being able to create it, it isn't actually something which had a radical and inspired idea over. In a sense, people didn't create a globalised technological community because it came to them in some sort of inspired vision, but moreso because it was the next natural (and necessary) step in connecting the world and making it smaller through globalisation.

These advances didn't happen because they have any particular value, but more because they were necessary in a practical manner.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by Jester

There's got to be more to life than chasing down every temporary high...

This might be a problem of mine, as you seem to be implying. I don't deal well with the day-to-day boring grind which constitutes 99% of our lives. Most people accept and tolerate that in the knowledge that fleeting moments of meaning make it worth it, but I am not like that - for me the moments of happiness just don't compensate for all the boring, pointless and utterly forgettable sh!t which comprises most of daily life.

So perhaps I am chasing down lots of 'temporary high' in order to add up to an almost permanent high.

[Candy Kappa]

Life isn't bliss, it's just living. And life is at best bittersweet.

The point is to make what you think is the best out of the time you have, either that means make a difference or just be content with whatever you enjoy. Life moves on with or without us.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by Candy Kappa

Life isn't bliss, it's just living. And life is at best bittersweet.

The point is to make what you think is the best out of the time you have, either that means make a difference or just be content with whatever you enjoy. Life moves on with or without us.

Isn't that the point though? Life is essentially making the best of a futile situation. How can anyone be genuinely happy when they know existence is deeply flawed?

[Jester]

Originally Posted by Davetello

This might be a problem of mine, as you seem to be implying. I don't deal well with the day-to-day boring grind which constitutes 99% of our lives. Most people accept and tolerate that in the knowledge that fleeting moments of meaning make it worth it, but I am not like that - for me the moments of happiness just don't compensate for all the boring, pointless and utterly forgettable sh!t which comprises most of daily life.

So perhaps I am chasing down lots of 'temporary high' in order to add up to an almost permanent high.

Actually I was just quoting a song...

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by Jester

Actually I was just quoting a song...

Just googled it - never heard of the artist. I tend not to be up to speed on today's musical non-entities.

I thought for a minute that you were actually involving yourself in the discussion - my mistake.

[Prowler]

No particular point. Life is what you make of it, I guess. Some say the afterlife(if it exists, that is) will be the reward for what you've done all your life, but I think what makes life so precious is the fact that it's over one day. I mean, if nothing lasts forever, why would life be the exception to the rule? What would be the point of an afterlife? How different would it be from regular life anyway?

As for sports, games, movies and any kind of entertainment; if it wasn't for them, life would be even worse. They might be pointless at the end of the day, but they bring me more enjoyment than working or studying do. In fact, working and studying make me wonder more about the meaning of life than any other things do. I just cant' help but wonder if all the effort is worth it and if I won't just end up getting a ****** career.

Positive nihilism is the way to go, in my opinion. Don't let the pointless thing that's life let you down. I have no idea what's the purpose and the existence of our world or our galaxy and universe in general. And I'm sure I'll never find it out, but I'm fine with that.

My biggest gripe with life is how boring and ****** it can be more often than it should. Finding it hard to keep myself entertained despite living in 2014, doesn't help either. So many days I've wasted doing practically nothing memorable.

[Davetello]

Originally Posted by Prowler

No particular point. Life is what you make of it, I guess. Some say the afterlife(if it exists, that is) will be the reward for what you've done all your life, but I think what makes life so precious is the fact that it's over one day. I mean, if nothing lasts forever, why would life be the exception to the rule? What would be the point of an afterlife? How different would it be from regular life anyway?

As for sports, games, movies and any kind of entertainment; if it wasn't for them, life would be even worse. They might be pointless at the end of the day, but they bring me more enjoyment than working or studying do. In fact, working and studying make me wonder more about the meaning of life than any other things do. I just cant' help but wonder if all the effort is worth it and if I won't just end up getting a ****** career.

Positive nihilism is the way to go, in my opinion. Don't let the pointless thing that's life let you down. I have no idea what's the purpose and the existence of our world or our galaxy and universe in general. And I'm sure I'll never find it out, but I'm fine with that.

That's a nice point - the claim that life is precious because it could be gone at any instant. But the counter-argument is that if we did die, we would be oblivious to being dead anyway (assuming that people, like us, don't believe in an afterlife), so it's not like we can feel any regret about it. In fact, this further reinforces my point, as the actual regret is what we suffer while we are still alive, and feel like we aren't doing the things we ought to.

I agree that entertainment offers escapism, I've said so plenty of times before. But that again is my point - the fact that we need them to 'escape' the harsh realities of life really illustrates that we are living in a dystopia. Like I said, they are a means of coping with life - they don't make life worthwhile on their own, they just offer a comfort blanket or a band aid.

The thing about studying, education etc is that I view it differently than you do. For you, it seems to be merely practical, a means to an end i.e. finding work. For me it's about trying to understand things more clearly and learn about the world, whether it helps me find a career or not. It works to a point but I'm yet to find a theorist or writer who can convince me that life is worth living.