The meaning of life

[Fireflies-free]

INFJs, I thought this would be a great questions for you all I know I think about this all the time, I love philosophy. So what do you think we're here for? What drives your life? What do you hope to achieve while you're alive?

 

[Milon]

Healing. I am absolutely passionate about healing, restoration, making whole. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. I love all kinds of healing, and that's why I'm here. (On the forums and on planet Earth, actually.)

 

[Flavus Aquila]

I'm wary that this kind of reply will cause eyes to roll or glaze over, but so what?

To come to know that which is so perfect, that we can be perfectly satisfied and happy.

 

[Milon]

Perfection = Satisfaction and Happiness?

Not wanting to start a debate, but I'd be interested in the thoughts behind that.

 

[acd]

I am a jumbled mess of cognitive dissonance. I am a Christian who thinks like an atheist humanist. I am a Christian who is also a 'gender abolitionist' feminist. I'm also something of an existentialist. I have nothing figured out.

No real conclusions other than to love people and strive to live as a peacemaker and keeper.

 

[Faye]

The meaning of life has to be understood on an individual basis. There is no specific meaning that can be applied to everyone.

 

[the]

The meaning of life: maintain the status quo.

The meaning of life has to be understood on an individual basis. There is no specific meaning that can be applied to everyone.

how do you know?

 

[Quinlan]

You get born, then some stuff happens, then you die.

 

[IndigoSensor]

This is my take on it:

To learn, to experience, to grow.

I strongly believe in reincarnation. I believe that every person reincarnates many many times in different forms, different dimentions, and different worlds. To learn and advance as a spirit. I don't know if there is an ultimate goal or status to reach. I think it is an endless process to just learn, to just be. To help others who are starting out. To experience. It is hard to put into words.

 

[Zero]

Cheese. That's the meaning to life.

Sorry lactose intolerants!

 

[Flavus Aquila]

not: perfection = satisfaction and happiness

but: purpose = knowing what is perfect --> (which leads to) happiness and satisfaction

 

[Sinistrad]

I have a fear. I fear that we are here for God. I fear that God has knowledge, but not experience. I fear that we are here to experience events for God, after which we die. Then, He eats us. Energy->matter->life+experience->Death. I fear that once God has experienced everything He knows, then He will be done with creation, and will move on to something else.

But that's just me.

 

[acd]

I have a fear. I fear that we are here for God. I fear that God has knowledge, but not experience. I fear that we are here to experience events for God, after which we die. Then, He eats us. Energy->matter->life+experience->Death. I fear that once God has experienced everything He knows, then He will be done with creation, and will move on to something else.

But that's just me.

This is beautiful and frightening at the same time. Wow.

 

[mayflow]

I have a fear. I fear that we are here for God. I fear that God has knowledge, but not experience. I fear that we are here to experience events for God, after which we die. Then, He eats us. Energy->matter->life+experience->Death. I fear that once God has experienced everything He knows, then He will be done with creation, and will move on to something else.

But that's just me.

Oh, ye of little faith.God is love not fear. ANyways, I am pretty sure he is uber-obssessed with creating. It's like His thing. (Kinda) - I met Him once in a Dream. He is rad-cool.

ps: He is just really laid back and actually very ordinary looking, and He doesn't seem to have Human hangups. He doesn't seem to actually plan anything either, but if He thinks something, it immediately happens. Well, at least that is what happened in the dream....
with a bunch of other stuff. < I should see if He can fix the grin emoticon. I know He is caring and all, but that might not be real important to Him, so it's ok if He doesn't fix it.... THIS TIME!

< oooo, lookey!

 

[Faye]

how do you know?

Because meaning is interconnected with and derived from pleasure and what pleases a person varies from individual to individual, culture to culture, society to society. This is why the meaning of life may only be described in vague terms such as happiness, love, etc... because those definitions come with a billion different interpretations to fit each of our unique contexts. No two people live exactly the same life, so nobody can want the exact same thing out of life. Our experiences shape our perceptions, and because our experiences are different, our perceptions are different.

The things that make my life hell can make another person's life meaningful, and the things that make that person's life meaningful can make my life hell. All meaning is relative.

 

[just me]

I have a fear. I fear that we are here for God. I fear that God has knowledge, but not experience. I fear that we are here to experience events for God, after which we die. Then, He eats us. Energy->matter->life+experience->Death. I fear that once God has experienced everything He knows, then He will be done with creation, and will move on to something else.

But that's just me.

Nope. I called that username first! just me

 

[Duty]

The only meaning in the world is the meaning we give it. "Meaning" is a completely subjective property of the world.

Proof lies in the fact that there is no measurable, objective matter nor energy that is "meaning."

Before someone tries to argue that this statement is inconsistent...because if there is only subjective meaning then my statement only has subjective meaning...don't bother. It's not logically inconsistent with itself, and saying that this statement makes itself "meaningless" is correct (or an equivocation fallacy depending on what you mean by "meaning"). All language is full of subjective meaning that we as people give to it. Also, stating this does not make the statement inconsistent (which is what happens when people say, "All truth is subjective" or "There is no such thing as truth," these arguments are logically inconsistent with themselves).

Just because there is no inherent, objective meaning in the world does not at all mean that the world does not possess objective laws and such. Gravity still works...the only part that is subjective about it is what meanings we come to place on it. Gravity is not inherently morally wrong, nor is it inherently "awe-inspiring," nor is it inherently beautiful or the like. Even things like my avatar are not inherently awe-inspiring...awe is something that comes from the human mind, and is not an objective property of the world.

Many object to this because they feel life would be boring, scary, etc if there is no meaning in the world. However, I never said there is NO meaning in the world, I just said there is no OBJECTIVE meaning in the world. You make your own meaning. Feel free to make it.

 

[the]

The things that make my life hell can make another person's life meaningful, and the things that make that person's life meaningful can make my life hell. All meaning is relative.

This comment would go nicely in another thread I was posting in, mind if I use it?

 

[slant]

There are two things I vaguely believe it

1. Chaos
2. Order

Life is an uneven balance of these, completely random.

Sometimes there is Chaos. Sometimes there is order. The meaning of life is chaos and order.

 

[Duty]

There are two things I vaguely believe it

1. Chaos
2. Order

Life is an uneven balance of these, completely random.

Sometimes there is Chaos. Sometimes there is order. The meaning of life is chaos and order.

Wouldn't that just be chaos? Since it shifts chaotically between chaos and order?