There has to be more to life than this

[frozen_water]

I hope I didn't just have a hand in killing this thread

 

[KazeCraven]

I hope I didn't just have a hand in killing this thread

Bah, your post doesn't seem to have that kind of power.

I think that there might be spirits, but then again I've had difficulty contacting them so I've pretty much decided not to waste time looking.

Also, ideas regarding helping people: that's fine and good, but what are we helping them towards? Seems to me like a snake biting onto another snakes' tail, instead of biting it's own: circular and grandly unimportant.

 

[Trifoilum]

....I wonder, what's the definition of 'more to life' ? What kind of goal are we talking here? To religious people; what kind of providence? It's just.. can we know if we don't know what we're looking for?

the goal contained within philosophies and religions. Don't they both pretty similar; in the direction-giving kind of way they gave its believer?

I'm going to quote Bible here; "Ask, and ye shall receive." What do you want in life?

As [MENTION=1292]Quest[/MENTION]; had said, there are no rules in life..also, God or no God, I believed one meaning in our small life is to give a personal meaning to our small life. To paint a picture in our empty canvas, metaphorically. So that when we met God (for those who believed) or when we looked back we're smiling; blood, sweat, tears and all; and we can say "I made a good painting. Here!"

I'm hearing this atm;

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeNG7ns-LIo"]YouTube- LightHouse Family - Postcard from Heaven[/ame]

Should you ever change your mind
Holding back the sunshine
Are you ever gonna be
Quite satisfied?

Postcard from heaven
Go to where you belong
You never find the perfect situation
Until you know where you're from

seems appropriate.

Also, ideas regarding helping people: that's fine and good, but what are we helping them towards? Seems to me like a snake biting onto another snakes' tail, instead of biting it's own: circular and grandly unimportant.

I'd say in the helper's PoV, we're helping them so they're emotionally, mentally, and physically prepared and well to find their own meaning by themselves.

 

[Melkor]

Higher purpose?

You really an INTP ma'am?

Hrm.

There is no purpose, *that* is what makes everything useless.

You seem to be doing it backwards!

 

[TinyBubbles]

Higher purpose?

You really an INTP ma'am?

honestly, i can't tell anymore.

Hrm.

There is no purpose, *that* is what makes everything useless.
You seem to be doing it backwards!

how can you accept that? it seems as unfounded as believing there IS a purpose, without anything more to go on than your own personal experiences. maybe [MENTION=137]frozen_water[/MENTION] is right, and giving to others would be enough to give our lives meaning. even so, i can't help but wonder if there's a point beyond that :/

 

[KazeCraven]

maybe [MENTION=137]frozen_water[/MENTION] is right, and giving to others would be enough to give our lives meaning. even so, i can't help but wonder if there's a point beyond that :/

The only explanation I can come up with is that people are the greatest ends (as in means to an end) and that by giving our lives to the service of others says something about the kind of people we are. Then the ultimate meaning would have something to do with what kind of life we'd led and what kind of people we were while in existence. Though, of course, that calls for the question of why we should care about that too.

 

[Melkor]

I feel a certain duty towards others... But it isn't immediate or all controlling.

In fact, I only help people out of fear and paranoia. It's very human,but if I can satisfy a person to the extent that they leave me alone, I feel content.

I'm not happy with the fact that life is meaningless, it simply makes the most sense.

There is beauty to live for. What else can there possibly be?

 

[acd]

Haven't you ever felt that way? How do you get over it?

Is this really it? Is this what we've been born to do, school, work, marriage, 2.5 kids, old age, death, a grandchild or two if we're lucky to carry on the 'privilege' of repeating the same routine, indefinitely? Sure, life can be WONDERFUL and I don't deny it, and there are many reasons to keep on going, not the least being the impact on those around us should we choose to depart early.. but damn, I get hung up on it sometimes. There has to a purpose, a higher reason, this all seems like complete nonsense!

Can anyone relate?

It just sounds like you don't want to live the prescribed life. Most people take for granted that the way things are, are the way things are supposed to be--that there is no other way to live. Most people have meaning handed to them and they're happy with that. But you rely on critical thinking-- you need to understand and know for yourself. (I gather that much in your response to Barnabas regarding believing in God.) The only way to find your "purpose" or "higher reason" is to really find out what is important to you and why it is important to you. Instead of looking outwards for mystical answers, look inwards and you'll find your guide.

You won't be sent on some divine mission. Don't wait around for it and don't agonize over an answer that no one else can give you because it is hidden in yourself.

And I agree, it is all nonsense..All of this: Absurd!
And it's our responsibility as thinking and self-aware beings to create some purpose and make some sense of it all for ourselves.

 

[the]

....I wonder, what's the definition of 'more to life' ?

I wonder that too. Perhaps you are just not living April. What is this "more"?

 

[TinyBubbles]

It just sounds like you don't want to live the prescribed life. Most people take for granted that the way things are, are the way things are supposed to be--that there is no other way to live. Most people have meaning handed to them and they're happy with that. But you rely on critical thinking-- you need to understand and know for yourself. (I gather that much in your response to Barnabas regarding believing in God.) The only way to find your "purpose" or "higher reason" is to really find out what is important to you and why it is important to you. Instead of looking outwards for mystical answers, look inwards and you'll find your guide.

You won't be sent on some divine mission. Don't wait around for it and don't agonize over an answer that no one else can give you because it is hidden in yourself.

And I agree, it is all nonsense..All of this: Absurd!
And it's our responsibility as thinking and self-aware beings to create some purpose and make some sense of it all for ourselves.

[MENTION=564]bananaphone[/MENTION] you know me better than i know myself, thankyou for this considered response <3 unfortunately what you're proposing is easier said than done - i've tried looking within myself. inwards there are no answers. there's nothing. complete confusion if anything, it seems like the wrong way to go about it.. [MENTION=1516]KazeCraven[/MENTION] and [MENTION=1007]BlinkandThink[/MENTION] mentioned creating your own purpose and being content with that, but that's isn't enough.. you know? it seems imaginary, or kind of like giving up. my purpose could be anything, then. why not make my purpose asking stupid questions on here? (which i constantly do) but that doesn't lead to anything, it doesn't really have any significance.

i don't know. lost my way somewhere along the path in life and i've been struggling to get back on it ever since. i really do appreciate everyone's opinions though.

 

[KazeCraven]

[MENTION=1926]April[/MENTION]: well, of course silly purposes are silly. That's not my point. When I say you create a purpose, I don't think about it as in like how you create a painting, no matter how beautiful it is. It's more like creating a hypothesis, or like a compass tuned to my inner 'meaning center'. You (think you) know what's important to you, what is meaningful to you, and you use that to create your purpose. In fact, I repeatedly refine my purpose whenever it seems to be off. Off from what? Off from what I think is most important. If it doesn't feel like it's important, obviously I'm just going to ignore it. How do I come up with this? Well, let's just say I have tried a few things from books and blogs.

However, I think I'm missing something in my approach, because I'm certainly not in the position of many others here who can't relate or don't struggle with this problem. Hence why I'm compelled to argue my point.

 

[acd]

@bananaphone you know me better than i know myself, thankyou for this considered response <3 unfortunately what you're proposing is easier said than done - i've tried looking within myself. inwards there are no answers. there's nothing. complete confusion if anything, it seems like the wrong way to go about it.. @KazeCraven and @BlinkandThink mentioned creating your own purpose and being content with that, but that's isn't enough.. you know? it seems imaginary, or kind of like giving up. my purpose could be anything, then. why not make my purpose asking stupid questions on here? (which i constantly do) but that doesn't lead to anything, it doesn't really have any significance.

i don't know. lost my way somewhere along the path in life and i've been struggling to get back on it ever since. i really do appreciate everyone's opinions though.

It's not easy. I never intended to imply that it is easy (if I did). I also didn't mean to assume I know you... I wasn't careful with my words... I just identified with what you were saying.

And..the answers could be imaginary either way.

We may just see this differently. I see settling for someone telling me the answers as giving up, as opposed to seeking them on my own with the experiences I've collected up to that point.


You really aren't saying anything that most people don't encounter.
The thoughts you mentioned in the OP are pretty universal. You either keep considering the questions or you decide they aren't worth asking and take your culture's word for it (how to live your life.)

Yep. And only you can say whether or not it's worth the effort to work out the confusion or to forgo it. Where do you envision yourself? You said it seems like the wrong way. Why? Is it because you don't trust yourself?

IMHO...asking questions gives you more paths to travel.

 

[TinyBubbles]

@April: well, of course silly purposes are silly. That's not my point. When I say you create a purpose, I don't think about it as in like how you create a painting, no matter how beautiful it is. It's more like creating a hypothesis, or like a compass tuned to my inner 'meaning center'. You (think you) know what's important to you, what is meaningful to you, and you use that to create your purpose. In fact, I repeatedly refine my purpose whenever it seems to be off. Off from what? Off from what I think is most important. If it doesn't feel like it's important, obviously I'm just going to ignore it. How do I come up with this? Well, let's just say I have tried a few things from books and blogs.

that's what it comes down to isn't it, knowing what's important to you. truthfully i don't know what's important, what i really want (think i've mentioned this in another thread)... and what i want somehow doesn't seem relevant anyway.. who cares what i want, what's important (outside of me) is what matters, you know? and that's what i'm trying to figure out. i can't believe there isn't anything more important than my own desires.

and i've lived... i've been blessed to have loving people in my life, to travel around, to get an education, to express myself in art.... but at the end of the day, what's it all for? WHY? why is anything happening? why isn't it happening differently?

However, I think I'm missing something in my approach, because I'm certainly not in the position of many others here who can't relate or don't struggle with this problem. Hence why I'm compelled to argue my point.

[MENTION=731]corndogman[/MENTION], you're one of them. what's your secret?

 

[~jet]

Haven't you ever felt that way? How do you get over it?

Is this really it? Is this what we've been born to do, school, work, marriage, 2.5 kids, old age, death, a grandchild or two if we're lucky to carry on the 'privilege' of repeating the same routine, indefinitely? Sure, life can be WONDERFUL and I don't deny it, and there are many reasons to keep on going, not the least being the impact on those around us should we choose to depart early.. but damn, I get hung up on it sometimes. There has to a purpose, a higher reason, this all seems like complete nonsense!

Can anyone relate?

I can and can't; I will argue life like you described is great and if someone is happy with that, cool... if, however, they want more... they need to be responsible enough to make more happen... if that's saving the dolphins or inventing warp drive or, if this is really important to you, owning your own private navy of pink battleships. Frankly, though, I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. The specie can outlive the universe itself, I believe, and all through innovations and progress carried out by (by that point) trillions upon trillions of generations; the burden each must carry is very light, so I don't really know why people have to freak out about it. Live! Enjoy it! Do something useful with it... but don't try to bear the weight of the world on your shoulders alone, dammit.

(wants some cake)

 

[KazeCraven]

that's what it comes down to isn't it, knowing what's important to you. truthfully i don't know what's important, what i really want (think i've mentioned this in another thread)... and what i want somehow doesn't seem relevant anyway.. who cares what i want, what's important (outside of me) is what matters, you know? and that's what i'm trying to figure out. i can't believe there isn't anything more important than my own desires.

Had to bold that, because I think that's part of what I wasn't seeing. I will need to sleep on it though, because at this point my only thought is "isn't trying to find this something more just a desire too?" But I think this misses the point entirely.

and i've lived... i've been blessed to have loving people in my life, to travel around, to get an education, to express myself in art.... but at the end of the day, what's it all for? WHY? why is anything happening? why isn't it happening differently?

Not to be a downer, but I would be extremely impressed if you ever found an answer to that that was universal or in any sense objective. In fact, the only real solution I see is to somehow be okay with ignoring it entirely.
----

*waits for ...someone's... secret*

 

[the]

@corndogman, you're one of them. what's your secret?

What? You havent even answered any of my questions I asked of you. If you did please direct me.

 

[TinyBubbles]

What? You havent even answered any of my questions I asked of you. If you did please direct me.

oh sorry, i'm not really answering these in order.

 

[yumiii]

Haven't you ever felt that way? How do you get over it?

Is this really it? Is this what we've been born to do, school, work, marriage, 2.5 kids, old age, death, a grandchild or two if we're lucky to carry on the 'privilege' of repeating the same routine, indefinitely? Sure, life can be WONDERFUL and I don't deny it, and there are many reasons to keep on going, not the least being the impact on those around us should we choose to depart early.. but damn, I get hung up on it sometimes. There has to a purpose, a higher reason, this all seems like complete nonsense!

Can anyone relate?

Oh, I can relate. I sometimes think about this also, and it's really depressing to think that life may just be that, and there's just no higher purpose for anything. However:

I can relate. It's really depressing to think that we're just some giant cosmic accident... but I think you answered your own question--the impact we have on others, and the impact other people have on us is what makes life worth living. And knowing that--knowing that there IS more to life than the nonsense-every-day stuff--certainly helps me to keep going.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the little things that we fail to see the big picture.

So take a deep breath, go outside, and stare straight up into the sky. Love the fact that though you are so small, you can have a big impact on yourself and others.

I agree with this very much. When I get into these depressing thoughts, I just think about my family, friends, and helping them and others and I pretty much just get into a good mood almost immediately. If there is no higher purpose, then I'll (actually do) make that my purpose. I love helping people in any way, in making them feel good and/or better about themselves.

It's kind of weird though, I make it sound like I'm living my life not for myself but for others, but really, it's more than enough to know that you helped them. Sometimes, people may be extremely infuriating, but meh. <3

That said, I think slant may have a point here when she says:

I personally find that a lot of people might be more enthused with their lives if they were not living in a developed country, and if they were living in a developed country, had previously experienced underdevelopment and poverty.

I think that once we have experienced difficult times, whatever difficult times are for us because it's relative and on a sliding scale, we will begin to see that there is a purpose or we will make purpose for ourselves.

I grew up in a third world country, and personally, I can say that the people in there are somehow happier and are more enthusiastic and easily appreciative of the little things in life than the people around me right now. It definitely has something to do with seeing and experiencing poverty and having a basis of comparison on things.

But I think I'm going off track, so I'll stop now.

 

[TinyBubbles]

What would you rather do?

Personally I think that is a fantastic general life goal with plenty of room to add other goals in between and concurrently with all those things.

there's nothing wrong with it, i agree it's a great life plan, i'll probably follow it myself, but it's kind of like taking a wonderful roadtrip to nowhere. you have fun with your buddies in the car, and enjoy the sights and take lots of pictures along the way, but when it's over, it might as well have not have happened. it makes NO difference whatsoever, except to you, and those with you in the car (which are only a fraction of the people that have ever been alive). i don't know what i'd rather be doing, but doing this doesn't seem to serve any purpose outside of itself.

I wonder that too. Perhaps you are just not living April. What is this "more"?

i'm living, like i said before. what is more? honestly, i wish i knew. i just feel instinctively that there has to be more.

 

[the]

oh sorry, i'm not really answering these in order.

From the answers you have given others I think youd just feel that my purposes are just silly or not meaningful enough for you.