Why do you live? What for?

Melkor

Melkor

Madman with a cause
MBTI
INTP
Enneagram
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I suppose this is a question I desperately need an answer to, yet never fully understood.

Oh I respect the lives of others, and their right to it, but I respect equally my right to disregard and if so inclined, end my own life.

I once lived for love, twice for the well-being of others, and the effect nearly killed me.
Mere musings.

I want answers, what do you live for?

Please don't hesitate to be blunt. I need no sugar coating, I've tried suicide once, and I'd do it again.

It's funny, in a bitter way.
 
The pursuit of truth and happiness.

Also, cookies.
 
I live for myself. Everyone else is on the outside of my own life. I help and love and care and hurt along the way, but I do it for me.
 
I should probably add you may interpret this in any way you like.


What even is life?

I live for the moment.

Hope I suppose, that one day I'll have something physical to cling to, instead of looking towards only death.

Hrm.

Thank you in advance for your answers.
 
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Well I hate to hear such dark thoughts Melkor, especially in one so young. There are a lot of great experiences out there waiting if you choose. I've lived for a lot of different things at different times in my life. I've lived for love (and experienced the highs and lows of it), I've lived for others (and still do), I've lived for vanity (thinking I could "save" someone or make a difference), I've lived for pure experience and pleasure (and found that it can be fufulling in the short term, but lacking in the long), and I've lived (as I do now) to teach and hopefully leave the world just a little better off for my being here.

An agile, imaginative mind such as yours can grasp the concept that the little ripples we make in the pond of reality move out and become larger with time. My hope is to raise my children and to affect others around me in such a way that I live on through my "ripples" well after I am gone. What more can you hope for?

One other note here. I don't think we can really be "happy" for a long period of time. This just isn't something we are met to live in 24/7. Being content and at peace with things is what we should strive for. It's something that is attainable and sustainable. Good luck!
 
Thank you questing poet.

Contrary to popular beleif, I do not consider these dark thoughts.

Destroying what belongs to the self cannot be considered dark, moreover, it is a simple rejection of modern values and at worst can be called 'careless'.

I don't know why I'm still alive, but I find a certain warmth in reading your answers.

I don't feel like we two, me and the world, have anything left to give each other.

I'm hanging on. I don't know why.

Could it be instinct? I am not a creature of instinct...
 
I have constantly ponder myself on this question

I have also had the same dark thoughts

I guess I live to make a difference, contribute in some way to this world, and make everyone else happy. I believe we all have a purpose, it will be a shame to waste such a purpose.
 
Melkor said:
Thank you questing poet.

Contrary to popular beleif, I do not consider these dark thoughts.

Destroying what belongs to the self cannot be considered dark, moreover, it is a simple rejection of modern values and at worst can be called 'careless'.

I don't know why I'm still alive, but I find a certain warmth in reading your answers.

I don't feel like we two, me and the world, have anything left to give each other.

I'm hanging on. I don't know why.

Could it be instinct? I am not a creature of instinct...
Click to expand...


I think that warmth you feel is that thing we call "hope". It's always around if you care to pick it up and hold it for a while. Some people think it can be a burden, but I see it as a cherished secret. Keep it burning inside of you, even if it's just a small candle.

And I do consider ending a young life still full of potential a bit dark, even if it is yours to do with as you please. Sounds to me like the emotional side of you is giving up right now, but the intellectual side is saying "Hey, there's a lot of cool shit out there yet!". They really need to go hand in hand, one supporting the other. Another sound piece of advice I'd give if you like is this: It's never as bad (or as good) as it seems. Our minds tend to take everything to the extreme. It's easy to be black and white about things. Much harder to see the subtle greys of life. Some people don't want to out of apathy, laziness or fear of what they may see. I'll take the truth and deal with it as best as I can.

And we are all creature of instict to some point--even if we try to bury that. It's why we still have desires like sex after having children and growing old. Awareness is best in those cases. It always helps to know exactly what and who you are. Even if you don't always like the answers. I am glad to have helped you with my thoughts here.
 
Morbid curiosity.

I want to see what happens next in my life, and with the world. I can't do that if I die.

Also, fear of death.

Really, that's all the reason I ever needed to live.
 
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I live to experience and learn. Yeah, we're all going to be dead in 120 years, but the only thing I know is living. I don't know what death holds, and I don't really think about it on a daily basis. I'm only here for a little while, and after that, who knows? I'm just trying to make the most out of it while I can, and worry about death when I'm dead.
 
I live, so that when dying (PLEASE DON'T PLEASE DON'T PLEASE DON'T) I can say why am I living after all these days. Also, fear of death.

What even is life?
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Something fleeting. But equal to that is its preciousness. I (only) know I got one life. Why waste it?

I can't say I have an answer yet, so thank you for making me think. :)
 
Melkor said:
I don't feel like we two, me and the world, have anything left to give each other.
Click to expand...

I'm curious about the above statement you made. Could you say a little bit more on that subject?

I would say that your sense of humor and play is a gift to this forum. It seemed to me that many - including myself - enjoyed NOT getting hugged by you.

That was you giving something to the world - albeit the forum.

A talent for satire is a sure indicator of high intelligence. From where I stand in my corner of the globe the world sure could use more intelligent people - especially with an ability to banter and draw persons to you in fun and games - like you can apparently do.

I'm hanging in because I believe the world needs INFJ's more now than ever. Why? I find it hard to put into words - but I can tell you what it feels like. It's as if when I finally reflect back to the person in front of me their true nature (at the time) they begin to see the best path for themselves to take. They usually leave my presence with a lighter heart. My hope is that they then go out into the world with a small amount of peace within themselves and the next person they encounter will reap the benefits of that. It's a "pay it forward" kind of notion. This follows along with Questing Poet's "ripples in the pond" idea.

I don't know if you know this but there is research lauding the health benefits of laughter. It also improves the mood quality of the mind. If we had many many people like you in the world - we wouldn't need as many counselors or social workers (like me). And frankly I'd be thrilled at that prospect. Can you imagine the world getting mentally healthy due to all the laughter?

Why don't you stay and play
- see what may come your way.
 
life can be pretty awesome, I live for those times :) and i'm a very curious person by nature, I really want to know what happens tomorrow, or the next day or the next year or decade or century-- if I could, I'd live indefinitely. besides, life already has an inbuilt time limit; why shorten it yourself?
 
I live to laugh, to love. To challenge myself. To learn something new, and to discover new parts of who I am (parts I've never discovered, even at my age). I live to explore, to take each new challenge with a grain of salt...and to become more than I'm perceived; to become that person I see on the inside (or wish I could be).

I live to take life's spiritual journeys and to connect with a Spirit deeper than my own. I live to breathe deep, and to hear, touch, taste, and see new things. I live to travel and see new places I've never seen, up close. I live to dance. I live to dream.

I live...to live, and to Be.

Find that part of you, Melkor, that can experience more than what you see, more than the mundane. Find a place, a dream, an event or an experience that you've never had but always wanted to try. Something that will enrich you and make you better; something that will pique your interest for life.

Be the best you there ever was, or ever could be. :)
 
Sheer stubbornness. I guess it's a pride thing. I can't allow myself to give up, I would be a weakling if I did. (not calling suicidal people weak, but it's very important for me to live up to this standard)

My life isn't meaningful or pleasant, and sometimes it feels like it's just a day-to-day simple existence. But even when I'm overflowing with suffering, I still know there are things I must do, and I couldn't forgive myself for giving up.

However, even though there are important people and things that give me strength to endure, I still have to live for myself, because in the end, it is the only constant I have.
 
"Why do I live?" ...because I can.

...and conversely because others can not.


[FONT=&quot]Smith/Oracle: Why, Mr. Anderson, why? Why, why do you do it? Why, why get up? Why[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something, for more than your survival?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Can you tell me what it is, do you even know? Is it freedom or truth, perhaps peace -[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson, vagaries of perception. Temporary[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the Matrix itself. Although,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love. You must be able to see it,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mr. Anderson, you must know it by now! You can't win, it's pointless to keep fighting![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Why, Mr. Anderson, why, why do you persist?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Neo: Because I choose to[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] -Matrix Revolutions[/FONT]
 
Hmmm, I am annoyed by this thread, it seems to make a triviality out of choosing to *not* live. You are alive now, why not make the best of it? If you are so brought down by just living, but are not in any position to suffer extremely, (being a sex slave etc) then its a fair guess you are putting waaaaaaay too much pressure on yourself to have a grand purpose and to be special.

You are alive, just live. No one is telling you to be awesome.

Reminds me of a poster that was posted here: "We are here on this earth to dick around, and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise".

If you are in a depression which is causing this, just get it fixed (as much as our medical knowledge has ability to do so). Giving into it and lamenting every breath isn't doing you or anyone any favours, and martyrdom is BS. Been there, done that, realized I was just expecting myself to do a lot of shit out of a perception of "potential" and not what I wanted to and now I'm much better.
 
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