Meaning of Life

**grainfedprairieboy** · 10-16-2009, 11:33 PM

What do you think the purpose or meaning of life is?

**El Barto** · 10-17-2009, 07:11 AM

That question will vary with the person you ask and be taintedby thier background .
As simple as i can put it before my first cup of coffee this morning.
It is finding happiness and serenity in the mist of all this chaos. Just experiencing it.
There is no right way or wrong way in living it.

**Mark** · 10-17-2009, 07:44 AM

That's heavy question before my morning coffee. We could discuss natures intended cycle of life, but that's pretty self evident.

I see the meaning of life as an empty canvass that is significant to each individual.

As we go through life we put things on that canvas filling its void with accomplishments, failures, creations, love-hate, joy and sorrow. Eventually when we reach a certain point in our lives we reflect on the canvas. What has been laid there and what voids still remain.

Then we carry on and go about filling the voids and after years of tireless work we run out of room on the canvas and the last breath is gone.

Behind us we leave a body of work that will be discussed by those we loved and mentored as they fill their own canvas and eventually our lifes work will be archived unless it is significant to the greater good of generations to come.

Here is a piece of Antonio Gaudi's canvas

Here is a piece of Syd Barrets Canvas
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt20kyuaUng[/media]

Here is a piece of Todd Beamers Canvas

Here is a piece of Terry Fox's Canvas

A piece of Col John McCrae's Canvas

The list of course is endless.

I do hope that when I fill that last white spot on my canvas there will be something I leave behind.

Mark

**Sal** · 10-17-2009, 11:05 AM

I believe that this life time is one of many on our journey toward total self actualization and enlightenment as a human being.

I believe it is solely about personal growth.

**dazed&confused** · 10-17-2009, 11:12 AM

self actualization isn't what its cracked up to be, you slowly become a Nihilist.

**Sal** · 10-17-2009, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by dazed&confused

self actualization isn't what its cracked up to be, you slowly become a Nihilist.

Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more aspects of life or the world in general. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life[1] is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Moral nihilists assert that morality does not exist, and subsequently there are no moral values with which to uphold a rule or logically prefer one action over another. Nihilism can also take epistemological, metaphysical, or ontological forms.

That is not my definition of self actualization. There is nothing in that definition that I would assert or embrace as a personal quest.

**grainfedprairieboy** · 12-12-2009, 01:28 AM

Originally Posted by Sal

I believe that this life time is one of many on our journey toward total self actualization and enlightenment as a human being.

I believe it is solely about personal growth.

My wife and I are polar opposites. She is French and I am normal. We share nothing in common.

As such, she believes in past lives and recently went to have a reading where she learned that I was once a gladiator and a samurai and even dragged her out west on an ox drawn wagon with clanging pots which apparently is why she has difficulty with that type of noise today.

The central theme is I have always been male. Often a warrior and apparently, whenever she is in female form we often link up and I drag her away from her family. (I'm also supposed to be an old soul whatever that is)

To me this is pure bunk.

But I am genuinely curious as to why you believe? Is it a comfort thing? Does it help for you to rationalise your existence? Cope with your mortality?

**El Barto** · 12-12-2009, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by grainfedprairieboy

My wife and I are polar opposites. She is French and I am normal. We share nothing in common.

As such, she believes in past lives and recently went to have a reading where she learned that I was once a gladiator and a samurai and even dragged her out west on an ox drawn wagon with clanging pots which apparently is why she has difficulty with that type of noise today.

The central theme is I have always been male. Often a warrior and apparently, whenever she is in female form we often link up and I drag her away from her family. (I'm also supposed to be an old soul whatever that is)

To me this is pure bunk.

But I am genuinely curious as to why you believe? Is it a comfort thing? Does it help for you to rationalise your existence? Cope with your mortality?

:unknw: it depends for some . I'd like to think I am open minded about it all but after it is all said and done I forget about it and deal with my life .... the one I am living now. :wave:

**Locutus** · 12-12-2009, 07:41 AM

The question is psychobabble in my opinion. There is no 'meaning'.

Who are we to think there is any reason or intention for any individual to be walking around taking up space? Who should care at any rate? You'll have at most 100 years and you're going to die, basically be forgotten and that's that.

Lifeforms are basically born/created, eat, grow, reproduce and die. Then for some, they provide nourishment for the next form.

But for the armchair headshrinkers, maybe it's like a long car trip with your parents. Lookin' at shit out the windows, asking stupid and repetitive questions. "Are we there yet?", "What's that thing?", "What's toejam football?", "Can we stop at McDonald's?"

Maybe you play a few games, get in a fight with a sibling, tell a joke and make someone laugh, have a bologna sandwich or take a nap.

What I get out of my short time here is what I put into it. I brought games and Groucho glasses.

Like Trooper said, 'We're here for a good time, not a long time'.

**Muz** · 12-12-2009, 07:49 AM

I don't think there is a 'meaning" of life but rather it is up to each of us to put some "meaning" into out lives.

That might be doing the daily grind raising a family or climbing a mountain.

It can be personal growth and hedonism, selfishness and altruism, safety and peril.

It can be to procreate or to leave the procreation to others and challenge the self.

It can be scrawled forever on the walls of history or fade with the last rays of the sunset.

Some say life has meaning as long as it lasts until your last breath.

Muz