Meaning & significance in life

[merlin wood]

So, to answer the question, if we want meaning, then we do have to look for it. And through insignificance, through being a nobody, we can bring full meaning and significance into our lives.

The good thing about all this is that the nasty people never find it, while those that do their best not to fuck with anybody else have a great chance of living the dream that is human life.

What like Adolph Hitler didn't find meaning and purpose in conquering the world and exterminating millions of people he didn't like, or suicide bombers didn't find meaning and purpose in blowing up themslves and many others so as to gain entry into Paradise?

 

[NoEgo]

What like Adolph Hitler didn't find meaning and purpose in conquering the world and exterminating millions of people he didn't like, or suicide bombers didn't find meaning and purpose in blowing up themslves and many others so as to gain entry into Paradise?

People often enter politics because they search for meaning and significance in life by erroneously thinking that they can make a difference to other peoples lives. They do this because they themselves lack self-empowerment, hence the search for power, meaning and significance. It's this lack of self-honesty which in my opinion is responsible for great suffering because the decision to seek power and exert it over others is totally misplaced from the very beginning.

Personally I think that the betrayal of yourself in order to not betray another must be the highest betrayal of them all.

 

[fela fan]

What like Adolph Hitler didn't find meaning and purpose in conquering the world and exterminating millions of people he didn't like, or suicide bombers didn't find meaning and purpose in blowing up themslves and many others so as to gain entry into Paradise?

Not the meaning i spoke about in my post, no. And you have also added 'purpose' to the equation that wasn't in my post.

But by selectively quoting me, adding your own interpretations onto the selected bit, i could feasibly agree with you, yes.

I said that needing to be, or becoming, a somebody would block one from accessing the meaning to life. And that adequately fits your example of hitler.

Becoming a nobody (which does not fit your example) was the route to finding out the meaning of life.

 

[merlin wood]

Becoming a nobody (which does not fit your example) was the route to finding out the meaning of life.

Ah right. Could be true. But suppose you found the meaning of life, who'd believe a nobody?

So people believed Jesus Christ but he was a somebody.

 

[kerb]

Its funny isnt it...

one of the few things that ive learnt from my degree is that its all about the opposites. To have one thing you there must be the complete opposite of the other. Now i'm not sure if its true, but i kind of agree with that. I mean theres some really bad stuff happening in the world right now, but i like to think somewhere else there must be some really good stuff going on to. You cant have one without the other.


As for the meaning of life. Probably the toughest question of them all.

What is the meaning of life?

It a beautiful question to.

The meaning of life

I like to think that i do not seek meaning beyond death because beyond that there could be another level of existence or absollutely nothing. I try and live by the latter, that there is non-existence which means i try and live everyday the best i can, because if theres nothing then at least you gave it a go and enjoyed it. However if there is an 'afterlife' then thats a bonus. howveer i cant help believing there is something and im not a very religious person. Perhaps im shit scared of death and may turn into those in the old peoples home

But i dont look for meaning, because then you start attributing meaning to things, and see 'meaning' by filtering out the rest.




but hey its just a theory

 

[merlin wood]

Its funny isnt it...

one of the few things that ive learnt from my degree is that its all about the opposites. To have one thing you there must be the complete opposite of the other. Now i'm not sure if its true, but i kind of agree with that. I mean theres some really bad stuff happening in the world right now, but i like to think somewhere else there must be some really good stuff going on to. You cant have one without the other.


As for the meaning of life. Probably the toughest question of them all.

What is the meaning of life?

It a beautiful question to.

The meaning of life

I like to think that i do not seek meaning beyond death because beyond that there could be another level of existence or absollutely nothing. I try and live by the latter, that there is non-existence which means i try and live everyday the best i can, because if theres nothing then at least you gave it a go and enjoyed it. However if there is an 'afterlife' then thats a bonus. howveer i cant help believing there is something and im not a very religious person. Perhaps im shit scared of death and may turn into those in the old peoples home

But i dont look for meaning, because then you start attributing meaning to things, and see 'meaning' by filtering out the rest.

But suppose you discovered that it was plainly in the nature of the real world that it had a certain meaning and purpose.

So this could the discovery that and how there was more to the world in general, but which is invisible like gravity.

 

[fela fan]

Ah right. Could be true. But suppose you found the meaning of life, who'd believe a nobody?

So people believed Jesus Christ but he was a somebody.

But i'm talking about the need for oneself to become a nobody. If others think that you are a somebody, then that is something else. My point is that you should strive against the force of wanting to be a somebody. Because that way you are trying to be somebody else than the real you.

Now, one becomes a nobody and finds out the meaning of life. But others don't believe him? So what! Who cares! He is happy, and that is that!

 

[TeeJay]

How many search for meaning and significance in life? A lot of people? A little? And is it really necessary to have it?

37%

 

[snouty warthog]

But i'm talking about the need for oneself to become a nobody. If others think that you are a somebody, then that is something else. My point is that you should strive against the force of wanting to be a somebody. Because that way you are trying to be somebody else than the real you.

Now, one becomes a nobody and finds out the meaning of life. But others don't believe him? So what! Who cares! He is happy, and that is that!

good point

slight digression- I once lived in accomodation with no cooker or washing facilities, so I would sometimes go to a homeless drop-in centre for a meal and a wash. one time, there was a woman there who was joking and laughing, she really cheered everyone up... and then at the end of the meal she was leaving, and one of the workers asked, 'so where you sleeping tonight?' and she said, 'oh, under the bridge again'... she was sleeping under a motorway bridge... so sometimes the 'nobodies' are very special, brave people... (and some of the 'somebodies'... well, you get my drift...)

 

[kyser_soze]

Life doesn't have meaning until you give it some - ideally that meaning will be to get along with others, for some it means going out and commiting mass murder (buy hey, it's a hobby, right?)

We're DNA carriers like every other lifeform on the planet, we just have bigger brains to bother ourselves on questions like this...