Meaning in life.

[Baruch]

I thought grok was something disgusting that Klingons eat.

Humans don't like their food fresh, they prefer it putrefying ... eeuh!  Klingons prefer gok (sp).

[Baruch]

I tend to think of life as you dealing with shit happening around you, to the best of your capabilities, for those who you care about and yourself.
It leads me to seeing 'meaning' of life as not coming from a conviction or a belief about reality, but from the actions we take in it.
If that makes any sense.

Makes much sense.  Don't whine, get off your yellow belly.  If you want things to be better, then ... "Make is so, Number One" - Jean-Luc Picard

[Mike Cl]

Life is meaningless.  There is no inherent meaning.  Joseph Campbell said something to the effect--The meaning of life is life.  The only meaning your life will ever have is whatever meaning you give it.  And you are free to give it whatever meaning you want. 

[Baruch]

Life is meaningless.  There is no inherent meaning.  Joseph Campbell said something to the effect--The meaning of life is life.  The only meaning your life will ever have is whatever meaning you give it.  And you are free to give it whatever meaning you want.

That short paragraph self contradicts ... but I agree with the final sentence.  It depends on what "Life" means ... if it means "Life" was synonymous with G-d ... then there isn't much "there" there, since G-d plays no favorites.  If it means the usual biological imperative, then it means securing offspring by securing females, and securing resources to help secure females, and provide from females and offspring.

[drunkenshoe]

"I said to myself, I should gather those friends of mine and have a good time at my place. I know each of their taste very well. First one doesn't drink what the second one does and the third one doesn't touch what the first one can't get enough of. I'm a good cook. I have spent good money and worked for hours, cooked delicious meals and set up a rich, tasteful table for four with the favourite drinks. I lighted candles. I even remembered and prepared one common dish they like to eat. They arrived. The 2o year old me, the 35 year old me and the 40 year old me. And me today. Four of us. Suddenly, I made the 2o year old me sit across the 35 year old me and I had my place across the 40 year old me. The 2o year old me found the 35 year old me conservative. The 40 year old me said that they are both idiots. I tried to calm them, they told me "stay out of it, you old fart!" and a big argument broke out. Neighbours pounded the walls up and down. The 2o year old me threw a glass to the 40 year old me. They trashed the house. Turned out to be a terrible night.

But then, I only have myself to blame. Why did I go and invited perfect strangers to my house?!"


Can Yücel

[Mike Cl]

That short paragraph self contradicts ... but I agree with the final sentence.  It depends on what "Life" means ... if it means "Life" was synonymous with G-d ... then there isn't much "there" there, since G-d plays no favorites.  If it means the usual biological imperative, then it means securing offspring by securing females, and securing resources to help secure females, and provide from females and offspring.

I don't see the contradiction.  Campbell simply meant that all living things yearn for life.  Their purpose or meaning is to live.  Period.  Beyond that, each individual has to supply their own meaning.  My meaning of life is not yours.  And just because I find some meaning in life one day, does not mean that that meaning will be the same for the next day. My meaning of life is in a state of flux--much as the societal morality is in a state of flux.  Everything changes.

[Mike Cl]

"I said to myself, I should gather those friends of mine and have a good time at my place. I know each of their taste very well. First one doesn't drink what the second one does and the third one doesn't touch what the first one can't get enough of. I'm a good cook. I have spent good money and worked for hours, cooked delicious meals and set up a rich, tasteful table for four with the favourite drinks. I lighted candles. I even remembered and prepared one common dish they like to eat. They arrived. The 2o year old me, the 35 year old me and the 40 year old me. And me today. Four of us. Suddenly, I made the 2o year old me sit across the 35 year old me and I had my place across the 40 year old me. The 2o year old me found the 35 year old me conservative. The 40 year old me said that they are both idiots. I tried to calm them, they told me "stay out of it, you old fart!" and a big argument broke out. Neighbours pounded the walls up and down. The 2o year old me threw a glass to the 40 year old me. They trashed the house. Turned out to be a terrible night.

But then, I only have myself to blame. Why did I go and invited perfect strangers to my house?!"


Can Yücel

I have sometimes reflected upon my life and am amazed at the number of people with different outlooks, thoughts and feelings all bound together by the past , labeled 'myself'. 

[Jannabear]

Jann..for someone who says that you're letting go of the anger you sound pretty pissed off. I do agree with a bit of your drivel, but not all of it.
If you want meaning skip all the I'm ok, you're ok and that there's where it's at nonsense. The world is full of asswipes and always has been and always will be.
The meaning in my life? Getting old because you either get old or you die. The trick is to find where the two meet.

I wouldn't say that I've let go of my anger, if I said that in the post then I misworded it, I've just redirected it if anything, I directed it away from me and on to those who nearly led to me killing myself, those who were complete fucking cunts to me, I didn't pull the tumblr shit where I cry about how I'm a victim to them, I simply told them to go fuck themselves.
And I'll never say that everything's peaches and cream as it is now, I live in a house with 2 bigots and an intelligent person who defends the bigots, my only real friends and anyone who I respect don't live near me, my house has a fuck ton of mold, there are racoons that live in our ceiling and vents, it's fucking horrible living in this house.

[Baruch]

I don't see the contradiction.  Campbell simply meant that all living things yearn for life.  Their purpose or meaning is to live.  Period.  Beyond that, each individual has to supply their own meaning.  My meaning of life is not yours.  And just because I find some meaning in life one day, does not mean that that meaning will be the same for the next day. My meaning of life is in a state of flux--much as the societal morality is in a state of flux.  Everything changes.

Everything I agree with, except the contradiction of quoting Campbell.  Campbell was profoundly religious, just anti-Christian.  The guy was a professor of mythology ... not a secular preoccupation ;-)

[Baruch]

I wouldn't say that I've let go of my anger, if I said that in the post then I misworded it, I've just redirected it if anything, I directed it away from me and on to those who nearly led to me killing myself, those who were complete fucking cunts to me, I didn't pull the tumblr shit where I cry about how I'm a victim to them, I simply told them to go fuck themselves.
And I'll never say that everything's peaches and cream as it is now, I live in a house with 2 bigots and an intelligent person who defends the bigots, my only real friends and anyone who I respect don't live near me, my house has a fuck ton of mold, there are racoons that live in our ceiling and vents, it's fucking horrible living in this house.

Raccoons are cute, except for rabies ;-(  I live with a cat by choice.  I am not sure your intelligent person is all that intelligent (at least not in EQ) if he/she defends bigots.  Hope you can find better digs.  And have a good cry ... you are feminine after all, right (M-F trans)?

[Mike Cl]

Everything I agree with, except the contradiction of quoting Campbell.  Campbell was profoundly religious, just anti-Christian.  The guy was a professor of mythology ... not a secular preoccupation ;-)

Okay..............I am familiar with what Campbell did.  What does that have to do with the comment I talk about? 

[Unbeliever]

Life is meaningless.  There is no inherent meaning.  Joseph Campbell said something to the effect--The meaning of life is life.  The only meaning your life will ever have is whatever meaning you give it.  And you are free to give it whatever meaning you want. 

Life is never having to know you're dead.

[Baruch]

Okay..............I am familiar with what Campbell did.  What does that have to do with the comment I talk about?

Like quoting Hitler at a bar mitzvah ;-)  Your idea is good, but you justify it with ... meh.  Personally I like Campbell, but then I am a theist.

[Shiranu]

I'm fond of some Confucian ideas of both bettering ourselves and of respect for our history and elders as a source for finding meaning in life.

[Baruch]

I'm fond of some Confucian ideas of both bettering ourselves and of respect for our history and elders as a source for finding meaning in life.

From Wiki ...
"The this-worldly concern of Confucianism rests on the belief that human beings are fundamentally good, and teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor especially self-cultivation and self-creation. Confucian thought focuses on the cultivation of virtue and maintenance of ethics. Some of the basic Confucian ethical concepts and practices include rén, yì, and lǐ, and zhì. Ren ("humaneness") is the essence of the human being which manifests as compassion, it is the virtue-form of Heaven.[15] Yi is the upholding of righteousness and the moral disposition to do good. Li is a system of ritual norms and propriety that determines how a person should properly act in everyday life according to the law of Heaven. Zhi is the ability to see what is right and fair, or the converse, in the behaviors exhibited by others. Confucianism holds one in contempt, either passively or actively, for failure to uphold the cardinal moral values of ren and yi."

Clever these Chinese.  How could they advance so far without the Chicago School of Economics?