# Meaning of Life **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 28, 2000, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935 "2000-09-28T22:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/21 "2000-09-29T04:02:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Angkins \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*\*\*Originally posted by Interlewd \* > > What would you say to a firm believer in the non-existence of a meaning to our existence? \*\* > > Why bother living then? For that matter, why not? ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/22 "2000-09-29T16:40:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by foolsguinea \* > \*\*For that matter, why not? \*\* Exactly. Life is an opportunity. Make the most of it. If you think it’s wasted time, then it’s your own fault. I like this view… “If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal” - Carl Sagan The world/universe is amazing…appreciate it. You have free will…use it. What kind of future do you want to build for humanity? Maybe there’s some cosmic purpose we’re not aware of…but we can only try our best. Or are we all just children that need to be told what to do? ---
**Author:** ![Wrath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ee7513/32.png) [@Wrath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrath)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/23 "2000-09-29T16:58:34Z")
The meaning of life is… to make more life. That point is pretty much the crux, whether you are religious or scientific or both, or neither. IMHO, if you are unable to make more life, then it is to help others live, that they may make more life. I believe that if you do not ascribe to that basic function, then you are in antithesis to the living, and should be avoided. So, in the end, have 42 babies, and give them all hats. ---
**Author:** ![headshok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@headshok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/headshok)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/24 "2000-09-29T19:06:16Z")
**To crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of the women.** Just kidding. I’ve always wanted to use that quote. 🙂 Seriously, though, I’ve had the dubious pleasure over the last couple of years of experiencing a full-blown existential crisis. It’s not something I think about constantly, but every once in a while I have an episode that leaves me rubbing my forehead and going “What the hell?” Almost invariably, I’m drunk, lying in bed (alone; it never happens if I’m with somebody), and my mind starts wandering to a variety of topics. Usually it’s the normal stuff that drunk people think, like “Do I have an action plan in place for reaching the toilet in the dark?” or “Am I parked in the driveway this time?” Occasionally, though, I start thinking about the people in my life that I care about, and imagining their deaths, and imagining my own death, and trying to imagine what it would feel like to simply not exist (fully knowing that I would feel nothing), and imagining the universe just chugging along to its own heat death without me, and so on, and so on. I guess it’s age; I never really thought about this stuff when I was younger. As far as answers, most of the major religions are out as far as I’m concerned, because there is simply too much unbelievable mythology wrapped up in them. Of late, I’ve grown interested in the Buddhist idea of the Four Holy Truths, since it seems to hit upon many of my own questions and feelings, but I’m still just window-shopping for the most part. The only thing I’ve come up with is that since nobody really knows what happens, the best that we can do is just try to care for each other as best we can, and try not to fret too much about the small stuff. I know that sounds like something that should be written in needlepoint and hung in my grandmother’s breakfast nook, but that’s the only reasonably satisfactory answer I’ve been able to come up with. It seems like a noble enough philosophy for now. ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/25 "2000-09-29T20:06:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Interlewd \* > **If you were able to view the Earth from above and witness the billions scurrying 'round like ants, would you giggle and wonder what it’s all for?** I can do that from ground level. > [@](#): > > **If you have ever asked yourself what your reason for being is, what is your eventual answer?** To make the world better than it was when I found it. Unfortunately, I cannot do this alone. I also seem to have trouble convincing others how it should be done. It’s a dilemma. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/26 "2000-09-29T20:09:55Z")
The Meaning of Life? Life is a Game (sometimes a computer game) Life is a cereal. Life is a magazine. Life is a cabaret, old chum. Come to the cabaret, ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/27 "2000-09-29T20:33:04Z")
Harry: > [@](#): > > Matter is energy; in the universe there are many energy fields which we cannot normally perceive. Some energies have a spiritual source which act upon a person’s soul. However, this soul does not exist _ab initio_, as orthodox Christianity teaches; it has to be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation. However, this is rarely achieved owing to man’s unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia. Max: > [@](#): > > What was that about hats again? from _Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life_. Existence is what you choose to make of it. If you choose not to believe in a maening, then you’re right–you might as well be daed. And so it goes. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/28 "2000-09-29T20:34:44Z")
“Maening” and “daed” being, of course, the archaic spellings. No, really. ::slinks off in shame:: ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/29 "2000-09-29T20:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jab1 \* > \*\*To make the world better than it was when I found it. Unfortunately, I cannot do this alone. I also seem to have trouble convincing others how it should be done. It’s a dilemma. \*\* The problem with wanting to make things better is you are always to some extent dealing with negation. You have to start out with showing that some things aren’t as good as they can be now, which is near impossible, then show how things could be better, even though you can’t prove it. Perhaps you can show things can take a turn for the worse, and point out that maybe, like the Titanic seeing the Iceberg, there won’t be enough time to steer out of the way before something irrevocable happens. But you probably can’t get anyone to envision the iceberg, or convince them the Titanic isn’t unsinkable nor does it have enough life rafts. And there is the chance you are just steering into a bigger iceberg. (As Socrates said, the next generation is going to the dogs.) ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/30 "2000-09-29T20:51:43Z")
Don’t know, but Ive allways like this “Life is hard, dyings mean, so get your self some lovin in between” - sorry can’t remember who said it. ---
**Author:** ![Phobos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Phobos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phobos)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2000, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/31 "2000-09-29T21:36:49Z")
Question is…do you need a pre-established Meaning in order to enjoy your life or can you determine your own Purpose? ---
**Author:** ![Interlewd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8c91f0/32.png) [@Interlewd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interlewd)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935/32 "2000-09-30T00:35:30Z")
thanks to all for giving me something to think about. After a blistering headache and a long talk with my hubby, I’ve decided what to do with the rest of my time. **Make hats, of course. 🙂** I love Python! Great antlike weekend to everyone. May we all get the best crumbs at the picnic. _Always look on the bright side of life._ whistle, whistle, whistle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meaning-of-life/34935.md?page=1)