# Why are we alive?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [May 24, 2012, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931 "2012-05-24T08:59:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@thepillar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thepillar)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/1 "2012-05-24T08:59:11Z")
What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die. Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth and who/what is it? Why did bring forth life on this planet?
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### Author:  [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/2 "2012-05-24T09:12:55Z")
\*\* Why are we alive?\*\*
To procreate and to make Rhythmdvl very, very happy. I’ve already taken care of the first; you all should get busy with the rest.
\*\* What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die.\*\*
See “why are we alive.” You only have a couple decades to decide how you are going to make me happy. Get cracking.
\*\* Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth and who/what is it?\*\*
It was like that when I got here, honest. All lifey and such. There was a note though, apologizing for a few things and firm instructions to make me happy.
\*\* Why did bring forth life on this planet?\*\*
The answer is hidden within the subject of that question. If you diagram it (everyone remembers diagraming, right?), you’ll see it translates to a map that is almost like the Kabala, almost like a secret code, but is much more complete. The issue, though, is properly identifying the subject.
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### Author:  [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/3 "2012-05-24T10:02:11Z")
> [@thepillar](#):
>
> What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die.
To buy stuff.
> [@](#):
>
> Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth…
Wal-Mart.
> [@](#):
>
> …and who/what is it?
A giant chain of megastores so vast it’s hard to comprehend.
> [@](#):
>
> Why did bring forth life on this planet?
To justify its existence.
All seriousness aside, we’re born into a meaningless existence in an uncaring universe and then we die, without having any say in either. The time in between is what matters, and it’s up to each of us ourselves to determine what “the point” of it is. It could be to raise a family, or build a giant chain of megastores, or become a drug addict. It’s a combination of whatever your heart desires and whatever is within your capabilities.
And nobody’s responsible for life. It’s just the way physics works on this little ball of dirt.
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/4 "2012-05-24T10:05:45Z")
> [@thepillar](#):
>
> What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die. Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth and who/what is it? Why did bring forth life on this planet?
Why not? It seemed like a good idea at the time. Might still work out for the best.
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### Author:  [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/5 "2012-05-24T10:17:29Z")
A couple of decades? Has life expectancy suddenly suffered some kind of precipitous drop I was not aware of?
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/6 "2012-05-24T10:19:54Z")
> [@Candyman74](#):
>
> A couple of decades? Has life expectancy suddenly suffered some kind of precipitous drop I was not aware of?
Check the crystal embedded in your hand- has it turned red yet?
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/7 "2012-05-24T10:20:46Z")
Assume somebody is responsible for starting life on planet earth.
**Who created them?**
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### Author:  [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/8 "2012-05-24T10:38:08Z")
> [@Esox\_Lucius](#):
>
> All seriousness aside, we’re born into a meaningless existence in an uncaring universe and then we die, without having any say in either. The time in between is what matters, and it’s up to each of us ourselves to determine what “the point” of it is. It could be to raise a family, or build a giant chain of megastores, or become a drug addict. It’s a combination of whatever your heart desires and whatever is within your capabilities.
>
> And nobody’s responsible for life. It’s just the way physics works on this little ball of dirt.
This.
Which is sometimes sad as I know I could have used an instruction guide.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/9 "2012-05-24T11:12:05Z")
> [@thepillar](#):
>
> What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die. Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth and who/what is it? Why did bring forth life on this planet?
King Solomon asked the first question in Lamentations (Old Testament), his conclusion is it’s pointless.
My take on it, which involved a belief that God will save us, is we are not ‘living’ in the true godly sense of the word, but actually we are in eternal death, a cycle of continuously dieing over and over in a ‘soul sense’ sometimes called reincarnation.
And it is all pointless, as Solomen concluded, IMHO. There is nothing to be gained, except for one thing, to realize this is not what we want, we want more then this cycle of eternal death and suffering. So in that it prompts the soul to look for more which is when God shows up in our life and we know that we now live eternally and are taken out of this cycle of eternal death.
The reason for it, well that is super-open to debate, but it’s to give a alternative to eternal life, to try out to see if we can become our own ‘god’ and establish our own way. Until we realize that we can not, God is willing to have us stay here till and try to make it on our own, till we realize that we can’t.
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### Author:  [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/10 "2012-05-24T11:42:40Z")
> [@thepillar](#):
>
> What’s the point of being alive when after a couple of decades we die.
Do you think there’d be a point to being alive if we lived a heck of a lot longer?
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/11 "2012-05-24T11:51:59Z")
1, Why are we alive? ALl of the brand-name religions agree, we are here to produce something nobody and nothing else can produce, love.
1. Who started the entire ball rolling? Obviously, someone who wanted love.
3.Why did he do it? To produce love.
Obviously.
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/12 "2012-05-24T11:58:27Z")
> [@thepillar](#):
>
> Who/what is responsible for starting life on planet earth and who/what is it?
The Old Ones. You lack the abilities necessary to comprehend our purposes.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/13 "2012-05-24T13:46:14Z")
> [@kanicbird](#):
>
> King Solomon asked the first question in Lamentations (Old Testament), his conclusion is it’s pointless.
Setting aside the question of authorship as a hijack, I will note that the book to which you refer is Qoheleth or Ecclesiastes, not Lamentations.
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### Author:  [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/14 "2012-05-24T14:13:08Z")
We are here because the laws of physics allow the evolution of sentient life.
Of all the matter in the universe, only some small, truly infinitesimal quantity ends up being able to think and feel. The vast, vast majority of matter is in stars, rock, gasses or dust. Unthinking, insensate, simply existing.
But you, and I and everyone else here, of all that insensate matter, have been lucky enough to have consciousness. We exist. We know we exist. And we get to see the rest of the universe and have some level of joy.
The point of living is that you, of all the matter in the universe has been gifted with consciousness. It’s only for a small window of time. It’s subject to a lot of conditions. But it’s yours. You get to have a blip of reality and understanding before going back to oblivion. You get to love someone. You get to raise children. You get to stain the deck in your back yard.
To suggest that life has no point if it ends is utterly missing the point. It does end, so use what you have.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/15 "2012-05-24T14:18:12Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#):
>
> Why not? It seemed like a good idea at the time.
According to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, it has made a lot of people mad and been widely regarded as a bad idea 😃
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/16 "2012-05-24T14:25:39Z")
Beats the alternative.
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### Author:  [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/17 "2012-05-24T14:41:57Z")
Personally, I’m here for the pretty girls.
And the beer.
Did I mention pretty girls, yet?
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### Author:  [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/18 "2012-05-24T15:29:52Z")
I’m alive because my Dad fucked my Mom, and got her pregnant, and thus I was born. Why were my Mom and Dad born? Same reason. Why do I want to continue living? Because that’s the sort of creature I am, because creatures that didn’t want to continue living didn’t leave many descendents, and therefore I come from a long line of creatures that did want to live and procreate.
Some people don’t want to live, don’t want to procreate. That’s fine. They don’t have to. I realize that my desires to live and procreate are urges implanted in my by evolution, not by some cosmic imperitive.
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### Author:  [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/19 "2012-05-24T15:41:07Z")
Alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives.
and boobs.
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### Author:  [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)
#### Post date: [May 24, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-we-alive/622931/20 "2012-05-24T17:10:57Z")
> [@Scumpup](#):
>
> Alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives.
>
> and boobs.
Hence the B in BATF.
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