# Why continue life?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [March 16, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865 "2011-03-16T01:52:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/1 "2011-03-16T01:52:58Z")
Is there a reason to continue life if all an individual does is produce wealth, pay taxes and wait for death sometime in the future. If you have no family, and no heirs, what is the purpose of existence?
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### Author:  [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/2 "2011-03-16T01:53:39Z")
42, of course.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/3 "2011-03-16T01:55:27Z")
Why is a purpose necessary? The need for a purpose is a human construct.
Pursue happiness. Everything else is mere details.
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### Author:  [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/4 "2011-03-16T02:08:54Z")
One man’s opinion: it’s been a heckuva fun ride, on the whole. Not always, of course, but on the whole. And when its time for me to get off the ride, well, it’s only fair that others have the same chance to enjoy themselves that I’ve had.
And I might have done some good while I’ve been here. No, any good that I’ve done won’t last for very long, but it seemed worthwhile when I did it.
Er, this isn’t really a GQ-type answer, but I suspect there isn’t one.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/5 "2011-03-16T02:29:23Z")
Do you gain pleasure from reading, music, puttering around in a garden or being alone with your own thoughts?
Do you fear the non-existence that comes with death?
Are you simply curious to see what’s going to happen next in Japan?
Those are all as good a reason for existence as someone may need.
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### Author:  [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/6 "2011-03-16T02:30:40Z")
Why do you need a reason?
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### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/7 "2011-03-16T02:30:59Z")
I don’t plan on dying.
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### Author:  [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/8 "2011-03-16T02:32:07Z")
It’s the chance to have heirs that counts, not whether you have any at this moment.
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### Author:  [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/9 "2011-03-16T02:33:41Z")
I’ve never understood the idea that there should be a purpose or plan for my existence. I’m just here to see what happens. There’s too much to do to consider living ‘waiting for death’.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/10 "2011-03-16T02:35:19Z")
Moving to Great Debates, our forum for Deep Questions.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
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### Author:  [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/11 "2011-03-16T02:40:53Z")
What’s the purpose of existence even if you have family and heirs? What’s the purpose of their existence? What’s the purpose of existence at all?
We find ourselves here and we want to hang around as long as possible. We’re a long time dead, so why not make the most of it?
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/12 "2011-03-16T02:47:39Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#):
>
> Is there a reason to continue life if all an individual does is produce wealth, pay taxes and wait for death sometime in the future. If you have no family, and no heirs, what is the purpose of existence?
Enjoying yourself. Life being at least somewhat fun is more important than “family or heirs”, since what’s the point of either of those if they are miserable? A legacy of misery is worse than nothing.
As for a purpose for existence, I don’t believe there is one and I reject it if there is. Tools have purposes not people, and I have no interest in being reduced to someone’s tool. I _give_ purposes to things, I don’t _have_ one.
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### Author:  [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/13 "2011-03-16T02:48:57Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#):
>
> Why do you need a reason?
Why would you NOT need a reason? What would be the purpose of living without a reason to exist?
If you have no one to continue your being here on Earth, why not move on to what’s next?
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### Author:  [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/14 "2011-03-16T02:53:37Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> Enjoying yourself. Life being at least somewhat fun is more important than “family or heirs”, since what’s the point of either of those if they are miserable? A legacy of misery is worse than nothing.
>
> As for a purpose for existence, I don’t believe there is one and I reject it if there is. Tools have purposes not people, and I have no interest in being reduced to someone’s tool. I _give_ purposes to things, I don’t _have_ one.
So you just exist for existence sake? I think I’ll take not existing than leaving a legacy of misery to be remembered by. Then again, if there is no family or heirs to remember you, then I guess it doesn’t matter.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/15 "2011-03-16T02:56:15Z")
> [@](#):
>
> In the beginning, God created the earth, and he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness.
>
> And God said, “Let Us make living creatures out of mud, so the mud can see what We have done.” And God created every living creature that now moveth, and one was man. Mud as man alone could speak. God leaned close as mud as man sat up, looked around, and spoke. Man blinked. “What is the purpose of all this?” he asked politely.
>
> “Everything must have a purpose?” asked God.
>
> “Certainly,” said man.
>
> “Then I leave it to you to think of one for all this,” said God.
>
> And He went away.
> [@](#):
>
> Tiger got to hunt,
> Bird got to fly;
> Man got to sit and wonder, “Why, why, why?”
>
> Tiger got to sleep,
> Bird got to land;
> Man got to tell himself he understand.
> [@](#):
>
> God made mud.
> God got lonesome.
> So God said to some of the mud, “Sit up!”
> “See all I’ve made,” said God, “the hills, the sea, they sky, the stars.”
> And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and have a look around.
> Lucky me, lucky mud.
> I, mud, sat up and saw what a nice job God had done.
> Nice going, God!
> Nobody but You could have done it, God! I certainly couldn’t have.
> I feel very unimportant compared to You.
> The only way I can feel the least bit important is to think of all the mud that didn’t even get to sit up and look around.
> I got so much, and most mud got so little.
> Thank you for the honour!
> Now mud lies down again and goes to sleep.
> What memories for mud to have!
> What interesting other kinds of sitting-up mud I met!
> I loved everything I saw!
from _The Books of Bokonon_
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### Author:  [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/16 "2011-03-16T03:01:38Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#):
>
> So you just exist for existence sake? I think I’ll take not existing than leaving a legacy of misery to be remembered by. Then again, if there is no family or heirs to remember you, then I guess it doesn’t matter.
Here’s a better solution: don’t leave a legacy of misery. It isn’t that hard; lots of people manage it.
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### Author:  [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/17 "2011-03-16T03:03:29Z")
> [@Clu-Me-In](#):
>
> Is there a reason to continue life if all an individual does is produce wealth, pay taxes and wait for death sometime in the future. If you have no family, and no heirs, what is the purpose of existence?
It beats the alternative?
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/18 "2011-03-16T03:08:23Z")
Cats.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/19 "2011-03-16T03:09:42Z")
By paying taxes and creating wealth, you are bettering your fellow man. That is your purpose.
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### Author:  [@Clu-Me-In](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu-Me-In)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-continue-life/574865/20 "2011-03-16T03:11:54Z")
> [@Lightnin](#):
>
> It beats the alternative?
Do we know the alternative that it beats? Don’t you have to no longer exists as you to know the alternative?
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