What’s the point of living, if we are just going to die? [serious]

[Darkover]

Sure, we're all going to die and any and everyone who knew anything about us will be dead within 100 years, and sure life has no inherent meaning


Do you put effort into your job? Why bother, the job likely won't be your lifelong career.

Do you make sure your car gets maintenance? Why bother, that car will eventually break down.

Do you invest into friendships/relationships? Why, relationships aren't guaranteed to last forever, and in fact none ever do.

My point is, the nature of existence is transience. Everything is temporary. But just because it's temporary, doesn't mean it isn't worth investing into and enjoying while you have it.

You put at least a bare minimum of effort into your job because it's worth getting a paycheck. You take care of a vehicle because that car helps you during the time it functions. You invest into relationships because they bring enjoyment and experiences while those relationships last.

So, we live life, knowing we will die, because it's worth living while we have it. But only if you put effort into it. If you don't invest into it then, just like a job, car, or relationship, it will turn to shit and not be worth the trouble.

Whats the point in eating if you just get hungry again?

Respite. A moment of bliss. But a small insignificant passing thing, floating amidst a much greater and more complicated story.


Me in highschool, being lazy: why clean when it's just going to get messy again?

My dad, dropping wisdom: why wipe your ass after taking a shit

 

[Specific_Milk]

Like you said there's no inherent meaning. What you're describing as 'just do it anyways' is either the existentialist position or just an illogical position (you tell me which one it is). If it's the former then the existentialist position suffers from many criticisms. One only has to study its critique or the fact that for most of western philosophy, essence always precedes existence. If you're not arguing for the existentialist position, (or its very close relative absurdism, which also suffers from similar flaws) then 'living despite the suffering' is an irrational and illogical belief predicated on a built-in-bias that of the belief in some inherent value of life itself

 

[BornByGhosts]

if my dad told me that id have said you can make me do one or the other, i'm not doing both :p

 

[FuneralCry]

I don't see any. I'm just here as I was so cruelly burdened with the ability to exist in the first place and it isn't like we can just choose to easily cease existing in peace. I'd certainly always prefer to die in my case, to me it only feels rational wishing for death to escape from the cruelty and futility of existing. I see existence as something completely devoid of meaning, we are all just waiting around to die, destined for nothing but to deteriorate, decay and be forgotten about.

 

[KafkaF]

I guess I pretty much agree with you. I'm an existentialist (always recommend people struggling with meaning look into existentialist philosophy, btw). So it seems to me that you create that purpose yourself.

As far as I'm concerned you might as well ask the question "Why eat a piece of pizza when it's going to be gone after a while?" You do it because you enjoy it while it's happening. The creamy cheese. The tangy sauce. The rich tomato flavour on your tongue. You feel it while you eat it.

It seems to me that things have value when they are happening and the fact that they will one day be gone doesn't matter. They had value at the time and nothing can change that. The same is true for life. We will be gone (probably) one day, but we will still have lived and experienced while we were here.

So the only question then becomes "What do you value?" For me I value pleasure (of course), I value happiness, I value intimacy and closeness and love. I value writing and telling powerful stories. I value being moved by other people's stories and experiencing powerful emotions. I value learning and thinking. I value seeing beauty and art. And I value helpîng other people feel just a little bit better in this shit world if I can. I value being the best version of me that I can possibly be.

Even when I die that me will still have existed and nothing can change that or take that away. Things that happened, happened and that cannot be changed. For worse or sometimes for better.

 

[Mitsumi]

It doesn´t really make sense. I wish we came with a manual...

 

[Forever Sleep]

I think most of the time, it's about finding the lesser of the evils and if you're lucky, you might hit on something that actually does bring you a sense of meaning. That could be anything- a relationship, a discovery in science, some creative endeavour, setting up a charity and seeing it improve the life of others. Doesn't really matter if the universe gives you credit- it won't- obviously- it's a feeling you get yourself.

Things don't have to last forever to have created good memories. That can be bittersweet of course but a lot of people are still grateful for having experienced meaningful moments- even if they're now gone.

Depends though on what you want. If it's simply too painful to experience anything good because you might lose it or- I guess if nothing feels good then, I guess there isn't motivation to do stuff. I think most people try to chase what they hope will make them feel better or- at least, not feel worse.

Some people don't have a safety net too. If they don't work and don't earn money- they'll eventually become homeless. If they do the absolute minimum at work or less- they may get the sack. People try and get an education and go for a subject they enjoy more in the hopes they won't detest their job- which they'll need because they need money. So- I think a lot if the time, it's simply trying to avoid being in a worse state!

 

[Tears in Rain]

The point of the ride is the ride.

 

[Darkover]

The point of the ride is the ride.

if it just a ride i should be able to get off it

 

[oddetoad]

The point of the ride is the ride.

Nobody wants to ride its stupid

 

[Tears in Rain]

if it just a ride i should be able to get off it

Exactly, you can jump off at any time. Isn't that what you have planned?
(The thing is, whatever made you get on the ride in the first place may make you get back on again!)

Nobody wants to ride its stupid

You may not, but lots of people out there obviously do! Just because you got the shit ride in the amusement park doesn't mean that those who got the fun rides don't want it!

 

[oddetoad]

Exactly, you can jump off at any time. Isn't that what you have planned?
(The thing is, whatever made you get on the ride in the first place may make you get back on again!)


You may not, but lots of people out there obviously do! Just because you got the shit ride in the amusement park doesn't mean that those who got the fun rides don't want it!

Surely the people who enjoy this reality must have negative IQ.
Every ride here is a shit ride, it's just that some people can't see that and it's most likely a question of ones intelligence tragically
You can try deluding yourself that there can be happiness here but it's a lie. It feels good to lie to yourself, it does, but it's not gonna get you anywhere near the truth.

This is a graveyard and it's a universal crime against every sentient life-form that this place is still standing.

How do you enjoy this life lets say, even if you got the best possible life, knowing there are people spending a lifetime in a wheelchair?
You'd have to be sick twisted and demented if you were. Or just extremely evil. None of which a sane person would be interested in being.

 

[Darkover]

Exactly, you can jump off at any time. Isn't that what you have planned?

i am to scared to jump off the ride, i just want the owners of this ride to stop it for me

 

[Tears in Rain]

Every ride here is a shit ride, it's just that some people can't see that and it's most likely a question of ones intelligence tragically
You can try deluding yourself that there can be happiness here but it's a lie. I

How do you enjoy this life lets say, even if you got the best possible life, knowing there are people spending a lifetime in a wheelchair?

Well, if every ride here was shit then the whole world would be queuing up for the bus! So some of the rides here obviously bring people enjoyment.

But I agree, people are deluded, caught up in their happy-ever-after fairytales. A lot of it is just programmed pleasure-chasing. And obviously if they live long enough they will endure loss, aging and deteriorating health. But the bottom line is they get enjoyment and happiness at various times through their lives, and so don't feel the need to get off their rides.
So not every ride is shit!

i am to scared to jump off the ride, i just want the owners of this ride to stop it for me

Well, the owners are obviously gonna stop it eventually, but can you endure the wait is the question you gotta ask?

 

[amaterasu :-)]

Spiritual option: there is an afterlife or we reincarnate so we are supposed to stay here to learn or evolve or something like that. Even in that case the ctb makes sense if everything is a shit, since we don't really know what happens next, then we don't really know if suicide is a moral or immoral act in my opinion (not sure what each church says about this).

Materialist option: if there is none of that other than material reality, the only meaning of being here is that somehow we are going to be well and have fun, saying anything else is ridiculous, if the world does not allow us well-being it is perfectly normal and logical to consider the ctb.

Ultimately, I think it's very simple.

 

[gggy]

 

[Princess_Kitty]

I've been trying to figure it out forever, sadly I don't think I'll find the answer before I CTB.