So what exactly is the point of it all then?

I don’t believe there is a why - we just are. No purpose, no grand design, nothing.

That said, it helps to have something to live by. I’ve always liked what Theodore Roosevelt said about the meaning of life - “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”.

Yes, we are.

for example- we have the innate capacity to understand right and wrong, justice and injustice.

We are (unlike the animals) uniquely created as image bearers of God. Something of Him is reflected in us.

I think that there is both no point which could be seen as nihilistic but also as a positive, don't worry be happy, type of a thing and, my current take on life, to be curious and to learn. Learning means different things to all of us. For me it's big and little things. Learning something unimportant but that tickles me. Deciding to deep dive into a subject that interests me. I think remaining curious and taking in new stuff keeps us feeling alive and living. You could argue that there's no real purpose to it and I wouldn't disagree but some people's curiousity takes us to magical places in art and science and all manner of things. And even if it doesn't, there doesn't have to be a purpose or a point for their to be some sort of pleasure in just the being of it all.

That said I'm quite Pollyanna today. If you asked me on another day I might be a tad more grumpy about it.

widower, and looking at a few years of declining health, and ever-increasing expense to keep living... for what. If I had the choice, I'd sooner give my money to the children/grandchildren, than spend it on care-home fees.
Maybe I should contact Dignitas.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to patronise you and urge you to find a purpose. Or ignore you if you are sad. I hope you have had an enjoyable innings and hope that your family appreciate you 🌺

To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Richard Dawkins

I never understand that question as there’s no ‘reason’ to be here. We just exist.

I read some genetics academic who said that we are basically zombies programmed to reproduce because of chemicals driving us.

I know this, but seeing as these chemicals have somehow created consciousness, we may as well be happy.

For me it is feeling relaxed so that I can appreciate the small things that make me happy. Like a beer with my husband in the pub, hanging out with my son, walking the dog, going on holiday in the sunshine.

The more you look up into the heavens, the more you appreciate that there can't be a divine purpose to life or indeed a god. Why? Because our galaxy, the Milky Way has over 100 billion stars. In addition to these there are probably a further 200 to 500 billion planets orbiting these stars, that's just in our galaxy alone. From our galaxy, the Milky Way (a lovely example of a spiral galaxy by the way) we can see via the James Webb Space Telescope another possible 200 billion observable galaxies each of them containing their own stars and planets beyond measure. The concept that the Universe has been created by a monotheistic god and that this god has sent a theological scripture in the form of the Torah, Bible or Quran down to a single life form inhabiting a rather small water based planet orbiting a G-type main sequence yellow dwarf star (our Sun) positioned somewhere in the Orion arm of the Milky Way seems rather incongruous given the scale of the Universe.

However, the Universe in which you exist and you with it are amazing. When the Universe was created, the only elements that existed at the time was hydrogen (95%), helium (5%) and a trace element of lithium. As the gases gathered and formed into nebulae they in turn created the planets. Some became so large and dense that fusion started and these became stars. Through fusion consuming these first stars, all the heavier elements including oxygen and carbon were created. At first, these heavier elements were held tightly within the star that created them and only made available to the wider Universe when these first stars died and collapsed in on themselves with such a force that they exploded out again in a massive eruption called a supernova. After billions of supernovas, these heavier elements they had created during their lifetime were seeded across the Universe. These new elements in turn were collected into new nebulas and were included in the creation of subsequent generations of stars and planets. Every atom that makes you has previously existed and will continue to exist after your death. The fact that you are a life built from elements that didn't exist at the moment of the Big Bang means that you are the product of a star, you are built from star dust. When you die, you will go on to build something else.

In the meantime, just enjoy yourself. Countries, Governments, money, everything is just made up. Enjoy the moment. If you aren't having fun then go and do something that makes you happy.

The universe operates according to certain laws and its history is therefore already fixed. According to Special Relativity, no spacetime event is privileged over any other and all such events can be considered in a sense to exist simultaneously.

There is no free will.

I don't feel there is any particular point to us being here.

I am more than happy to just bumble through life taking pleasure at the experiences I encounter.

I have to say the older I have got I have realised more and more that I need to cherish those experiences because really my life doesn't mean anything big and meaningful apart from my own inner emotions.

Such a shame we had to end up in the plane of existence with a 40 hour work week and taxes.

I know the answer to this one: 42

Lol

Now, seriously, to enjoy the company of those who you love and who love you. To grow stronger so we can see the good things we have in the middle of the strongest storm and root for that, like the light at the end of the tunnel. Love is hope, hope is life.

There doesn’t have to be a point. We’re here because of billions of years of infinitesimally tiny chances and mutations and coincidences and there is no overriding purpose or intent to it all, so find meaning in whatever way matters to you.

It feels like such a fluke that we ever came into existence at all that we might as well make the most of it, in whatever way that works for you.

It's like a "bank error in your favour" situation in monopoly - we're accidentally in this cool situation where we're alive and able to do all sorts of things we wouldn't have had the chance to do as random disparate specks of dust, so we might as well do something interesting.

And it's fascinating to see how other people who've also accidentally ended up here have decided to spend their lives and how they have a completely different take on it all - there's so much going on all over the world that it's pretty mind-blowing really.

Here's the link: Scientific article

To love. To feel the utter pain and pleasure of being. To know how unbelievably lucky that by some chance, we are alive. And to touch the word even in the smallest of ways to make things better for those coming after us. It’s a beautiful ride.

Hasn't the been the fundamental question facing religion for thousands of years. Not sure will get it sorted in a MN chat board ☺️

Ooh this answer was beautiful and gave me shivers ✨️🌟

Funnily enough, I was musing the very same thing today earlier. I was having an introspective "why am I shit at everything I do" moment, worrying about my brain that doesn't work, wishing I was better at my job, thinking I thought I was a good editor/writer but am really realising that perhaps I'm not quite that good, and generally musing the whys and wherefore on how my life is.

I then read about a university professor who's been having a theory about it all, and how we might all be actually living in a Matrix-type virtual reality after all. I will try find a link in a bit.

It made me think of a Sliding Doors / Butterfly Effect film type scenario of what my life might be like in an alternative universe (or more than one!), and whether everything really isn't predetermined/generally genuine.

God knows (well, he probably does if that professor is correct... or whatever computer is controlling us all 😂🤔😳)

Wow, I feel a bit depressed now lol 😆

This is what I think (I think!)
We can imbue our lives with our own meaning though. For me, I think that as I'm here for X number of years, I want to try and make a positive difference to the people around me.

I think we are just Gods (or an aliens) science project and they are just seeing what will happen as they throw things at us and are recording the results.
I don’t think there’s any point to it. The people before us (unless hugely significant to history) are forgotten unless found by someone researching their family tree.
We live, we die. That’s it.