Why do we exist and how do others make sense of it

[ExistWHY]

As my user name says why do we bloody exist, or why do i bloody exist.

I’d recommend reading some Joseph Campbell.

“Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is the meaning.”

Essentially, the meaning of life is the experience itself.

That’s literally the plot of Soul. If you’re going with that logic my soul is a full on masochist and all souls make a decision we’re unconscious of. Would turn out great for some but utterly hideous for many. What about souls making that choice opting out? Theres more soul in how a being develops and becomes themselves particularly and I believe that is what defines the soul of each being. I prefer to believe it is that that goes to another plane when our physical bodies die. Not something making a choice before we’re even conscious of it…

This is the best thing I've read on the Internet all week.

Watch professor Brian Cox on YouTube and how the universe works. It explains the beginning the immediate though
the end isn’t fully clear it doesn’t matter to us a we won’t be here. We’re basically chemicals that can be seen accross the universe constantly. You need building blocks for life and the earth
had those.

If you believe in “god’ (which one?) that will contradict this but understandable as it was a couple thousand years ago so it’s no wonder they needed an explanation. Fast forward to 2026 it blows my mind that people not only believe in a (their) god but they would happily kill in the name of that god and in the name of ‘his’ wishes. Medieval belief system that has no place in a civilised society but were
not allowed to say that apparently. I am for cryptical thinking and evaluation (and womens rights!)

Do you ever think we might be someone’s pets, or people in a SIMS game or something? With someone putting obstacles in our path and watching us deal with them. Like a child’s ant farm.

I never wonder....we are just like any other species.
only difference is we happen to have developed a brain complex enough to be self aware. Religion and spirituality are just our way of coping with our awareness of our mortality.

Could be in the same we we could be chairs on a table for 1111111111000000000000 ants watching our reactions

Je pense, ainsi je suis.

Well you got the attention
Are you any the wiser?
No me neither. Yawn.

talking to yourself and yawning? Time for bed you horrible creation

Bob was one of the great philosophers.

I see it as.. we just do. Dont overthink it 😂

Lol. A lot of people have been talking seriously about that. The consciousness is not really real.

I was laughing thinking you absolute numpty - the fact you are thinking about this is THE definition of consciousness.

No I'm contributing to the post. You passed your bedtime? I'm not horrible at all. You on the other hand are ridiculous. Sleep well 💤

We're just little bugs passing through. there isn't a reason for everything. One day there will be no more humans and the planet will breathe an enormous sigh of relief.

If you're religious it's one answer. If you're talking about science it's all evolution.

... and if you are talking philosophy you ask why does evolution happen?

And, what does "we" mean and what is "existing" anyway?

And on and on! 😂

anymore than a mouse or fly has purpose.

But mice and flies do have purpose.

Once you die , that's it

Is it "it" though? One form of our existence and life is extinguished for sure. But another form continues - in a way, we are recycled. We decompose, that is life. And through decomposition, we also create life.

So after ur death, we hang around for quite some time.

Our bones stay the longest and carry our secrets.

Humans exist for the same reason every other living organism on the planet exists - to reproduce.

I think we need to revisit this argument. If we are only for the purpose of reproduction, then why do we live beyond reproduction age and get old?

We’re basically chemicals that can be seen accross the universe constantly. You need building blocks for life and the earth
had those.

This does not explain it all though. Like - why do we think at all? It. is clear that all animals think but why do humans think this way?

I am constantly amazed by scientists and what they manage to find out by asking Why? Human intelligence is incredible and we are just born with it - we don't really have to work for it all!

But, within that, we need to remain humble and recognize that no matter how great we are, what we understand is a sliver of what goes on. Every discovery shows how much we don't know.

Not strictly true I think.

Yes, because of evolution there is a drive to procreate, but organisms that do not, or do not do it well, just go extinct.

99.9% of all life that has existed on earth is extinct. It is the species that procreate well, and are adaptable, that survive and pass their genes on. And because it is the most successful individuals that do pro create, that drive is sort of condensed.

I think the Douglas Adams puddle works well on this

"Imagine a puddle waking up one morning and thinking, " This is an interesting world I find myself in, an interesting hole I find myself in; fits me rather neatly, doesn't it? In fact it fits me staggeringly well! It must have been made to have me in it!"

The puddle is just physics and chemistry. But it thinks it is in an environment made for it.

Well said.

Family. To support the other generations.
Possibly, anyway.

Why do fish exist?
Why do cats exist?
Why do weeds exist?

Just because the human brain is far more evolved and we are potentially able to do amazing things and make great achievements in discovery and knowledge, our reason for existing is no different to the purpose of everything else that exists. We just do. We are just another fragment of there being “life on earth”.

Why do we exist beyond reproductive age?
Because we’re social creatures and older people contribute wisdom and practical help to their societies. Also, like other long lived animals, to take on grandparenting roles.

Humans are immature for a very long time so families help each other.