To think a lot of what we do is just passing time till death?

[crunchymint]

This is going to sound like I am depressed, and I am not. But a lot of what people do is really just filling in our time until we die. Watching TV, MNing, going for walks. All just ways ultimately of using up the hours we have.
I guess this is more an existential question. If you are religious there is an obvious purpose to life. On a biological level the purpose of life is simply survival of the species - individuals don't matter. On an individual non religious level, life doesn't really seem to have any purpose. We are simply filling in our time till death, and on the way if we are decent people, trying to help others avoid too much pain.

Yes, there is no great "purpose" to life. That we are here is a sheer coincidence of the right conditions being available at the right time for our type of life form to exist and evolve.

The universe is so big that these conditions were likely to evolve somewhere, it just happens to be us, here, now.

Statistically speaking, we're almost certainly in a simulation anyway, so the plug could be pulled at any moment!

I mean, essentially, yes. If you aren't religious (I'm not) then you can ask yourself what the point is. I think though that we should try and enjoy our time, do things we like and derive pleasure from and that is what gives our lives meaning.

So it might just be a walk to while away the hours until your eventual demise, but if you enjoy the fresh air, maybe see a nice sunset/view, and get some exercise which in turn makes you feel good, then it is worthwhile.

I don't know if that makes any sense, I typed this one-handed while eating a sandwich, but that is basically what I think. We're here for a short time, we may as well enjoy it.

Yes i think the same. I'd love to be religious ....

Isn't all of life just being here to create more of the same?

When i'm in a bit of a gloomy existential mood i tend to reflect on how we are the only life form on the planet who are aware of our own impending death. Other animals may mourn their lost ones, but we're the only ones who are capable of thinking - 'shit - i'm gonna be dead one day'. What a curse. It's kind of karma for all the damage we cause i guess.

Happy introspective days

I do sometimes wonder what is the point of life ? I'm.not depressed but when a close family member died suddenly a few years ago it certainly made me realise my own mortality.

It does make it crazy that some people judge how others while away their hours till death. For example, judging that someone watches a crappy TV show rather than opera. Humans seem very good at imbibing meaningless things with a lot of meaning.

I think this often. I do have sort of higher ideas about purpose to do with trying to make the world a better place for other people, but a lot of the time I worry we're just here by accident and waiting to die. I have never said that out loud to anyone I know IRL.

Laiste, I'm not sure I agree that we are the only sentient life form. I suspect our lack of knowledge just means we assume this...

....on a species level, rather than you personally!

But yes, OP I agree, I'm not religious and I'm jealous of those who are. Doesn't mean that I can't comprehend if something else when I die though. Life is a proving ground, maybe.

Yes agree to an extent...trouble is our existence does have a huge impact on others, our loved ones would grieve if we weren't around so I guess in answer to your question we are just existing till we die but whilst here we are hopefully making others happy which on turn makes us happy and happy to carry on doing it.

We are simply filling in our time till death

You say that like it's a bad thing?

I'm not religious but I do believe there is a purpose in life. I believe in a greater intelligence, that's for sure.

That was meant to be the confused face - not the bitchy 'wtf you talking about' face, sorry.

I'm not religious and I don't think there is a "purpose" of life. I enjoy life and the things I do and that's good enough for me. I don't need a deeper meaning.

I think about death too sometimes and I've started planning for it and making care decisions incase I am unable to in the future. I am going to write my will soon and start a funeral plan. I've encouraged my mum to discuss it with her partner.

Not unreasonable at all, which is why I try to enjoy almost everything I do :)

Life is in itself the purpose of life. If you enjoy watching TV for instance then you are winning at life.

If you are happy in your circumstances then you are having a good life. If you consider the odds of you being you (that 1 sperm and that 1 egg combination at that exact time) then you are remarkable.

Everyone should try and find what makes them happy.

Personally I don't fear death, I mean sure I don't want to die... but the idea of 'oblivion' doesn't worry me. I can't exactly remember the Big Bang, Dinosaurs, The Roman Empire, World Wars etc so I won't be aware of what comes after.

Despite this thread having the potential to depress, it has actually cheered me up! I can sit and watch an episode of Friends I have seen a million times, without feeling guilty as all just passing time until I die. We’re here for a good time not a long time!

I think about this often, but never really talk about it because I used to be depressed and I worry people will think I am again.

Humans seem very good at imbibing meaningless things with a lot of meaning.

That sums up religion really doesn't it? I don't mean it in an offensive way. I do sometimes think it would be nice to believe and therefore feel like we had all the answers.

I agree OP but thankfully we usually just get on with it. The magnificent Floyd summed it up well in Time:

[Verse 1: David Gilmour & Richard Wright]

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

[Verse 2: David Gilmour & Richard Wright]
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over
Thought I'd something more to say

I'm not sure I'd call all the wine I imbibe meaningless............

Hedonism fills the purpose gap. Sex, drugs and video games and always trying to push the intensity of all 3.

I was thinking this last night in the sense that when its a weekday Im just counting down til the weekend so am literally wishing away 5 days out of 7, and dont do anything particularly productive during those days apart from work/chores/netflix.

I agree with a pp who says it's not necessarily a depressing thought process at all.

REALLY accepting that we're all gonna pop off at some point does give you a little more freedom to stop sweating the small stuff. A bit.

Sitting and staring at the sea, or those moments when you're watching a documentary about space and you suddenly 'get' how huge the universe is for a moment - they make all our stresses seem insignificant.

MirriVan i laughed at that. It's true! Why it's funny i have no idea

It is all a bit pointless isn't it. We spend a lot of time being bored I reckon. Why did I bring kids into this world, just to be bored and pointless too?
God I feel depressed now...