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AIBU?

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Original poster

So what exactly is the point of it all then?

163 replies

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 15:41

Life? What are we here for?

I’m not depressed, just having a midweek musing while ill at home on the sofa.
If it’s just to reproduce and pass our genes on, how does that explain infertility?
Unless we have occupations that make a huge difference in people’s lives, or change the course of history somehow, how are we making any difference?

Why do you feel we’re here?

OP posts:
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5
Hellskitchen24 · 18/12/2024 16:08

Zero point. Billions of years ago the right combination of factors came together and viola, life began. Humans are just a so called advanced species of primate that hit the genetic jackpot in various ways.

biscuitsandbooks · 18/12/2024 16:09

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 16:04

How are so many convinced there is no purpose or point to it all…how/what made you realise this?

Well, I believe in evolution and that we're all just here by chance. Humans are no different to any other species in that respect. We're born, we live, we die. Just may as well enjoy it while we can.

Original poster
Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 16:11

@biscuitsandbooks But we are so different to other species

OP posts:
biscuitsandbooks · 18/12/2024 16:12

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 16:11

@biscuitsandbooks But we are so different to other species

Why?

pumpkinpillow · 18/12/2024 16:20

just having a midweek musing while ill at home on the sofa.

Can't you just watch Elf like a normal ill person?

GWS

jolota · 18/12/2024 16:21

imo there is no point, no higher reason. The only purpose to our lives is the purpose we choose

Howmanymoredays · 18/12/2024 16:22

There is no point at all. And for the most part, nothing that you do is of any consequence. In a hundred years, you and (almost) everyone else currently on the planet will be dead, regardless. Once you realise this, it is much easier not to care about anything at all.

CatWolf · 18/12/2024 16:22

We exist to perpetuate the cycle of life. Not through reproduction, but through our bodies being made up of countless former beings, which will then turn into countless future beings when we die.

Tsarevna · 18/12/2024 16:25

Mine is to look and feel fabulous. Join me when you get better!

CanadianJohn · 18/12/2024 16:26

I'm not depressed, or suicidal, but I'm 78, a 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.

TomatoAuberginePotatoTurnip · 18/12/2024 16:26

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 16:04

How are so many convinced there is no purpose or point to it all…how/what made you realise this?

The fact that no-one has ever come up with an actual 'point to it all'.
Because there isn't one.

Does there need to be a point for you to feel satisfied with life?
Perhaps that's the real question.

I'm quite happy with there being no point.

Ted27 · 18/12/2024 16:26

My son thinks we are all really in one mega Truman Shown and there is an evil puppet master

SparklyTurtle · 18/12/2024 16:29

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 16:11

@biscuitsandbooks But we are so different to other species

We're really not, we're just more intelligent.

Our base emotions and instincts are the same. Watch an ape nurse it's baby and look at the love in it's eyes. Watch an animal ready for slaughter terrified and calling for it's loved ones. Watch crows teach younger generations the skills to make tools and have a functioning society just like humans.

Every animal has feelings and social bonds just like we do. Many are also extremely intelligent. The only difference is that we developed language and used to to write things like religion because we're smart enough to wonder where we came from. Then science showed us where we came from. We evolved just like every other living thing on the planet. And one day we will be gone.

There is no outwardly prescribed purpose of life for that reason in my opinion. But that's what make sit so special, the chance of you existing is so infinitely tiny and yet here you are, with the opportunity to give your life any meaning you want it to have because you are free do so in the absence of a creator that gave you a purpose. Some peoples purpose is art, some peoples purpose is hedonism, some peoples purpose is to leave the world better than they found it. You are free to choose and it's a miracle you even exist to choose. Look up at the stars and see how tiny you are and find freedom in the meaninglessness. Isn't it wonderful?

FlickeringFairyLight · 18/12/2024 16:29

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Dcbjgfdh · 18/12/2024 16:32

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.

MonsieurBlobby · 18/12/2024 16:32

Perplexed20 · 18/12/2024 15:44

Deep philosophical questions. I think we forget that we are animals that walk around with a big questionning brain. Because of that we have to make meaning about existence.

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.

ForeverDelayedEpiphany · 18/12/2024 16:37

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 15:41

Life? What are we here for?

I’m not depressed, just having a midweek musing while ill at home on the sofa.
If it’s just to reproduce and pass our genes on, how does that explain infertility?
Unless we have occupations that make a huge difference in people’s lives, or change the course of history somehow, how are we making any difference?

Why do you feel we’re here?

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 😆

ForeverDelayedEpiphany · 18/12/2024 16:39

SparklyTurtle · 18/12/2024 16:29

We're really not, we're just more intelligent.

Our base emotions and instincts are the same. Watch an ape nurse it's baby and look at the love in it's eyes. Watch an animal ready for slaughter terrified and calling for it's loved ones. Watch crows teach younger generations the skills to make tools and have a functioning society just like humans.

Every animal has feelings and social bonds just like we do. Many are also extremely intelligent. The only difference is that we developed language and used to to write things like religion because we're smart enough to wonder where we came from. Then science showed us where we came from. We evolved just like every other living thing on the planet. And one day we will be gone.

There is no outwardly prescribed purpose of life for that reason in my opinion. But that's what make sit so special, the chance of you existing is so infinitely tiny and yet here you are, with the opportunity to give your life any meaning you want it to have because you are free do so in the absence of a creator that gave you a purpose. Some peoples purpose is art, some peoples purpose is hedonism, some peoples purpose is to leave the world better than they found it. You are free to choose and it's a miracle you even exist to choose. Look up at the stars and see how tiny you are and find freedom in the meaninglessness. Isn't it wonderful?

Show quote history

Ooh this answer was beautiful and gave me shivers ✨️🌟

Jc2001 · 18/12/2024 16:46

Thinkingthesethoughts · 18/12/2024 15:48

I find it hard to believe/understand that we’d just be here by chance and for no real reason

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

Plantymcplantface · 18/12/2024 16:47

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.

LonginesPrime · 18/12/2024 16:49

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.

JadeScroller · 18/12/2024 16:49

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.

MushMonster · 18/12/2024 16:53

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.

Hyperion100 · 18/12/2024 16:53

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

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