What is the purpose of life? (There's lots to read inside for this one.)
March 2, 2013 12:06 PM Subscribe
K... so I'm aware that this could be looked upon as a pretty stupid question, if only because of the broad scope to which it can be interpreted.
I have written questions in the past about feeling depressed and such - that was a few years before now. If I'm being extra honest here, this feeling of discontent with my life started after I was playing a game earlier this morning. I don't see this as making my whole question childish or irrelevant, more that I just wanted to give a basis of why I suddenly felt pretty crappy.
So.... I appreciate that this is quite a broad question, so I'm going to attempt to narrow it by explaining how I got to this point. I don't know if it's helpful, but I'm quite a thoughtful person and enjoying thinking about things (though not in a way like this). Also, I like some of the values of Buddhism and Paganism, but I'm not religious at all.
Note: As irritating as this may be, please do not write something like you think I have depression or I should seek medical help for thinking this way (I could write a few pages on my reasons for that, but in short, it's not helpful).
For the last two and half years I've had issues with my stomach that has given me enough pain (every day) to make quite a negative impact on my day to day life. within the last few weeks, I have been on some medication that has reduced the pain enough so that it doesn't affect my daily life any more. I've had some other problems regarding some long term pulled muscles around my hips and a twist in the upper part of my spine. This has has made it impossible to do any kind of heavy exercise (anything more than walking). It has been like that for the last 4-5 months. I have been seeing a chiropractor recently and he has been fixing it, I feel taller (I lost an inch in height because of the spine problem) and I can now do more exercise without the pain. I have also recently been diagnosed with mild chronic fatigue syndrome (I can't remember the last time I haven't felt tired [probably about 4 years ago]).
There are some other lesser issues, but these mains ones (and several of the lesser ones) have been getting better over the last few weeks. I have been able to enjoy my life close to how the average person is able to. So I was playing a game yesterday that I have recently got back into (it's an endless role playing styled game). Earlier this morning I realised why I had originally stopped playing it a couple of years ago. If I have a character that is so powerful that it can't be killed, what else is there to do? What's the point in playing the game if I have come as close to finishing it as one could?
On a walk outside (to stretch my legs) later on today, I thought... on the same level as the game, if I am now as capable to live my life as I have been in the past, what goals should I have for my life? If I live to have a better paid job, what happens when I get there? If I feel I'm the best at something I do, what then? What will give my life a purpose that will make me want to continue to live it? I have no desire to commit suicide or anything like that, but I do want to find something that will make me want to live my life more. I have a full time job and enjoy it, I have a couple of great friends and a great relationship with my family etc. I know I can't depend on any of them for happiness continually throughout my life. That is, they all make me happy, but I need to be happy in myself as the foundation.
I know the primary purpose of life is to be happy, but how can you find such a thing if you can't find some purpose that makes you want to live. As an extra point, I wander what happens when you die. I'm not religious, so I don't believe in some creator, but I wonder what happens to my consciousness (my soul if you will). When people say 'nothing, it just dies', I try to think about this and my mind just goes hazy. I can't comprehend my conciousness just 'dying'.
Anyway, I guess what I'm asking is what makes your life worth living - not like 'my children', but more of what is it in your life before then or past then after they left... regarding what I said above, what purposes have you found/how can I find some for me?
For the last two and half years I've had issues with my stomach that has given me enough pain (every day) to make quite a negative impact on my day to day life. within the last few weeks, I have been on some medication that has reduced the pain enough so that it doesn't affect my daily life any more. I've had some other problems regarding some long term pulled muscles around my hips and a twist in the upper part of my spine. This has has made it impossible to do any kind of heavy exercise (anything more than walking). It has been like that for the last 4-5 months. I have been seeing a chiropractor recently and he has been fixing it, I feel taller (I lost an inch in height because of the spine problem) and I can now do more exercise without the pain. I have also recently been diagnosed with mild chronic fatigue syndrome (I can't remember the last time I haven't felt tired [probably about 4 years ago]).
There are some other lesser issues, but these mains ones (and several of the lesser ones) have been getting better over the last few weeks. I have been able to enjoy my life close to how the average person is able to. So I was playing a game yesterday that I have recently got back into (it's an endless role playing styled game). Earlier this morning I realised why I had originally stopped playing it a couple of years ago. If I have a character that is so powerful that it can't be killed, what else is there to do? What's the point in playing the game if I have come as close to finishing it as one could?
On a walk outside (to stretch my legs) later on today, I thought... on the same level as the game, if I am now as capable to live my life as I have been in the past, what goals should I have for my life? If I live to have a better paid job, what happens when I get there? If I feel I'm the best at something I do, what then? What will give my life a purpose that will make me want to continue to live it? I have no desire to commit suicide or anything like that, but I do want to find something that will make me want to live my life more. I have a full time job and enjoy it, I have a couple of great friends and a great relationship with my family etc. I know I can't depend on any of them for happiness continually throughout my life. That is, they all make me happy, but I need to be happy in myself as the foundation.
I know the primary purpose of life is to be happy, but how can you find such a thing if you can't find some purpose that makes you want to live. As an extra point, I wander what happens when you die. I'm not religious, so I don't believe in some creator, but I wonder what happens to my consciousness (my soul if you will). When people say 'nothing, it just dies', I try to think about this and my mind just goes hazy. I can't comprehend my conciousness just 'dying'.
Anyway, I guess what I'm asking is what makes your life worth living - not like 'my children', but more of what is it in your life before then or past then after they left... regarding what I said above, what purposes have you found/how can I find some for me?
This post was deleted for the following reason: Sorry, this is much too broad and chatfiltery a question for Ask Metafilter. -- LobsterMitten
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