Does Your Life Have Meaning?

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

If so, what is it? And how do you know?

Is the meaning of life to have no meaning? Are we simply here to "fart around," as Kurt Vonnegut suggests?

I know my life doesn't mean shit. My life has been nothing but a negative effect on this world. A few laughs, a few insights, but ultimately just destruction and back spinning and pathetic remakes.

Don't we have to have plenty of failures to balance out the successes?

I think The Specials summed it up best...

 

[CarolKing]

My life feels more fulfilling to me when I'm helping others. Not to sound Pollyanna. I like to do things for myself too, so I'm selfish just like the next person. If you're able to get outside and walk that simple thing can help with depression. Sometimes you have to dig down deep inside to change your life around. Sometimes reaching out to others. They don't have to be your family members.

Meaning for one person could be different for someone else. Meaning is in the eye of the beholder. You may mean a lot to someone that you don't realize?

Music helps my mood. I love to sing.

PermaFrost cannabis is suppose to help with depression if you have that in your area. I have used it. It's good stuff.

EDIT
IMO the simple things in life is what it's all about. It doesn't have to be huge. A wiggle of your dog's tail when you walk in the door and him jumping all over you because he's so happy. Your life means something to that dog. Sometimes it's easy to wallow in self pity. I don't know your situation, so it might be easy for me to say? I haven't walked a mile in your shoes?

Our lives are pretty easy compared to those living in war torn third world counties. Sometimes being thankful for what you have.

 

[mestizo]

Yeah, life is meaningless.
After all, aren't we just a bunch of cells? (Like somebody else said on another thread) and our end is to be eaten by worms 6 feet under?
Who cares how successful you are in life, or how many relationships you built, we all have the same end, and after a few years nobody will remember us, and even if they did, who cares?
Life sucks, yeah, there are a few good moments here and there while you are young and strong, and then old age hits you in the face, and the happy moments are far in between.
Why do I think life sucks so much? Because we are hopeless, and have no control over so many necessary things in life, like life itself, health, feelings, etc.
Sorry to sound so negative, but it is the truth, and it matters little if you agree with me or not.

 

[syrupy]

If so, what is it? And how do you know?
Is the meaning of life to have no meaning? Are we simply here to "fart around," as Kurt Vonnegut suggests?

It's in each moment. How I know is the same as anything, a feeling that doesn't go away. Life can have any meaning, or lack of meaning, you want.

I know my life doesn't mean shit. My life has been nothing but a negative effect on this world. A few laughs, a few insights, but ultimately just destruction and back spinning and pathetic remakes.

Sorry to knock you off your pity pot, but please tell me how you figure what your effect on the world is. Calculating one's impact on all those lives out there, I don't think its possible. But watch It's A Wonderful Life if you need the reminder.

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

Sorry to knock you off your pity pot, but please tell me how you figure what your effect on the world is.

How I know is the same as anything, a feeling that doesn't go away.

 

[Radio]

If so, what is it? And how do you know?

Is the meaning of life to have no meaning? Are we simply here to "fart around," as Kurt Vonnegut suggests?

I know my life doesn't mean shit. My life has been nothing but a negative effect on this world. A few laughs, a few insights, but ultimately just destruction and back spinning and pathetic remakes.

Don't we have to have plenty of failures to balance out the successes?

I think The Specials summed it up best...

You don't 'know' anything! You are just associating your sense of self with a mental concept or idea.. Don't be so naive, friend. Your journey is far from done.

My life is about slowly and patiently deconstructing my ego and pain to a point where I am constantly in touch with all divine truths and realizations in a state of comfortable mindfulness, and to be the shining light in the world when all else is dark and bitter. I also give special meaning to being an important person in my daughters life and always being there for her. Indulgence in marijuana and music is also high up on my priority list of things that give this life any significance.

Really though.. This entire universe.. EVERYTHING... The whole big bang garbage.. It's just as infinitely expansive outward as it is inwardly, so all of this essentially means nothing and we are caught in a timeless dream of nonsense

Enjoy!


edit: the meaning of life is to follow your dreams. When you stop indefinitely, or give up; your life is over. The end.

 

[lwien]

I was sooooo happy until I read this thread. Fuck you guys.............

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

I was sooooo happy until I read this thread. Fuck you guys.............

@lwien, I would have thought that, at your age (no offense), and with your life experience, you'd have offered more guidance other than annoyed frustration.

 

[Radio]

I was sooooo happy until I read this thread. Fuck you guys.............

Cheer up buttercup

 

[lwien]

@lwien, I would have thought that, at your age (no offense), and with your life experience, you'd have offered more guidance other than annoyed frustration.

hehe..........not annoyed frustration but just a bit of comic relief. Just trying to add a bit of levity.

But I will say this.......meztizo's quote of "Life sucks, yeah, there are a few good moments here and there while you are young and strong, and then old age hits you in the face, and the happy moments are far in between.", for me, hasn't happened yet. Don't know if it ever will.

But if ya want a bit of guidance, I can only relay what has worked for me, and that is that I always take full responsibility to whatever happens to me, both the good, and the bad. By not playing the victim card, it empowers me to make choices.

Now does that mean that I've never wallowed in deep depression? I think that if you've read any of my other post on that subject, it becomes apparent that I have, but even then, I never blamed it on anything that "happened to me", but rather took responsibility for not catching it sooner before it got worse, and I firmly believe that that helped me not only to get out of that depressive spiral, but to keep it at bay as well.

The empowerment to make choices, for me, is paramount for my happiness and the only way to do that is to accept 100% responsibility for EVERYTHING that happens in my life. It's the few times that I felt unempowered that I got myself into trouble.

And as far as having a positive impact on others, and literally changing the world for the better could simply be nothing more than a casual smile and a nod of the head to a total stranger that you pass by on the sidewalk. That kind of validation "could" be life changing and that whole butterfly effect could very well come into play.......and thinking about that brings a happy smile to this 70 year old face.

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

hehe..........not annoyed frustration but just a bit of comic relief.

But I will say this.......meztizo's quote of "Life sucks, yeah, there are a few good moments here and there while you are young and strong, and then old age hits you in the face, and the happy moments are far in between.", for me, hasn't happened yet. Don't know if it ever will.

But if ya want a bit of guidance, I can only relay what has worked for me, and that is that I always take full responsibility to whatever happens to me, both the good, and the bad. By not playing the victim card, it empowers me to make choices.

Now does that mean that I've never wallowed in deep depression? I think that if you've read any of my other post on that subject, it becomes apparent that I have, but even then, I never blamed it on anything that "happened to me", but rather took responsibility for not catching it sooner before it got worse, and I firmly believe that that helped me not only to get out of that depressive spiral, but to keep it at bay as well.

The empowerment to make choices, for me, is paramount for my happiness and the only way to do that is to accept 100% responsibility for EVERYTHING that happens in my life. It's the few times that I felt unempowered that I got myself into trouble.

And as far as having a positive impact on others, and literally changing the world for the better for someone else could simply be nothing more than a casual smile and a nod of the head to a total stranger that you pass by on the sidewalk. That kind of validation "could" be life changing and that whole butterfly effect could very well come into play.

Now there's the @lwien I've come to love, hate, ignore, or occasionally read.

 

[Radio]

hehe..........not annoyed frustration but just a bit of comic relief. Just trying to add a bit of levity.

But I will say this.......meztizo's quote of "Life sucks, yeah, there are a few good moments here and there while you are young and strong, and then old age hits you in the face, and the happy moments are far in between.", for me, hasn't happened yet. Don't know if it ever will.

But if ya want a bit of guidance, I can only relay what has worked for me, and that is that I always take full responsibility to whatever happens to me, both the good, and the bad. By not playing the victim card, it empowers me to make choices.

Now does that mean that I've never wallowed in deep depression? I think that if you've read any of my other post on that subject, it becomes apparent that I have, but even then, I never blamed it on anything that "happened to me", but rather took responsibility for not catching it sooner before it got worse, and I firmly believe that that helped me not only to get out of that depressive spiral, but to keep it at bay as well.

The empowerment to make choices, for me, is paramount for my happiness and the only way to do that is to accept 100% responsibility for EVERYTHING that happens in my life. It's the few times that I felt unempowered that I got myself into trouble.

And as far as having a positive impact on others, and literally changing the world for the better for someone else could simply be nothing more than a casual smile and a nod of the head to a total stranger that you pass by on the sidewalk. That kind of validation "could" be life changing and that whole butterfly effect could very well come into play.......and thinking about that brings a happy smile to this 70 year old face.

Amen! We must yearn to take responsibility for our actions and feelings!

 

[lwien]

Now there's the @lwien I've come to love, hate, ignore, or occasionally read.

"Or" ?

Amen! We must yearn to take responsibility for our actions and feelings!

Yup. If you don't than you are willingly giving up your power to someone or something else to pull your strings and for me, I don't want to be someone or something else's fucking puppet.

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

"Or" ?

Well, you know. Sometimes you come across as the "Get off my lawn!" moderator type...

 

[lwien]

Well, you know. Sometimes you come across as the "Get off my lawn!" moderator type...

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

Oh, my god. I was quoting this movie today. That shit cracks me up!

 

[Dawntreader]

You don't 'know' anything! You are just associating your sense of self with a mental concept or idea.. Don't be so naive, friend. Your journey is far from done.

My life is about slowly and patiently deconstructing my ego and pain to a point where I am constantly in touch with all divine truths and realizations in a state of comfortable mindfulness, and to be the shining light in the world when all else is dark and bitter. I also give special meaning to being an important person in my daughters life and always being there for her. Indulgence in marijuana and music is also high up on my priority list of things that give this life any significance.

Really though.. This entire universe.. EVERYTHING... The whole big bang garbage.. It's just as infinitely expansive outward as it is inwardly, so all of this essentially means nothing and we are caught in a timeless dream of nonsense

Enjoy!


edit: the meaning of life is to follow your dreams. When you stop indefinitely, or give up; your life is over. The end.

I could have written this verbatim! it is exactly what i feel is my path this life experience!

 

[Radio]

I could have written this verbatim! it is exactly what i feel is my path this life experience!

Ummmmm, okay.. Wanna go out for coffee?

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

If so, what is it? And how do you know?

Is the meaning of life to have no meaning? Are we simply here to "fart around," as Kurt Vonnegut suggests?

I know my life doesn't mean shit. My life has been nothing but a negative effect on this world. A few laughs, a few insights, but ultimately just destruction and back spinning and pathetic remakes.

Don't we have to have plenty of failures to balance out the successes?

I think The Specials summed it up best...

I feel you man. I struggle most of the time to determine any point of living. Part of me thinks the only reason I have not killed myself already is the fact that I am a coward. I'm not always like this but I fluctuate from up to down.
As others have said you have to find your own meaning and for me that takes effort. For me I have a different personality depending on my state of depression. As I have gotten older I have learnt to do less damage when I'm down. I also try to manage myself better in terms of exercising, eating well, trying to be good to others and so on. My job doesn't help either. I get paid a relatively high amount to do a relatively small amount of work. However my work is meaningless. Last year I was pretty poor at work imo and took a lot of sick leave. My colleagues also mostly hate me. Yet I was rewarded with a fat bonus and my employer remains pleased with my performance. Often my body is at work but my mind and spirit are somewhere else.
The only thing I can really say is that life is hard but somehow we endure. We just keep keeping on.

PS - re the comments about our friend Iwien. I think he is a great example of someone you need to get to know a little before you appreciate him. I wanted to fly to the U.S. just to punch Iwien in the nose when I first came across him. Now I think he is one of the best and most valued members on FC. See things do change lol

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

I wanted to fly to the U.S. just to punch Iwien in the nose when I first came across him. Now I think he is one of the best and most valued members on FC. See things do change lol

Truer words were never typed...

 

[Radio]

I feel you man. I struggle most of the time to determine any point of living. Part of me thinks the only reason I have not killed myself already is the fact that I am a coward. I'm not always like this but I fluctuate from up to down.
As others have said you have to find your own meaning and for me that takes effort. For me I have a different personality depending on my state of depression. As I have gotten older I have learnt to do less damage when I'm down. I also try to manage myself better in terms of exercising, eating well, trying to be good to others and so on. My job doesn't help either. I get paid a relatively high amount to do a relatively small amount of work. However my work is meaningless. Last year I was pretty poor at work imo and took a lot of sick leave. My colleagues also mostly hate me. Yet I was rewarded with a fat bonus and my employer remains pleased with my performance. Often my body is at work but my mind and spirit are somewhere else.
The only thing I can really say is that life is hard but somehow we endure. We just keep keeping on.

PS - re the comments about our friend Iwien. I think he is a great example of someone you need to get to know a little before you appreciate him. I wanted to fly to the U.S. just to punch Iwien in the nose when I first came across him. Now I think he is one of the best and most valued members on FC. See things do change lol

Hahahahha! I relate to your comments about being a different person when depressed. It's a totally individual and complex being, and I start to believe that it's the REAL me and that it will inevitably be the ONLY 'me'.. But with a lot of effert (and usually a suicide attempt or two) it slowly fades away and I get back in touch with my higher self, and with a bit more practice I become my higher self for as long as I can! Each time I remain balanced for a little bit longer, and it gets easier and feels more natural each time!
Life is wonderful and very challenging.
My job is similar also! High paying, my boss loves me, but I sit around doing very little for the world, haha.. I will eventually do community service such as elderly care and I want to work with and nourish disabled or disadvantaged children one day. This is my dream.
I am slowly setting up safety nets for when I become depressed again as well! (Not saying it will happen, but not ruling out the possibility completely and being naive..)
I have numbers to call, people to support me, places to go, councelling sessions weekly, stronger ideals about myself, better self esteem, and I am building towards being 100% prepared for when disaster strikes. Nothing can get me down, especially not my mind!
Stay strong brother, we can do it

 

[lwien]

I think he is a great example of someone you need to get to know a little before you appreciate him.

I never thought of myself as an "acquired taste" before. Guess I'm not too good at first impressions, eh? .

 

[RUDE BOY]

I say You're(we're) here to kick it around a bit. Then You're(we're) Not.
(and ya kick it as long as ya can !)

And You never know how much your life changes those around you, it's kinda odd as to how much good can come from a well placed snide remark or the persistent striving for perfection of assholeism .

 

[Mr. Gweilo 420]

I never thought of myself as an "acquired taste" before. Guess I'm not too good at first impressions, eh? .

Nah it was probably more me It took me a while to get used to the vibe of this forum. I am a somewhat angry and confrontational person at times and sometimes I 'm just as asshole. I'm also quite crude at times so I think I got a few people offside when I first started posting. Strangely I now love the vibe of FC and actually appreciate the way it is moderated (most of the time).

 

[CarolKing]

@lwien, You have some great pieces of advice for the members here. I really enjoy your words of wisdom. You are a wise old owl and have a way of cutting through crap and getting down to point. A lot of folks can learn from your years of experience.