What is your life's purpose?

[thethird0611]

Im split personally. Im at a crossroad with my spirituality. I think of life in two ways now, neither correct.

1. Either im here by God and I should live life by how the Bible says.

2. I should just be happy and live life day by day until I inevitably kill over.

The happiness thing isnt exclusive to #2 either. I used to be a little bit of a teenage mess, but when I became a Christian I really turned into a happy guy that not much can get me down. (That was 4 years ago, im not a teenager anymore )

 

[TaboriHK]

I think "why" is a human invention that we tend to get a little too wrapped up in. At the end of the day, the goal is have more good days than bad. But whether the goal is achieved or not isn't terribly important.

 

[Alcom1]

To revel, inspire, and give joy through grand creations! A non-convoluted and happy self-given purpose.

Spoiler

A LEGO creation by me.

 

[zumbledum]

Or in a more general term, why do you think we/you exist?
Though a simple question, the complications and variations of ideas and beliefs are incredible and inspiring. The weirdest of which i have heard so far is that we are all just projected split personalities of the same giant beetle hidden within the earth,

All opinions, religions and forms of, are equally welcome for answers. There is a difference between the questions, why are we here...and why are you here? Both of which i believe are just as important.

i dont think we have a point purpose or reason, infact given the total lack of evidence thereof i dont understand why the leap is made that their either needs to be or actually is one, a lie born of the lack of perspective we need maybe.

were here because of cause and effect , simple chemical reactions mundane not arcane causes.

 

[Vegosiux]

My purpose is to suck out all the good things in people's life with my soul-crushingly depressing presence. And it depresses me to no end that Marvin the Paranoid Android can do that better than I can.

*spreads doom and gloom*

I've always considered you a barrel of fun. Every day where I get to have a conversation to you is like a bright summer day.

See? SEE!? I'm a complete and utter failure! I try to push this "cynical party pooper" persona and people like it! Woe is me!

No, but really, thanks and stuff ^^

(On a more serious note, the purpose I see in my life is to learn as much as I can. And crack as many silly jokes as I can, hence my first post on the issue)

 

[Yopaz]

My purpose is to suck out all the good things in people's life with my soul-crushingly depressing presence. And it depresses me to no end that Marvin the Paranoid Android can do that better than I can.

*spreads doom and gloom*

I've always considered you a barrel of fun. Every day where I get to have a conversation to you is like a bright summer day.

See? SEE!? I'm a complete and utter failure! I try to push this "cynical party pooper" persona and people like it! Woe is me!

No, but really, thanks and stuff ^^

(On a more serious note, the purpose I see in my life is to learn as much as I can. And crack as many silly jokes as I can, hence my first post on the issue)

Well, you had me chuckling so job well done so far. Also I do share that thirst for learning stuff. There's so many things I'm ignorant of that will blow my mind when I learn it.

 

[James Joseph Emerald]

I exist to crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Haha, brilliant.

I remember when I was like 5-years-old, as a kind of party trick, my dad taught me to recite that line whenever he asked me "what is best in life?"

In my little kid voice I would say, "to cwush your nenamies, to see dem dwiven afore you, and to hee da lamentation of dere women," to the uproarious laughter of his friends.

 

[MeisterKleister]

There is no inherent purpose to life, however we humans are unique in that we are capable to give purpose to our own lives.

?Find something more important than you are and dedicate your life to it?
-Daniel Dennett when asked about what happiness is

Spoiler: The Evolution of Purposes - Presented by Prof Daniel Dennett

Lecture starts at 2:13
(Yea, I know I post his videos alot, but they're awesome and it's relevant.)

Edit:
Also this:
(Mirror for German viewers [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4rwttfIEkg])

 

[TWRule]

I don't think my personal 'purpose' should be considered separable/independent from every other human being's. In fact, it's not even really coherent or desirable to do so imo.

But as far as what I'm currently devoting myself too, I'd have to say it's to start, maintain, and contribute to an honest dialogue about just this question (i.e. "What direction should humanity move in together/what should human destiny be and how can we realize it?").

So far I only have certain convictions about the form the right answer has to take, and most of them are negative; that is, our primary overarching goal/direction/priority should not be toward scientific/technological progress, toward the spread of 'conventional'/institutionalized religion, toward any political ideal, not mere 'survival', not 'every individual makes his own independent meaning/destiny', nor any kind of joining or imposition into a mindless collective, not anything that gives up on life in some way or chooses the lack of any goal (like Nihilism), nothing that endangers genuine interpersonal relationships (in general, nothing that promotes human solitude/loneliness), but also nothing that settles for relationships that don't amount to more of the sum of persons taking part in them (i.e. common-sense 'love'), nor even necessarily toward 'universal happiness' or 'freedom' or 'knowledge/truth' as such...

I've probably left a few things out, maybe the rest of you can help me add to the list.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

To revel, inspire, and give joy through grand creations! A non-convoluted and happy self-given purpose.

Spoiler

A LEGO creation by me.

Fuckin ay!! Is that you're own creation? Am loving it...now i challenge you to build the life size prototype!

I'm quite surprised with the amount of posts i agree with here. Have always swayed towards the existential philosophies of life. As a student of Uni science right now, only fact is important to me...however i have studied philosophy and psychology beforehand, it astounds me that the more we know, the more questions are created. We do seem to be a complete biological accident, yet an accident that has allowed such self perception. To the point where disagreement can lead to violent wars over simple opinion. We all have an in built fear of death and that has given birth to religion to make most of us feel better about our relatively short lives.

I personally believe the best thing you can do is inspire and make ppl laugh. A comedian or musician, artist, poet and more...all of those could claim to make their life mean something before they die. Some are just happy having children of their own, like some legacy that can redeem their mistakes...or just little bundles of themselves that can live on.

On another note...has anyone ever read 'the selfish gene' by richard dawkins?

 

[FoolKiller]

The usual. Hundreds of grandchildren, utter domination of known space and the pleasure of hearing that all of my enemies have died in terrible, highly improbable accidents that cannot be connected to me.

 

[FPLOON]

My purpose in life is to find a purpose, then have the journey to reach said purpose be told in a "based on a true story"-type movie where, if you watched it, you would be wondering if this movie was only made to be Oscar bait against another movie that would be the first of its kind to feature nothing but low-class humor within the context of a fictional, yet dramatic character study...

Moral of the story: 30 years from now (maybe more, I have poor time management skills), don't tell that one director's ex-husband about your journey to find your purpose because he would want to turn it into a movie without telling you that he's only doing this just to one-up his ex-husband of a director in terms of winning at least one Oscar within their lifetime... (At least that one time you both had brunch together would be the highlight of that journey to the Oscars...)

 

[Not Matt]

To make this my 500th post on the escapist. Yay, I can die happy now.

In all honesty though, the meaning of my life seen to be to help others. I think we all want to help one and other and aid each other when it is needed. I think that is why we have communities and societies. I myself never showed any significant talent or skill so since I always felt like I was bellow everyone I actually started to like being the right hand man. So basically what I am saying is that the meaning of life is peerpressure and Stockholm syndrome, eat your heart out 42

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

My purpose in life is to find a purpose, then have the journey to reach said purpose be told in a "based on a true story"-type movie where, if you watched it, you would be wondering if this movie was only made to be Oscar bait against another movie that would be the first of its kind to feature nothing but low-class humor within the context of a fictional, yet dramatic character study...

Moral of the story: 30 years from now (maybe more, I have poor time management skills), don't tell that one director's ex-husband about your journey to find your purpose because he would want to turn it into a movie without telling you that he's only doing this just to one-up his ex-husband of a director in terms of winning at least one Oscar within their lifetime... (At least that one time you both had brunch together would be the highlight of that journey to the Oscars...)

Bitter, are we not? tehee!

Happiness is something everyone strives for...but if you wanted to make everyone happy...what would you do with a pedophile? or a serial torturer? or a wife beater? What makes them happy, makes so many others unhappy, and disgusted. We can't all have the same wants. Some human minds are twisted, yet, what rights do they deserve?

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

You make your life's purpose. You choose your track, your interests, and what ultimately you want to do. Its all about perspective, and what you feel is most comfortable. Mine changes every few years because as a human I change; where I stand changes and thus my perspective also changes. I am not afraid to change. I believe thats the ultimate purpose is to embrace change, with knowledge of what the consequences of a change will bring.

 

[luclin92]

purely biological it is to make sure our specie does not end, but on a more spiritual level i think my purpose is after what i have heard from a lot of people to go into politics (but that is a last resort for me). personally i am still searching for my place in this world (taking a bachelor in philosophy,but that might make things a little harder)

 

[Daniel Janhagen]

I exist to crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women.

Haha, brilliant.

I remember when I was like 5-years-old, as a kind of party trick, my dad taught me to recite that line whenever he asked me "what is best in life?"

In my little kid voice I would say, "to cwush your nenamies, to see dem dwiven afore you, and to hee da lamentation of dere women," to the uproarious laughter of his friends.

I don't know you, and I don't know your dad, but that's just spectacular. +1 for your dad.

edit: May as well answer the original question too, I suppose: To enjoy it! Experience pleasures both of the senses and the intellect, and help the people I care about do the same (which is also pleasurable to me).

 

[Arakasi]

Purpose? Ironically meaningless idea.

My purpose, I suppose, is to live the happiest life possible. Being a quantitative hedonist, that means attaining the most pleasures possible for the least pain. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm very good at being a quantitative hedonist.