what is the meaning of life?

Answer 1

"What is the meaning of life?" is a question many people ask themselves at some point during their lives. Some people believe that the meaning of life is one or more of the following:

Survival and temporal success

* ...to accumulate wealth and increase social status
* ...to compete or co-operate with others
* ...to destroy others who harm you, or to practice nonviolence and nonresistance
* ...to die having succeeded in your purpose
* ...to live
* ...to protect one's family
* ...to gain and exercise power
* ...to leave a legacy, such as a work of art or a book
* ...to produce offspring through sexual reproduction or asexual reproduction
* ...to seek freedom, either physically, mentally or financially
* ...to seek happiness and flourish, experience pleasure or celebrate
* ...to survive, including the pursuit of immortality through scientific means (see life extension)

Wisdom and knowledge

* ...to be without question, or to keep asking questions
* ...to explore, to expand beyond our frontiers
* ...to learn from one's own and others' mistakes
* ...to seek truth, knowledge, understanding, or wisdom
* ...to try to discover and understand the meaning of life
* ...to expand one's perception of the world

Ethical

* ...to express compassion
* ...to live in peace with each other, and in harmony with our natural environment (see utopia)
* ...to give and receive love
* ...to seek and acquire virtue, to live a virtuous life
* ...to serve others, or do good deeds
* ...to work for justice and democracy

Religious, spiritual and esoteric

* ...to turn fear into joy at a constant rate achieving on literal and metaphorical levels: immortality, enlightenment and atonement
* ...to achieve a supernatural connection within the natural context
* ...to achieve enlightenment and inner peace
* ...to become God, or God-like
* ...to experience existence from an infinite number of perspectives in order to expand the consciousness of all there is (i.e. God)
* ...to follow the "Golden Rule"
* ...to produce useful structure in the universe over and above consumption (see net creativity)
* ...to reach Heaven in the afterlife
* ...to understand and follow the "Word of God"
* ...to worship, serve, or achieve union with God

Other

* ...to advance natural human evolution, or to contribute to the gene pool of the human race
* ...to advance technological evolution, or to actively develop the future human
* ...to contribute to collective meaning ("we" or "us") without having individual meaning ("I" or "me")
* ...to die, or become a martyr
* ...to find a purpose, a "reason" for living that hopefully raises the quality of one's experience of life, or even life in general
* ...to live, and enjoy the passage of time
* ...to have fun
* ...to protect humanity, or more generally the environment
* ...to pursue a dream, vision, or destiny
* ...to relate, connect, or achieve unity with others
* ...to seek and find beauty
* ...to simply live until one dies (there is no universal or celestial purpose)
* ...to participate in the chain events which has led from the creation of the universe until its possible end (either freely chosen or determined, this is a subject widely debated amongst philosophers)
* ...still some do not even think there is any purpose whatsoever (see nihilism)
* ...(This is actually an extension of the point immediately above) There is no inherent meaning to life, existence, the universe, etc. They exist because they can. However, humans appear to inately give meaning, usually many, often conflicting, to what they are conscious of. So, to each individual, the "meaning of life" is whatever they decide it is. In that sense, every point above is potentially valid.

Answer 2

It's different to each person. Don't worry too much about finding the meaning of life. Living life in a way that you are making positive changes in your own life as well those around you is meaningful enough. It doesn't have to be big changes that change the world overnight but just small things to enhance the quality of life of others (like cheering up a miserable co-worker, making your partner to feel good about himself/herself or helping your local school). Sometimes we are too busy looking for the meaning of life and we fail to experience life itself. The living and the being is more important than the searching. We are here on this earth for just one lifetime. The meaning of life is a question that generations of philosophers, religious leaders and great thinkers can't answer so why insist on an answer?

Answer 3

At a basic level, the meaning of life is to live or to survive. But it doesn't stop there. Every living organism also participates in ensuring the long term survival of its group, community, or society, and its species. And beyond that, every living organism also participates in evolution - giving rise to new species and new types of groups, communities, and societies, that are more evolved, and more capable of surviving. So, ultimately, life is about the long term survival and proliferation of this chain reaction, called life, that started with the first living organism and continues until today.
But this is only half the answer. Life is also about "reflection", or discovering the meaning of life itself. As evolution leads to more and more intelligent species, they are more and more capable of reflection, and this process will also continue until some living organism in the future finds the true and complete meaning of life, the universe, and everything.

Answer 4

There are many meanings to choose from. And it's up to you to choose the meaning of your life. Choose it well, and you'll have a satisfying life.

The best choice is one that corresponds well with your human nature and your individual personality. People are social beings by nature. And one thing that makes life meaningful for everyone is family and love relationships. This is a universal human meaning. And it's up to you to find it in your own individual way.

Answer 5

Meaning of Life..........hmmmmm........finding joy in Gods little things.......like watching dainty flowers sway in the breeze as u sit by the little brook...thats lazily flowing by beside u.......to some unknown destination...yet happily still flowing....till it meets the "Sea"........yes...life is like that little brook... that flows through and around all the obsticles it encounters ....but carries on un daunted.....yes if the little brook can 'flow' ....Im sure our lives cud have a meaning to 'live' it ....not complaining about the disillusionments.....so ...go on.....'flowing'....and u'll get the meaning somewhere during the flow........but dont rush the flow....

Answer 6

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Answer 7

I dont know if you want a serious answer to this question, But if you do, its about learning as we live our lives that to be of service to others and treat them as same as you would want to be treated yourself. To look past the material persons of people that you dont like and see the spirit inside each which is trying to be freed of a material body which isnt able to express itself in beauty and love because of a negative material expression. See the good in people even when they show bad. that doesnt mean you have to mix with them or even talk to them, but visualise seeing them surrounded with a bright light then walk away. Each of us are at different levels of learning on this life. If we keep sending out negative thoughts or doing negative t hings then thats what we will attract to ourselves. Send out love and positive thoughts and prayers and you will find that things will become brighter for you and those around you. Try it and see for yourself. "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." Buts its free choice in all we do and say on this earth . We get what we put into life,negative or positive and with the lessons to learn from the negative things that happen to us we grow stronger. Often forgiveness is one, even after we have walked away.Holding on to bad stuff affects us more than it does those that have hurt us. It just gives them more power to hurt, because we allow it. walk away then feel sorry for them let it go.
Think bright light around those who need it and yourself also. you`ll be surprised. This might be the best answer youve ever had about life, or the craziest one , but its an important one. i hope you have a good and loving life with an easy path on your journey. Pat

Answer 8

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Answer 9

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Answer 10

Biologically speaking, the meaning or purpose of life is to live long enough to pass on your genes to the next generation.

Answer 11

Don't you know the answer yet? My you must be a slow learner as similar questions to yours have been answered at least six times in the last two weeks...only joking.

Don't get too illusioned and sad you will feel heaps better in the morning. Then we can talk tomorrow evening again...goodnight!