What is the meaning of life, from an atheists perspective?

Question

If atheists believe that humans are just smart animals, like goats, only smarter....then what is the point of life? If we are just animals, why do we get up in the morning and fight traffic just to get to work and make a few bucks to eat? Why aren't we smart like zebras and kangaroos and just walk around eating grass for free? If humans were not put on this earth by a creator and destined for greatness, then aren't we living a lie? We were all mistakes, freaks of nature, according to atheists. None of us should really be here. We have no purpose, no reason to go on. We are all just monkeys that don't realize we're monkeys and we're just waiting to die so bugs can eat us, right? So, what do atheists see as the point behind all of this? If there is nothing inherently special about humans, if we aren't meant to live out some great destiny predetermined by God, then why put up with this crazy circus we call life?

no, i'm not depressed. i'm saying, from an atheists view, what keeps you guys going on if we're all just animals, but smart animals. for atheists, why put up with all the crap in life if you are just waiting to die and your only reason for living on earth is to keep the specis alive for the next group of scientific mistakes.

Answer 1

i'm not an atheist, i like much what you are saying, so i get this page and must answer. human beings see and expect what is beyond this life, while animals don't see any. the atheists deviate from normal thinking and can be considered as super freaks.

Answer 2

Why put up with the crazy circus we call life?

Why not?

What's the alternative?

Through natural selection, our social and communication abilities are far beyond those of even our closest ape relatives. We have the intelligence and tools that allow us to delve into what makes the universe tick. We can learn, not just from our immediate environs, but from the experience of other humans, and even the experience of other humans that are now long, long dead. We also have the capability of passing that learning on to our offspring. We can plan ahead, see the difficulties that may arise in the future, and enact strategies to avoid or minimize their impacts. We can improve not only the quality of our own lives, but the lives of those around us, and the lives of those who will come after us.

If you're searching for a meaning to your life, how about making the world a better place for your children, and the children of your friends, neighbours, relatives, even strangers you've never met?

Isn't that a 'noble' enough cause? It doesn't have anything to do with worshipping some bearded dude in the sky, but I think it's something certainly worth expending time and effort towards.

There's no afterlife, so this is the only kick at the can you're going to get. If you don't enjoy this life, or work to make it more enjoyable for those that come after you, then your existence truly was wasted. The universe doesn't care if you make an impact while you're alive, but if you care, then that's all that matters.

Answer 3

Excellent question! Now, of course, when I answer I'm speaking only for myself, I cant speak for all atheists. Keep that in mind.

True, we dont have any purpose in life. We are just "smart" animals. Some would see that truth as depressing, because theyve been brought up by a society that believes in purpose. I see it as liberating.

The more you look at mankind, the more you realize we are just animals. For example, what we call "love" (the feeling you have during the beginning of a relationship) is nothing more than chemical reactions in your brain designed to get to you have sex and keep the species going. The feeling is addictive, like a drug, so that we keep looking for it and reproducing. Not very romantic to think of love as just physical and chemical reactions is it? Nope. But romance is just a creation of our minds.

So whats the point you ask? If youre expecting a meaning or purpose from somewhere or someone, youll be disappointed. The only meaning life has is the one you give to it.

Personally, since I'm overall pretty happy with the way my life is (because once you accept the truth, youre free), I've decided consciously that the purpose to my life should be to help others be as happy as me. We're all born, we all die, I think in between should be a good time, all the while taking care of and helping others to be happy as well. And if it turns out I'm wrong and there really is a god, I highly doubt he/she/it will send me to hell for living like I do, even if I didnt believe in him/her/it while I was alive.

So thats basically it. There you go.

Answer 4

I'm an athiest.

I accept that humans are smart animals as you say, but that's not a bad thing at all. Rather than that degrading humans, it elevevates all creatures and all things aound me. I know we are all part of this world, we are made of the stuff of the world, the same stuff that zebras, kangaroos, and monkeys are made of. I look at a kangaroo and marvel at it, I see it's nobility and the sacrifice of all that came before it.

The meaning of life for me? I can't express it in a few words very well but here goes: To be the best I can be toward all things, to treat all things with respect, dignity and compassion. To fulfill myself the best the can, and help others do the same. To understand the wonder of the world.

I need no god for that. And neither does any one else.

Answer 5

To live it. All the usual things; work, mortgage, marriage, kids, hobbies.

Correct, we are just animals, but very clever (according to us) ones. We did use to eat for free, and hunter gatherers still do. But us, being clever (according to us) decided that specialisation was the way forward. So, we could barter and trade.

How can you say we are a "mistake". You are assuming "something" meant us to be different, but we aren't, because that is the only way to make a mistake. An accident, perhaps, but not a mistake.

Fianal point. What is the alternative to living? Being dead right? Now, you think you have pearly gates and eternal joy, so why do you put up with it? Why don't all christains try to get themselves killed? Does a christian say "Halleluja" when told they have a terminal disease? Why try to "cure" through prayer, or laying on of hands?

Answer 6

Here it is straight up.

stage one:
Attachment to Physical forms -
Competition for Food, Sex, Shelter

Here's where all the fear is kids! Yee haw - Got to get mine while the getting's good. Rats in a cage fightin' fer scraps. Monster Trucks ("Ford truck man" is here too...)

stage two:
Attachment to Thought forms -
"Will to Power", Cultural, Religious, National identity. This will to power as Nietzsche puts it, trumps the will to live, this is where war as we know it starts. Dying for the flag, allah, god or the cross or whatever.

Most of us are here. This is where you'll also find your religious zealots, including atheists, etc.

stage three:
Letting go of attachments -
Compassion, kindness and love now trump attachment to form and the illusion that we are all seperate entities competing for stuff and trying to convert/condem each other.

Few are here but some see it from time to time.

No true atheist can realize this. They can talk about it intellectually, but to really wake up to this means to release attachments to mental positions and the need to be right.

Conclusion -
Everything in the universe is a vibration at a certain frequency. As silly as this may sound to some, I am convinced that we are simply transformers for universal energy.

Everyday we come into contact with others and our environment and have thousands of opportunities to transform through our actions one kind of energy into another.

Simple kindness to others is a very powerful tool to do this. For me the meaning of life is to be kind and aware. This shift from attachment to form and the idea that we are all seperate from each other to a compassionate, kind world will head us in a new direction. Where, I sure don't know, but it's better than just being a tube with teeth at one end finding more and more cunning ways to feed itself.

Answer 7

Probably the point is tp reproduce, but why do we need a point anyway? We'll die if we don't eat. Hunger is uncomfortable. We can't eat grass for free since our digestive system won't allow it. No we are not living a lie. What would the lie be? Why don't we just go on to enjoy ourselves? I realize I'm a monkey - why don't you?

Answer 8

~~~ Matt,,,, You have a common Misconception and/or a gross generalization that ALL atheists are Existentialists. Many of us are also Reincarnitionists who understand the concept and dynamics of Karma and The Cycle of Birth-Rebirth. This Dynamic can be called Divine Justice as Karma is The Balance, or Equilibrium which Awards(positive karma) or Punishes(negative karma) as our Soul progresses on The Wheel of Karma and our Soul(spiritual being) grows from our Human Experiences,,, From the christian,"As ye sow, so shall ye reap.",,,, and some of us Live The Golden Rule,,, thus following the teachings of Jesus, Krishna and Buddha to become Enlightened Beings and we can graduate from Earth School, so to speak,,,,~This, of course, has only been a short synopsis for your inquiries,,,I hope it helps your understanding

Answer 9

I don't think that we are "mistakes" or "freaks of nature". Yes, I don't believe that it was planned that we came into existance, but I think it is something really amazing that we are there now. We have many faults, but we also have many good qualities, so I can just repeat, it's really amazing that we are here on this earth now.
And about what you wrote about us being "only smarter", no it is not just intelligence that makes us different to animals, we have feelings, goals, values.... we have them and we don't lose them by not believing in a God.

Answer 10

My life has the meaning I choose to give it. For me it is working towards understanding and protecting our environment, particularly ocean ecosystems. It also being the best friend, sister, wife, etc..that I can be. It is also about just enjoying the journey and learning all I can along the way. Its cooking for friends and family, stargazing, making love, and on and on. Life is a journey to be enjoyed and appreciate. I also strive to leave it a bit better or at least not mess it up more for my future children and the next generation. What I do in my life will be remembered by my children and passed on to their own hopefully. We are special in just this ability, the ability to create meaning and shape our world. I actually don't get why theists are so bent out of shape at not having a Deity give them purpose or not being part of someone else's plan. What happened to free will?

Answer 11

The point of life for an atheist would be to continue to evolve, using logic, not belief to solve life's problems so that their children will have a better world to live in. We all have gained intelligence so that our prodigy can live better. It is a evolutionary, precipice above all other life forms. And we know that our lives depends upon our use of other life forms, with out them we would not be where we are now as far a survival goes.