what is the meaning ?!?

Question

when ppl say meaning of life is 42, what do they mean by that?

does it actually mean finding the answear on this question?

Answer 1

All the answers so far are mostly right on. However, no one has said anything about why the author chose 42 as the number and is where the humor comes in.

42 is a domino game usually played by old men.

Now old men have lived their lives, some to the fullest, Yet they play 42 until they die. So the meaning of life must be 42.

Answer 2

It’s actually from a bizarre, philosophical satire called, “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” created by Douglas Adams. It was subsequently reproduced in several mediums, but in 2005 it was made into a truly international sensation with the cinematic release.

In the story there are a group of highly-intelligent beings, who desiring to find the “ultimate answer to the great question of life, the universe, and everything,” create a hyper-computer called Deep Thought. After analyzing the question for 7.5 million years, the computer produces the answer: “42.” This is sort of a satirical running-gag throughout the story.

When criticized for its answer, the computer responds, “I think the problem … is that you’ve never actually known what the question is.” However, when they ask for the question, the computer claims that it’s not powerful enough to determine the “ultimate question.”

So the beings, in searching for a more powerful computer to discover the ultimate question (which would go with the answer of 42), create Earth. Of course, humans have no idea that they and their world exist for this reason. This is basically where the whole plot in “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” begins. A few unaware humans and aliens get tangled into a comical mess -- which happens to involve the incidental destruction of Earth, to make room for an intergalaxic highway -- and eventually piece the puzzle together through fairly oddball plot developments. And through their adventures, the group members eventually develop various levels of relationship with each other.

At the end, it is discovered that the highly-intelligent beings (who created the Earth) have exhausted their entire lives searching for the ultimate question, but never found it before their death. When in reality, they were too preoccupied to realize that it was always right in front of them. To a degree, this running-gag suggests that to focus too much on finding the meaning of life is superfluous and distracting to the things that are truly meaningful in life (such as friends and family relationships).

So when people answer the meaning of life with, “42,” they’re really just repeating the satirical witticism from “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” And they might also be implying that maybe one shouldn’t worry too much about the answer, because it’s right there in front of you.

Answer 3

In the "Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams, a genius alien race builds a computer the size of a city in order to answer the question of "life, the universe, and everything." After thinking for several millenia, the computer announces that the answer is 42.

The computer explains that the reason for the numerical answer was because the question had not been formulated. The race of aliens then builds another machine, the size of a planet, to run a biologically-based program in order to discover what the actual question is. This machine was Earth.

Answer 4

Nerds really enjoy the book Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. 42 is a reference to a joke in the book where the answer to the meaning of life is simply a number.... 42.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Answer_to_Life,_the_Universe,_and_Everything

Answer 5

Its from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"... a novel turned film with a substantial cult following.

"42" as the answer to the meaning of life, or the universe, is supposed to be intentionally ambiguous, implying there is no easy answer.

Answer 6

besides the ref. to the guide, i kind of think that the answer being 42 and the question being unknown just makes one think that sometimes the Q&A are comicial and that u should just go out there and live. but thankfully my doctor says i have a deformed public duty gland and therefore exempt from saving universes

Answer 7

life means what you want it to mean and they want you to read hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. I just want another cold pale ale and a naked Jenna Jamison to serve it to me. It being subjective in this instance!

Answer 8

I`ve never heard this before - but interesting question - and interesting answers. They say you learn summat every day.....

Answer 9

ok, another one... it's from a book, specifically "Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy". a bit ironic.

Answer 10

Is it from some lame-*** kiddie cartoon show?