what is the meaning of life?

Question

why are we born? what's the purpose?

Answer 1

we are born to live in harmony and to die in peace

Answer 2

80% of humanity, the religious folks, don't need to ask the meaning of life, the church tells them....the supernatural explanation. But the rest of us can't swallow religious dogma, because there's no evidence. Nobody can prove that there life after death, that people are tortured or rewarded after life or that there's invisible spirits running around.

I've come to two conclusions recently:

1. Life has no meaning
2. Life has a million meanings.

First, there's a certainty that death and annihilation awaits not only you, but the Earth in general. It's an astonomical certainty that our sun will supernova and leave the earth a burnt crisp, not to mention all the other extinction level events around the corner.

Second, the million things that give us meaning are the pleasurable experiences we can conjure up during the short period we are here on the earth, in the form of the relationships we have with our kids and other people, and the 'housekeeping' types of purposes. What i mean by that are the curing disease, ending hunger, improving literacy, reducing crime, preventing war, helping other kinds of things.

So the bottom line is, we only have a temporary meaning to life, to reduce pain and increase pleasure, other than that everything is lost to oblivion.


To be or not to be? "To be" is temporary and "not to be" is inevitable.....

Answer 3

Life is to be shared, otherwise it is meaningless. It is not be lived for oneself alone, what a boring lonely life that would be. It is to be lived with a purpose and part of that purpose is to serve others. Ever noticed that when we give of ourselves without expecting anything in return we get a feeling of fulfillment and peacefulness?

A great example is Yahoo! Answers. We are connected in this site. It binds us together and here we share our lives by answering the questions of people we don't even know just so we could help them.

Answer 4

This is like asking how big the universe is, no one knows, really.

To me meaning in life comes directly from and is determined solely by... how we interrelate with and within all that surrounds.

I look at it the opposite way, how does our existence contribute within existence or life?

Unfortunately it is hard for the individual to find meaning when the species screws up so badly so it would seem meaning is not found in numerous religions, political views, financial prowess or the ability to have more when most still need the basics,

Civilization through the ages has come to think we are in charge or that some deity or master chess player makes the moves for each of us and on and on.

Let me change you perspective. What value or meaning does your life provide? What contribution or relevant part do you play?

Physical experience is relative to overriding and elemental factors....such as time or place or indoctrination. Which ultimately makes them irrelevant to effect, or value of occurrence.

How does the way you gain your means effect all else?

Life's essential requirement is conscientious existence, within all conceived and among all creatures.

Don't **** (rhymes with duck) with mother nature or fail to exist is not the meaning, but it is the consequence of not being beneficially involved with and within all we come in contact with.

What we define, who it is said, or who we come to think or imagine we are. What any profess or preach. Or who we follow.. does not give meaning or reflect worthiness. What we do within balancing relationship does. There is no plausible deny, ability beyond what is done.

No matter how old, young, cool, connected, disadvantaged, disabled, alienated, afflicted, accomplished, devout, traditional, well off, lowly, lofty, frustrated, happy or destitute.

How do you fair, in life's every evolving equation, as most of us continue on our collision course with reality?

The facts are few of us tune in, actively balance, and, adapt within natural flow, I don’t care who you claim is in charge and we have known better for too long now to continue to point fingers or place the blame elsewhere or act as if we don't understand.

Few are wholesome or gracious or intrinsic to that which is most basic and without this, there is little meaning or respect given any life.

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Answer 5

The meaning of life is for you to derive your own meaning.

What does life mean to you? everybody has a passion, everyone finds a way to provide meaning in their life and for each person you'll find that this meaning is different.

To truly know, i think you need to find what the purpose is for you, and not for everyone else. Just be glad you've been given the chance to do so.

Answer 6

Life is the direct opposite of death. You have life if you're able to type your question. ( but not much ).
Why are we born ? Because of something our parents did .
What's the purpose ? They enjoyed it.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

Life is fundamentally meaningless. It's the modern age: we just have to cope with it as best we can.

Then, the only thing that arises that can perhaps be said is truly valuble is the relationality of one alongside the other, the connection between beings, of being with others.

Answer 9

love
why are we born : to strengthen our spirit
whats the purpose: to go through lifes challenges and realise that
love conquers everything

Answer 10

The menaing of life is for us to procreate, and care to the world we live in. I believe the meaning of life is a paradox. The meaning of life is to find the meaning of life. We are born to enlighten our souls and to use the Earth's resources.
You will find the meaning before you die hopefully. Good luck in your search.

Answer 11

The "meaning" of life is simply "to live it" or "living it".
The reasons why are unknown.
Its purpose(s) is upon the individual.