Atheists: How do you handle the meaninglessness of life?

Question

I find myself in a quandary because I find life to be meaningless. I love existentialist thought, and I appreciate and even endorse the view that the only meaning in life is that which you create. At the same time, I am constantly confronting myself with the fact that I am merely the collection of neurons firing in the brain and that the self is an illusion. I have come to the conclusion that life is a series of distractions, and the only way to be happy in life is just to distract yourself as much as possible from these harsh realities. But is distracting yourself enough? I distract myself with goals, ambitions, dreams, social networks, work, entertainment, and yet I always come back to this disturbing notion that every moment is an illusion, every choice predetermined, and every path a dead-end. How do you handle this?

Answer 1

Life to me is just setting big and small goals for yourself to accomplish, become the person you desire to be, attain the wealth you set out to get, to make social connections with people and to help out the people you cherish in life when they need it! This philosophy on life obviously does't fit everyone, but it suits me! The only illusions are the ones you create for yourself. Your life is what you make it, if you make it to be an illusion, then it will be just that. I don't see life as a bunch of distractions, rather something that occupies your time in a way that benefits yourself, and others if you like, not a distraction. Maybe their is an aspiration that is not being fulfilled in your life, maybe one that you haven't figured out yet, and that's why you feel as you do. Only time will tell, along with some reflection on what it is you want out of life! There is no perfect or right answer for a question like this, just find the one that works for you.

Answer 2

Ever noticed how you only get to think about these when everything is pretty much ok in your life? Once you're very close to an important deadline, or are very hungry and got nothing to eat (student life :D), the whole meaninglessness disappears. You have that one goal that you really WANT to reach, and that brings a temporary yet very real meaning to your existence.

So my suggestion is: set yourself in challenging situations. I don't mean go do stupid things just for the heck of it. I mean get a difficult job, help other people that have serious problems, maybe even give a part of your money to charity, just to shake off some comfort.
The idea of all this isn't to make your life difficult, that would be stupid. After all mankind has worked since its beginnings for a better life. The purpose is to help yourself find your purpose, the one thing you DO feel like accomplishing, once you wake up from the sterile philosophizing that your comfort allows.

Answer 3

I see your point, and you're right!
As far as " The Meaning of Life"... who knows? I think most people are creative natrually, so concocting the idea that we're here to serve a purpose or exist for a reason, just helps us with getting through it.
On the other hand, YOU are thinking WAAAAYYYYY too hard about it!!! I bet you're one of those glass-is-half-empty-cats. lol We all exist because we won a biological lottery. Sure. And I suppose " distractions" is one way to put it. But dont be bummed out about it either. Can we say NEGATIVE? lol
Look... You're here. And considering you have it figured out, its up to you to deal with it.
Distract yourself....So what? Who Cares? A life of no consequences. Thats AWESOME!
" I think, therefore, I am" . Those Neurons firing in the brain allow us to be who we are. Something must compose our physical being, right? We're made out of something?!?! See, you are getting too indepth.
It just depends on how you CHOOSE to look at it. Sure, we could all just accept the " reallity" and sulk about it; live as empty shells, or, We can accept the reallity and take advantage of it.
Just lighten up. Live a little. Its ok. I promise. Afterall, life IS all about perception. Your body serves your mind, does what you, your mind, tells it to do. Your conscience.
Make the best of the little bit of time u have dude. You only live once. ALWAYS remeber that.

Answer 4

We atheists are nothing like what the church leaders are fond of charicaturing us as. We are freethinking individuals who are able to see the Big Picture without the blinders of religion.

We do not live in despair, quite the contrary; freethought is incredibly refreshing, liberating, and empowering. We are not nihilists, but lovers of life who see it as all the more precious because there's no eternal afterlife. We do not need the bribe of heaven or the threat of hell to be good people, we believe in being good for its own sake.

Through science and reason, we know more about the true nature of the world we live in than your religion could ever hope to offer.

The fear of death is a natural thing, which is why you need to think hard about living your life for the moment. We are not the enemy of christians and other theists. Our quarrel is with irrationality, wishful thinking, superstitions, intellectual dishonesty, and all other forms of thinking that keep mankind mired in darkness, ignorance and hate.

Sometimes i do get depressed over our utter death and annihilation, but it just renews my zest to make the most of this life.

Answer 5

I actually enjoy the absence of one grand meaning to life.... it gives me the scope to make out different small meanings to my life in different day-to-day situations.... it sets me free from forming or expecting any continuity to a purpose in my life and that helps me to live in the present, neither remorseful of the past nor apprehensive of the future. I accept I am small...... that ensures no big aims nor disappointments and thus I find a unique peace of mind without any major affectation or disturbance. However, it is not easy and many a times, quite unknown to me, I do forget how small I am and end up taking some sort of a jolt to get back to where I belong.

Answer 6

i often think about this too. i just take each day as it comes, all the good and the bad. i agree about the distractions and to try and live every day as if it could be my last try to have no regrets. and know in my head that one day will be the end of absolutley everything, i just concentrate on life today and make plans for the future. make a list of things and goals that could mean more to your life for you as an individual.

Answer 7

as someone with similar beliefs to you, i want to appreciate every sensation, every feeling, because as a system of physiology i am capable of that.

or put it this way, do you want to live or would you rather 'just exist'? there's a difference. it has nothing to do with being an ordinary or extraordinary person, but i think it's about sucking the marrow out of every experience.

if life is just a series of events, are you going to be despondent about the ultimate goal, or would you rather savour the moment? you're always going to die, but you won't always live.

hmmm... i realise that maybe because i'm young my view on a meaningless existence is bound to change & maybe i haven't laboured the thought as much as i should have, because youth makes one feel immortal. but for the moment that's what is keeping me afloat.

Answer 8

We have the intelligence to recognize that without God, our lives are meaningless. We also have the ability to deceive ourselves that our meaningless goals, ambitions, dreams, etc. give us self worth and therefore meaning. Distraction (busyness) is an important part of that process of self deception. In this self deception process, truth doesn't matter as much as feelings.

If we insist on seeing the truth (as you seem to), then our ONLY hope is to seek our Creator even though we don't know for sure whether He even exists. For if our Creator exists, then it must be that He is the one that put that desire for meaning into our human nature. But often our pride, our desire to be the master of our own fate and captain of our souls prevents us from seeking Him.

Answer 9

" There are two ways to live: As though nothing was a miracle, or as though everything was a miracle"
- Albert Einstein

I handle it by seeing everything as beauty. Like evolution, or changes on the earth are all working together and I am part of it. It's all in the outlook. Two different people can think the same situation is both good and bad. So it makes sense to try to change something about the way you see life. Also I take comfort in knowing I have my spiritual freedom to ponder these things when so many people are allowing their church to reason god out for them.
Also I have handled it by thinking more about "God" what is he/she/it ??? There is an unseen power... an energy, if you like. But aaaaaall these people are worshiping it by different names and titles. I take comfort in knowing I am one of the few who see it for what it really is!! and it is still amazing, comforting, awe inspiring. When people talk about god, just translate it in your head to mean "Life Force". It makes life so much more interesting for me. We are not only Neurons. Those are the things that make up our vehicle. But it is not the "trip" we are supposed to take. Get deeper into this elusive god force energy. It should not feel meaningless to you if you see life as a big woven tapestry of different threads. And since you arent limited in your definitions of the life force power, you are privledged to see clearly.
Like one of those threads being able to lift out of the rug, raise up and see the big picture of the rug. While everyone else is just guessing at what must be up there (a father in heaven for example). Just because you dont believe in father God as others do, does not mean there is not a big picture still to be discovered. The Meaning I think is the expierience of this physical diminsion. This "trip" we are taking. The meaning may be in your very existance itself. Being alive, and on yahoo answers is making it possible for others to realize their spiritual freedom. We may need to come to a realization of truths as a whole mass of people before they are finally understood by all. So the meaning is you. here. thinking smart and free as you do. All you have to do is entertain others and help them free their minds too :))
For the sake of the future humanity... I see meaning in that life.
working twards diversity in unity.

Answer 10

Believing in imaginary gods does not give any real meaning to life. It just makes preachers rich, for they insist you go to their churches and give money to regular offering, special offering and building fund. Just make an effort to stop morbid thoughts. If you want to do something, decide that for yourself, rather than allowing someone to tell you what they beieve is the meaning of your life. It is yours, not anyone else's.