what's the meaning of life ?

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 2:29 am

I put mmm when the answer would be too long ....I prefer to avoid it...sorry....

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 2:30 am

or when I am not sure of the answer....or when I am in a hurry....or....

tom.d.stiller · Post by **tom.d.stiller** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 3:34 pm

okay... every meaning someone gives to life is valid (at once relevant and meaningful)... for the person her/himself, for me, for everyone... "no man is an iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the continent, a part of the maine"...

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Wed Jun 11, 2003 7:21 pm

I agree

Style · Post by **Style** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 3:04 am

not to interrupt, but i'm not sure why we even have to ascribe meaning to life. on the global level, life is meaningless in the sense that there's no reason for me or you to be here. But we are. More interesting is that in the absence of meaning for our lives, what justifies our living? Why live? I've identified three reasons why I live; Pride, Fear, and Habit. When pride abates, fear invades (and vice-versa). but let's be honest, most of the time we don't even think about the meaning to life of the reason we live day-to-day. we think: I'm hungry, I have to go to work, that flower is pretty, I have to use the bathroom, etc.

For me, the most interesting part of the whole is that neither pride nor fear nor habit, are good reasons to live. but yet, they're enough (because i'm here). I never said I was strong.
Style.
ps. and if no man is an island, but part (or influenced by) something bigger, what makes him or her worthy of life?

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 5:40 am

Welcome to the Forum, Style! So far, I haven't fit together all that you're saying here, but that's okay. I'm finding your own exploration into the question interesting, particularly with Pride being one of your reasons, as I find it to be a squelching influence; as well as Fear, which I find to be an inhibitor to life. Habit definitely often takes over, yet I'm not sure that it would really be considered a "reason," at least in the way I'm seeing it. Anyway, you jumped with both feet into a philosophical questioning. I like that. It looks like your interests [per your profile] make doing this a natural transition for you

.

~ Elizabeth

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 6:25 pm

Style...hello!
Well we are here and there is no way out...
the paradox is that we must attain to lot of things and be able to grasp and take out the best of all and then.....let them go.....that learning of that irrevocable destiny of have and lose is perhaps the one that takes the whole life....the sooner we have that clear the best.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Sat Jun 14, 2003 6:43 pm

Now, there's an understatement, Sandra! That used to be a major issue with me, "Inability to accept loss." Now, having no idea to what I should account my vast improvement ~ maybe Leonard and "So Long, Marianne" ~ and extending that out to include life, period. His songs have been instrumental [pun unintended] in a number of ways with life issues.

Style · Post by **Style** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 12:52 am

Sandra: it's interesting to take on the perspective of "having, drawing out the goodness, and then waving goodbye" but to apply such a standard to life itself proves contentious. Because let's be honest, in the end we will all lose our lives. we will be dead and gone, gone and dead. Is there then a point to 'drawing out the goodness' or even to 'waving goodbye' if ultimately we will die no matter our perspective?
For me, the reasons I ascribe to life are purely artificial and contingent. The earlier discussion mirrored this- that we each create our own meaning. But if this is so, then absolute standards of right and wrong, true and false, are futile (a very disheartening perspective if pushed to its extreme). As well, anything (or paradoxically, nothing) can be meaningful. This is why, as much as is humanly possible, I try not to ascribe meaning or reasons to phenomena. I absolutely love the Cohen poem where at the end of every stanza, the speaker says "Love me because nothing happens." The rest of the stanza appears to have no connection with this statement- it doesn't try to justify it. justification is an illusion. (and that's my illusion because i just justified it!)
Style.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » Sun Jun 15, 2003 3:30 am

Lots of things have meaning and its meaning is as meaningful as we want...but the point is that we should be aware that those moments, material things or whatever it is....will end. It doesnt mean that we should not enjoy life the best we can ....but not to grab them as if they were the ultimate reason of our lives....

Joe Kaczmarek · Post by **Joe Kaczmarek** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 5:16 pm

I heard somewhere:

"The point of life is to become comfortable with death."

John the Shorts · Post by **John the Shorts** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 9:54 pm

Shwmae JK

Welcome to the board - may your postings be many, varied and interesting.

JTS (Start off with something nice and cheerful though

)

Kush · Post by **Kush** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 10:16 pm

Wasnt it John Lennon who said "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making plans for it" ?

Joe Kaczmarek · Post by **Joe Kaczmarek** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 10:44 pm

Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.

lizzytysh · Post by **lizzytysh** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 11:17 pm

Isn't it Joe's version, without the word "other"?

what's the meaning of life ?

mmmm

mmmm

mmmmeaning...

yes

meaning changes?

life

meaning

meaning of

Lennon