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vangshardt · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 3

The meaning of life

Of this idea, there can only be said few things: First of all, accepting the fact that there is a purpose for us being here, would also mean accepting the fact that someone put us here. If someone put us here, they would have to posses a power, an insight and a knowledge of unperceivable size. If it’s unperceivable then it would make no sense to spend just a second wondering about it since we wouldn’t ever be capable of actually perceiving it.

These facts mean that we can just as well create our own purpose for being here. Why should we not?

Some would start arguing that our purpose should be to achieve a certain state of society, global and local, some would say that it should be to find other life in space and so on. But these are all things that we would have to do in unity and make our common goal. What joy in life would that be to the individual person with least influence on our global society? None.

But in these, for me, idiotic suggestions, there can be led one wise fact out. The purposes are all trying to bring joy into people’s lives one way or another. Through achieving goals, through bringing equality, hell someone most of you hopefully know even tried to create “lebensraum” in his attempt to bring people joy.

So if everybody tries to bring people joy, is the meaning of life not obvious? All we should strife to achieve is happiness. But it can’t be reached through a common goal for all of us like finding life in space. Happiness is a term, which isn’t possible to define for all people as one. Happiness can never mean the same to me as it can to you, which is why it would be insane to talk of a common goal to achieve it. One has to seek it for himself. You have found the meaning of life, when you have achieved happiness. It really is that simple.

You'll have to excuse my english. I hope it doesnt cause to many misunderstandings. Just ask if you have any questions. - Rasmus Vangshardt

Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

I have read your post twice now, and been thinking about it.

It occurs to me that nothing has inspired more meaningful and soul searching than the appearant lack of meaning and purpose to our existence.

I must think some more and return to this.

I am thinking of Tsim Tsum, the notion of divine withdrawal, expressed by Luria, the Kaballist, and Yann Martel's novel, Life of Pi, in which one character says, "I have a story which will make you believe in God."

I was saying to Rachel, just now, in reply to one of her posts, elsewhere:

vangshardt · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 3

Im not sure that i understand you correctly since my english isnt that good. But Im not talking of a serach for insight in the true ideas through accepting the different stages of the "path to knowledge" in lovemaking, drinking and sports ans so on as Platon does. Insight and happiness arent the same to me.

Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

I sense in you, somehow, a kindred spirit with Milan Kundera, and his novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Your thoughts also remind me of the German movie "Himmel Uber Berlin" (Heaven over Berlin), marketed under the English title of "Wings of Desire."

(I shall return during the day to add to these thoughts.)

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