Scribleriad

Throughout my life, the answer to this question has changed numerous times, depending upon how I thought I came to exist (to which your question must inescapably be connected). At present, without any clear answers to that question, I can only express my feelings by quoting Carl Gustav Jung, who once said "As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being."

When people describe others as 'sad' for having no purpose to their lives, their opinion is given based upon how valuable they view their own lives. It's conceited. No better than saying 'my car is better than yours.' It's what your life means to you that matters, not what it looks like from another's point of view. And let's face it, someone who looks from the outside as if they've got a purpose to their lives, may in fact feel pretty disatisfied with their existence.

You may think you have nothing, when in fact you have everything.

markstake

Why is the answer inescapably connected to how you came to exist? This would fit if you believe the purpose of life is something assigned to you, beyond your control.

As a sentient being, I'll choose my own purpose, regardless of the events or beings that brought me here.

Paul2

In philosophy class we came to the conclusion that the meaning of life was to search for yourself. you're done searching once you've died. you find yourself by making connections with other people, etc etc etc. i think that's a load of bs personally, but i didn't feel like arguing with someone that's been teaching it longer then i've been alive. i aggree with george carlin.

Reprobate

My exact thoughts. Only later I realized that there is indeed a philosophy that deals with 'fun' as a 'meaning of life' called hedonism.

While some people regard hedonism as a sort of joyous nihilism or empty materialism, hedonism is based around the concept that enjoyment should be the core of experience. It's not the same as seeking pleasure, but finding pleasure even in the humdrum activities.
If a hedonist doesn't like ironing shirts, he doesn't skip the activity but searches for a way to enjoy ironing shirts.

I try to apply this philosophy to my life. And, hey, it works!

Keith Russell

Greetings:

I agree that most people want the meaning of life handed to them, so they don't have to make the effort of figuring out for themselves.

As to 'the meaning of life is NOT unhappiness', what does it mean to be 'happy'?

I've heard numerous descriptions for 'happy', not all of them compatible with each other...

Keith.

cheetah

This is why I think everyone has to have their own definition of their purpose or meaning to life. Everyone can define their own happiness. You don't HAVE to have a purpose, much less does the entire species need to have a single purpose, but goals help, and goals have to be your own.

Primal

Well it depends on definitions, on this issue they are often vague, the life has no meaning in the sense of some significance to a higher power or some external supernatural plan for it.

However if you mean "where do we get our ideas of significance, or values" or "what should we pursue" I would say the meanings of life are equivalent to the satisfaction of our intrinsic motivations. I this sense meaning is inhereted, not created or chosen.

What people really fear is randomness, the idea that they are just supposed to choose what to do without any recourse or standard at all. That in essence when given two options, there is no reason to prefer one over the other. But such an idea presupposes free will and is unrealistic. In reality we are governed by our genes and enviroment, so we have a reason, its just that the reason comes from inside us not outside us.

Answerer

I will like to differ a bit, I think people like atheists tend to fear (or dislike) more from living in an orderly universe with a ultimate supreme being controllling it than just randomness. Indeed, we are living in a largely randomistic reality now.

Keith Russell

Answerer:

As an atheist, I am not afraid of living in a universe governed by 'God'. As someone trying to be rational, I'm willing to accept the universe as it is, however it is.

I am an atheist, not out of fear, but simply because the evidence which the universe has thus far shown me, indicates to me that 'God' is not possible.

Keith.

Jamie_L

Ultimately, people want to be happy - happy as defined by themselves. Many people, for whatever reason, have a hard time being happy if they are not accomplishing goals or working towards some ends. This seems somewhat hard-wired into us. Some people don't have the hardwiring as much as others, and some socialization is surely overlaid onto of the genetic baseline.

The need for "purpose" derives from this need for goals/ends. Many people just aren't content with living for their own contentment. The notion of a "meaning/purpose" to life I think is mostly socialization. It seems to me that people raised with the notion that "everything has a purpose" are the ones who need life to have some ultimate "meaning" or "purpose". I wasn't raised like that, and I rarely worry about it.

I have thoughts like: "is living like this making me happy?" or "Is living like this going to lead to a situation in which I am still happy X years from now?" I never ask myself "What is my purpose?"

My purpose is very clear. To be happy. To be a good companion to my wife and father to my kids. In short, to do the things that make my life pleasant to live.

Jamie