Meaninglessness in meaningless Universe

[Meaninglessness]

You were born against your will.
You are expected to live against your will.
You are not expected to die.
But you will die anyway.
You will be buried or cremated.
Your family will die.
Your friends will also die.
All the people who knew you will die.
You will be forgotten.
Humanity will die.
The Universe will die.
Everything is time limited.
Everything will die.
You are a meaningless human being.
But you are expected to live.
In a meaningless Universe.

What are your thoughts about meaninglessness?

 

[Tiberius85]

We as humans, and everything that exists, does exist in a vacuum of universal meaninglessness.

Ultimately, everything is born to die. Whether that is us as Homo Sapiens, every other species on planet Earth, the Earth itself, even the universe, will die at some point. With that in mind, it's impossible to argue for any meaning to anything other than what we want to believe is meaningful to us.

Therefore, in a lot of the points you make above, humans could derive meaning for their own individual life, i.e. my life span is short and trivial therefore I must make the best of it (whatever that means, which, perhaps, comes down to the age-old argument of pleasure vs. moral virtue).

As long as it matters to me personally, it has real meaning. Even if, from a universal point of view, this is still totally meaningless.

What I am trying to say is: there is difference between individual/personal meaning and universal meaning(lessness).

 

[FuneralCry]

The thing that bothers me to such a great extent and is what I see as being the problem, is all of the unnecessary suffering and torment that exists when there was never a need for it to be there. There is no reason for life to even be a thing and yet it exists, causing living beings to experience such extreme agony and this will continue to repeat as long as life is brought here.

Life simply is meaningless, as life only exists as a consequence of evolution and there is no purpose to any of this. It can be comforting the fact that everything eventually ends and is forgotten about, and that our existence is so insignificant, but it's still horrific how all this suffering exists and nothing could ever justify all of the meaningless torture that is being experienced in this world.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Honestly- I have more questions than answers... I also share the perspective that- seeing as there is so much suffering here- it would be reasuring if there was a meaning or reason to qualify it.

Still- I think it's also important to acknowledge that there are people out there who don't find life entirely worthless. I have to say- this has become more of an anti 'Nihilism for all' post rather than so much of an individual response. On that note though- here come the following questions:

Does life need to have a meaning?

If I could tell you what the meaning was- do you think that would help? (I don't know by the way!)

Wouldn't it be kind of dull if we all had the same meaning?

If the meaning is to be a 'good' person- according to some religious law- would that help you or irritate you further? Don't you prefer to make your own choices?

Like @Tiberius85 said- just because there is no underlying meaning to be found, isn't it still ok for individuals to feel like their individual lives have meaning? Or- do you need this to be validated by a higher power?

Your brain and intellect is what has enabled you to come to this conclusion. Other people come to the conclusion that- although there may be no greater purpose or meaning to their lives, the fact they have been given a brain that is capable of quite incredible things- maybe THAT is their meaning- to fulfil their own potential.

Just because we don't know the meaning- does that necessarily mean there isn't one? Or- do you think we know everything by now?

Your conclusions are based largely on your own perspectives are they not? Your own feelings about your own life? For now- there seems to be no underlying reason for all of us to be here. Doesn't that mean that we can either choose to find things we GENUINELY feel are meaningful and worthwhile- or- not?

Choice at the end of the day. I'd further argue- that even if you knew the meaning behind it all- it would still be your choice as to whether you wanted to comply with it.

Perhaps a teacher feels like it is worthwhile to educate their students. Perhaps a doctor/firefighter does feel it's worthwhile to save someone's life. Perhaps a scientist does think it's worthwhile to find a better alternative to fossil fuels. Perhaps a musician does find it worthwhile to create a masterpiece that will bring joy to millions. Maybe their efforts mean nothing from the: 'All are going to die' perspective but chances are- they MAY have endured less tormented lives... As you would agree- none of it matters in the end anyway! I think trying to find meaning is maybe just a way of coping with life and death. You can either choose to do so- or not- you're going to die either way.

 

[Rapière]

Ah yes, I remember when I was 14 and discovered Nihilsm for the first time. Hang in there, bud!

 

[DarkRange55]

If we are barometers of meaning, then the universe is not meaningless because we are part of the universe. Whether there is higher meaning than that, I do not know.

 

[corvidaee]

Sure, the actual existence of us as a collective species, planet, etc. may be meaningless. We haven't found a scientific purpose to evolution (by that, I don't mean the mechanism of it, but the purpose for perpetual reproduction, death, and existence). However, I think, as others above me have mentioned, that personal purpose isn't mutually exclusive to collective meaningless. As Homo sapiens, we evolved to be as our taxonomic name suggests "the thinking man". We've evolved to think. We truly have the ability to garner our thoughts, analyze them, and produce an output with a purpose beyond survival instinct. The act of existence is meaningless but it doesn't mean it has to be meaningless to you. Meaning, too, is a human construct. Meaning (haha) we garner the power (collectively and individually) to bequeath it upon something or rid of it. Just like that. And if that's meaningless to you, that still proves the idea!

 

[DEATH IS FREEDOM]

I have lived a fulfilled life and I have chronic pain and chronic illness. My life and suffering are completely meaningless. None of this suffering is justified or of purpose. I never wanted to grow old with age ailments which I believe is the worst thing that can happen to man and it gets even worse if you are not healthy. But there has to be a lot of suffering before you can end your life without the help of a doctor. I hate how much I will suffer in the future with no way out if I can´t overcome the survival instinct. It is very bad and stupid politics in my country when I don´t have the right to euthanasia. It is only positive if I am euthanized - then I won´t be tormented anymore and overpopulation and overcrowding will decrease in my city and residential area. There are too many people where I live - crime and fighting happen all the time. Why can´t people decide the time of their own death?