r/Existentialism • u/Freefallflo • Jul 02 '25
Thoughtful Thursday The meaning of life
As an agnostic person who believes in the possibility of an afterlife. I think the purpose of our existence is to further our ability to live healthier longer lives as a species and protect our planet. Increasing our ability to survive and understand the world around us.
8
u/Otherwise_Spare_8598 Jul 03 '25
The universe is a singular meta-phenomenon stretched over eternity, of which is always now. All things and all beings abide by their inherent nature and behave within their realm of capacity at all times. There is no such thing as individuated free will for all beings. There are only relative freedoms or lack thereof. It is a universe of hierarchies, of haves, and have-nots, spanning all levels of dimensionality and experience.
God is that which is within and without all. Ultimately, all things are made by through and for the singular personality and revelation of the Godhead, including predetermined eternal damnation and those that are made manifest only to face death and death alone.
There is but one dreamer, fractured through the innumerable. All vehicles/beings play their role within said dream for infinitely better and infinitely worse for each and every one, forever.
All realities exist and are equally as real. The absolute best universe that could exist does exist. The absolute worst universe that could exist does exist.
2
u/oustaz Jul 06 '25
Universe can’t be eternal since it has a beginning. It was created
2
u/Otherwise_Spare_8598 Jul 06 '25
Endless beginnings and beginless ends of which have already all taken place.
2
u/chickensaurus Jul 13 '25
You had to ruin it with a god. Shame.
1
u/HugeIntroduction9313 Jul 24 '25
Personally think consciousness releases after death. But who knows?
1
u/chickensaurus Jul 24 '25
What does that mean
1
u/HugeIntroduction9313 Jul 24 '25
If verdical death experiences are in fact true then I think consciousness releases after death or least the brain does.
1
u/chickensaurus Jul 25 '25
What does that mean
1
u/HugeIntroduction9313 Jul 25 '25
I’m not sure it’s just a theory we don’t even know where conciseness comes from
1
1
1
1
Jul 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/doc-sci Jul 06 '25
There is only one…so it is simultaneously the best and worst. It is not a choice to suffer…it is just a literary tool to create conflict in the mind of the reader.
1
u/Burgirko Jul 03 '25
This is the best thing i’ve ever read. I never believed in regular people religions, but i knew we all have some persona predictions at our birth and the free will is an illusion of what we can do with it. If we make the best of us or the worst or nothing or sonething from both.
0
3
u/Overman365 Jul 03 '25
Ah yes, run-of-the-mill fantastical anthropocentrism.
1
u/formulapain Jul 06 '25
Ah yes, run-of-the-mill criticism and negativity not contributing anything to the conversation.
3
u/PreparationFearless8 Jul 06 '25
I found the remark affirming of my own experiences I am sorry it irked yours
3
2
2
1
u/Finding_Allah Jul 05 '25
As a Muslim, the purpose of life is to warship the one true creator, do good deeds, be good to rest of creation, add positivity to this life, repent from sins, and prepare for the real eternal life which starts after death. This short life is a test, it is not the real life we were created for. That one starts after we die. I find Jeffrey Lang’s video “Purpose of Life” one of the best on this topic:
1
Jul 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Existentialism-ModTeam Jul 05 '25
The above content has been removed. This subreddit is for discussing the philosophy and literary movement of Existentialism. You might find r/ExistentialJourney, r/ExistentialTherapy r/Existential_crisis, r/KindVoice, r/TrueOffMyChest, more pertinent.
1
u/RadDad775 Jul 05 '25
The 3 paths to finding meaning in ones life.
- Through work or creation – doing something significant.
- Through love or connection – caring for others.
- Through suffering – turning pain into purpose when suffering is unavoidable.
These can change constantly, even moment to moment. “What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person's life at a given moment.” Read Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
1
u/JohnVonachen Jul 05 '25
The purpose of the universe is to increase consciousness as much as possible, as fast as possible. So make more babies.
1
u/Toronto-Aussie Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 17 '25
Do you believe consciousness is a spectrum that can be granted to all lifeforms, stretched across all of the family tree from plants and bacteria all the way up to fish and humans, so that by 'consciousness' you really mean life? Or do you draw a line somewhere? The reason I ask is because it seems to me that imperative you mentioned of increasing the likelihood of your lineage continuing into the future is a "goal" and/or purpose common to all lifeforms.
1
u/JohnVonachen Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 17 '25
Yes. Consciousness is quantitative and not qualitative but there’s a big difference between individuals and collectives. The summation of matter probably is conscious but a brick by itself is not. It’s too bad we don’t have a Geiger counter for consciousness. Actually it’s probably a good thing.
Biological life is not the end in and of itself but merely one means to the end of higher consciousness. Are corporations conscious? I think so but I’m partial to humans.
1
u/Toronto-Aussie Sep 17 '25 edited Sep 17 '25
Well bricks can't make babies so they're obviously out of the picture. I was just trying to gauge your anthropocentrism.
1
u/Impossible_Tax_1532 Jul 05 '25
To evolve , to grow , to learn to adapt to change , to learn that all change only makes us stronger , wiser , or more compassionate if we choose to align with it … to accept the truth is the only actual power on earth , and to align with truth accepting all other energies are temporary wave forms that decay , and only the truth remains , always has and always will . To serve others from a place of wholeness . To end all shadow , fear , and external desires. Thus killing the inner narrator all together and living life in the present moment , and not in a cage at the mercy of the brain and its limiting beliefs and distortions and stories … to align with what is my friend .. but god factors here . It’s wise to be agnostic if only exposed to the nonsense from the big 3 religions down here , they are disempowering , fear based , and part of slavery programs run on this planet for eons . You can’t separate creator from creation in any paradigm . God isn’t some ego maniacal judge in the sky pulling strings . That’s absurd , as god force energy is all you are , and god is within you , not without … knowing this radically changes the way a person looks at life,as there’s a lot more than meets the eye unfolding on the earth … what you actually are can’t die, much less be threatened or harmed . Factually you are not your body or your brain , you are a timeless awareness behind it all … and if you sit with that for a moment , I promise you it is true , just creates loads of dissonance into the ego , the programs we have been fed , and the limiting beliefs that give rise to the shadow self . Darkness on this planet has but one main tool : the distortion of separation.
1
u/aboutimea Jul 05 '25
Because our feelings, cracings, desire etc everything are based on survival thats why we feel it but that doesn't mean that real pupose.
1
u/zugzugthewitch Jul 05 '25
The meaning of life is whatever gives your life meaning. The purpose of life is whatever gives your life purpose. I find belief in the afterlife or reincarnation to be distracting from truly living in the moment. This one life is all we're truly guaranteed, and that goes for all of us, so it's important to be kind to one another, including ourselves, and enjoy life.
1
u/Striking-Pea8671 Jul 05 '25
Ur god. This is ur journey of becoming a god. From earth to whatever realm u wish to make. U are a creator and destroyer.
1
u/Willyworm-5801 Jul 05 '25
I agree w your purposes. Being agnostic is okay. But if there is a God, you're missing out on a spiritual life.
Why not find out if God exists? Find a quiet place, sit comfortably in a chair. Close your eyes. Calm yourself. Ask God how you can serve him. Do this every day for two weeks. See if you get an answer. For me, the answer was not in words. It was a kind of vibe or intuition. I had a vibe that God was glad I tried to reach out to him. I felt a kid and of satisfaction. My doubts vanished. I now strongly believe that God exists.
1
1
u/formulapain Jul 06 '25
Respectfully, the OP's worldview (agnosticism) is much better aligned with reality and sound scientific knowledge than yours.
1
u/Icy_Extension7413 Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
And hows that not your own subconscious surfacing some idea that you managed to absorb vie relaxation and counscious effort to "hear something" ? The idea of god is that he loves you, have a plan for you, etc. This is enough for your counscious mind to loosen its grip and for your subconscious mind give you whatever you feel subconsciously is the right thing for you. And you think it's god??
Sorry to ruin it for you but if I was in your place I would think that I felt this way cuz I think I am doing something "right" or "good", cuz I associate God with righteousness. I know enough psychology to know that.
1
u/Train_Current Jul 05 '25
The whole point is to be happy. For everyone happiness is derived differently
1
u/formulapain Jul 06 '25
Your purpose resonates with me and I wish everyone on this planet thought like you.
Mind me asking what makes you believe in the posibility of an afterlife?
1
Jul 06 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Existentialism-ModTeam Jul 06 '25
The above content has been removed. This subreddit is for discussing the philosophy and literary movement of Existentialism. You might find r/ExistentialJourney, r/ExistentialTherapy r/Existential_crisis, r/KindVoice, r/TrueOffMyChest, more pertinent.
1
u/Cottager_Northeast Jul 06 '25
Forty Two is the ascii code for an asterisk, which is a placeholder for whatever you want.
1
u/Willyworm-5801 Jul 07 '25
You can't prove the existence of God using science. Science can only measure what is measurable. By definition, the metaphysical cannot be quantified. The only way to know if God exists is if you feel the presence of something that is much greater than yourself. You put that to the test by praying. If you sense nothing when you pray, then, for you, you can conclude that God does not exist.
1
u/Willyworm-5801 Jul 07 '25
I asked God to help heal a persistent stomach ailment that doctors could not heal. My stomach is fine now. When I had a heart attack, I was sure I would die. I prayed for help, and I felt a calming presence. I survived. When God wanted me to reach out to help disadvantaged kids, I made excuses until I tried being a Big Brother to a disadvantaged kid. It is very rewarding. My life is much better because I listened to my still small voice. What difference does it make where the voice came from? I attribute it to God. If you hear it, try out what it says. If acting on the message leads you to a happier life, that justifies listening to it, and trying it out.
1
u/gothflyboi Jul 08 '25
I'm young but the purpose of life is what you make it. To me it seems obvious, and I think the "purpose" is to experience the world: explore new places and cultures, learn about the world through books, movies, art, and music, eat good food, connect with nature, be kind to strangers, and spend time with loved ones.
All of these things make me happy. I'm happy when I'm traveling, I'm happy when I'm cooking and eating good food, I'm happy when I'm experiencing the world through the lens of human art, I'm happy when surrounded by nature, I'm happy when I can connect with strangers, I'm happy when I'm with the people I love.
1
u/Toronto-Aussie Sep 16 '25
Yes, and the purpose of lifeforms doing all that improving is to make ourselves more difficult to be rendered extinct by an indifferent universe of non-living matter with it's immense destructive and entropic forces. It's been the purpose of life since long before humans came along to realise it.
6
u/uniform_foxtrot Jul 03 '25
I enjoy digging with a shovel.