Every so often on the news you hear about a major plane crash. The most recent one that comes to mind is Air India Flight 171 - 229 passengers dead and 12 crew. Another notable one is the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, shot down by Russian-backed forces over Ukraine - 283 passengers dead and 15 crew.
Think about all those people mentioned in the two flights above. 524 people. And pretty much all these people would have had plans. When they reach their destination they must do this and this and this. And a calendar full of events that they must attend. But they never reached their destination and all those things they must do, became null and void after their death.
I'd been thinking about this since that Malaysian accident. All these good people (and maybe some not so good), all with plans, to do lists, busy schedules, busy calendars. Many things that were very important to them, but they died and those important things became like nothing.
Which is why I think life is pointless. We fill our lives with all these things we think are so important, "we must do this", "we must do that", we get stressed at the thought of not getting things done, but then you die and none of that stuff matters.
Another thing about dying, is all those possessions you've stacked up over the years that were so important to you, that possessed you in your possessing of them, they often end up in a black bag (I know from experience of emptying my parents flat ... mostly tat, or things that have no value to anyone else.)
Life is pointless.
We fill our lives with all these things that seem so important.
When you die they become like nothing!
You have little to do
(or nothing of much importance - definitely nothing worth getting stressed about),
because if you die right now, everything that needs to happen will still happen.
Life carries on without you!
Yes, it is still worthwhile trying to lead your best life, trying to make other peoples lives better. But all this "I'm so busy, I've got so much to do" and getting stressed about it, is bollocks! There's nothing anyone has to do in this life other than breathe, eat and drink, and be merry!
There's nothing anyone has to do in this life other than breathe, eat and drink, and be merry!
Yes, the "be merry" was tongue-in-cheek, but it doesn't hurt to be happy (happiness is a choice) and positive in your life no matter what pointless stuff is going on, and a healthy mind and healthy body are very important so you can enjoy more of this pointless life.
There is nothing important to do, everything is equally as pointless as the next.
There are just things to do.
And what you chose to do in the moment - a thing to do - is just that!
Humanity will one day go extinct, of that there is little doubt. Human civilization has existed for 6000 years and in that short time we've come close to nuking ourselves into oblivion. The earth has existed for approximately 4.5 billion years (750'000 times longer than human civilization), and the universe 13.8 billion years. One day all these human endeavours will be as nothing. Our great monuments will turn to dust. These little bits of earth people fight over will be as nothing. The gods and religions of man will be forgotten.
Yes, it is all very pointless. But you can still live a meaningful life if you accept that life is ultimately pointless.
You can still live a meaningful life if you accept that life is ultimately pointless.
I think deep down most people realize this. So if you're struggling to find answers to "what is the point of life?", "what is the meaning of life?", "why am I here?", you should realize that a lot of those people going about their lives who you think are unenlightened or not seeking enlightenment, may just have realized life is pointless already, so why not get on with things simply for the sake of having something to do (do something), and not the constant torture of listening to a misbehaving mind that won't shut up asking depressing questions!?
Do something!
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| By Alan Wilson - Boeing 777-2H6ER '9M-MRD' Malaysian, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26902994 |
And another point:
Like what you like!
I don't think there is much point fighting against your likes - that is, trying to deny the things you like. It will just drive you crazy in the long-term. You need to learn to live with your likes (as long as your likes don't cause any harm to others.)