I am nearly 50, and the thoughts "what is the point of life?" and "what is the meaning of life?" have been driving me crazy for a good 30 of those years. I've listened and read so much stuff in that time but was no closer to enlightenment, then, it occurred to me:
Q: What is the point of life?
A: Life is pointless!
Q: What is the meaning of life?
A: Life is meaningless!
That's why you'll never get an answer to those questions if you want an answer other than "life is pointless/meaningless". This is why in 30 years of searching I've never found it. I think many times I've been close but didn't want to admit defeat in trying to find a point/meaning to it all. Maybe I knew it all along but upbringing/education had steered me away from the truth.
And here's the kicker -
life is equally pointless and meaningless for everybody on planet earth!
Elon Musk's life is pointless and meaningless, Donald Trump's life is pointless and meaningless, Greta Thunberg's life is pointless and meaningless, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez's life is pointless and meaningless, your life is pointless and meaningless, everybody's life is pointless and meaningless!
The realization of the pointlessness and meaninglessness of it all - for everybody - seems to have lifted a great weight off my shoulders. I thought something was wrong with me, why couldn't I find meaning to life, why couldn't I find a point to exist, and now I realize nothing was wrong with me, it is just life is totally pointless/meaningless.
All the animals on earth except humans, I can guarantee 100% they do not waste a second of their lives asking themselves "What is the point/meaning of life?" They simply get on with their lives, and do what they do.
Whilst life is pointless and meaningless, it doesn't mean that we have nothing to live for.
Everybody needs something to live for otherwise we commit suicide (maybe before now, I was living to find the answer to the questions above). And here's another kicker -
Whatever you want to live for, big or small, is an equally worthy thing to live for!
Elon Musk lives to create and grow his enterprises. Donald Trump lives to make America great again. Greta Thunberg lives to propagate climate terror. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez lives to usher in an age of socialism to the USA. And of course they live for other things too, like family, friends, etcetera. And they live for small things too - simple joys.
People often have regrets. Nothing you could have done or been would change the fact that life is pointless and meaningless.
The question now becomes:
Q: What do you live for?
And remember, big or small reasons are equally worthy. Maybe you live to enjoy going to bed every night. Maybe you live to simply see the sunrise/sunset every day. Maybe you live for food & drink. Whatever you live for, this is special to you. And it doesn't matter that some people live to do big things (like be a great President of the USA) or small things (like a great toilet cleaner), because whatever we live for is equally worthy.
Find things to live for - things that you love/like/that interest you specifically - and live for those things. Don't care what other people are doing, because everyone's life is equally pointless and meaningless. Often the most simplest and pure reasons to live are the best.
And it might be even easier to work out what you don't want to live for. What you don't want to live for is equally useful knowledge.
Now I finally think I start to understand this verse from the bible: "We are all equal in the eyes of God!"
Final note:
- There are things worth living for (a large number - many things)
- There are things you live for (a small number of focused things)
THE END
Wife and Children
I've been brought up with a mum and dad, in a Christian country (not very Christian anymore) with the idea that I should get a job, get a mortgage on a house, find a wife, have kids, and live happily ever after, like in some fantasy. Now children is definitely a great reason to live - whether it is looking after your children or others. And yes, for some, finding a good and nice wife to live for can complete them. But children and/or a partner is definitely not the only reason to live for. This idea we need to continue ourselves when there are so many billions of humans already living in this world, is a relic of the past when humanities survival was so much more precarious (if we'd gone extinct it wouldn't have mattered since all is meaningless/pointless), we definitely don't all need to have children - the world (certain countries at least) wouldn't be hurt by having less humans to support. And for many, children was a insurance against old age (when children would be expected to care for the decrepit elders.)
Remember, we are all equal in the eyes of god. Those who have children or who don't have children are all equal. Remember the pointlessness and meaninglessness of it all (for everyone). We all simply have things to live for, and being selfish or selfless is equal.
And I have a wife. I think it was a mistake getting married. Whilst I like my wife (I absolutely do not hate her), I'm not sure if I feel love for her. I don't really miss her (we live apart). I don't really think she gives me anything, and I give her £500+ per month (and have been doing so for about 15 years - that's £75'000 and it's even more than that because of other things). I see her maximum 2 weeks out of every year (about the same for 15 years) and when I'm with her I'm usually wishing I wasn't. She was slim when we married, but then a few years later after c0vid (maybe due to c0vid vaccines) she went very fat (partly due to developing asthma and taking medication), such a disappointment for me (in fairness to her, not her fault) - I've had a fat mum all my life, being straddled with a fat wife is a disaster. I honestly don't know what to think about this situation, one for another post.
Addictions, Time Boxing and Routines
One important thing to say:
Addictions aren't things you should be living for!
Yes, everyone needs something(s) to live for. And you might feel very strongly about living for something that is an addiction. Things that take over you life are not good for you, they aren't things you really want to live for, they become your master and you end as a slave. Break free from these addictions, break free from the shackles of slavery, punch your master in the face and get your freedom!
Time boxing and healthy routines are a good way of making sure the things you live for aren't totally consuming your life. You want to live a healthy and productive life (for yourself, not for a master - not for an addiction). If you look at what you are doing and it is not productive for you, then you know it's wrong, it's wasting your time.
Also, be sure those things you think you want to live for are healthy things to live for.
A Simple Life
You don't want to have too many things to live for. Focus on those things that are most important for you.
Yin and Yang
Continuing on from the them that life is equally meaningless and pointless for all, we also need to think about Yan and Yang or the balance of life. There is always balance. So, if you are a really really good person, you goodness will be balanced out by badness. I think we should be good and nice and caring towards others, but it doesn't matter, since there is always balance in the universe.
~~~~~
Q: What do I live for?
This blog has always been my way of self psychological treatment. Now to follow my advice and work out what it is that I want to live for.
Things I live for (in no particular order):
- A simple life (keep it as simple as possible but no simpler)
- And not taking things too seriously - laugh at the absurdity of life - live in beauty!
- Live to laugh, smile and be happy! (Happiness is a choice)
- Food & drink
- Running (aiming for at least 2 times per week) + walking/trekking
- Exercising (currently 25 press up, 50 sit-ups and 50 curls before sleep)
- Being debt free & prudent (paying off all credits cards, loans and mortgage)
- Gold (specifically tax-free CGT-free gold - a hedge against inflation!)
- Blogging
- My work/career
- Try to be the best (godlike) at what you do (without over doing it)
- As a salaryman don't expect loyalty from an employer
- As a salaryman be grateful (and mindful) that you are paid a salary
- Being mindful that it (probably) won't last forever
- And when it ends I want to volunteer (not sure how yet) and give something back to the world!
- Learning & reading
- Beautiful art - like: cyberpunk wall posters, architecture, nature, cars, ******* ...
- Listening to great music
- Watching great movies - like: Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner, Predator, Rambo, Tron ...
- My love dolls & furries
- Going to bed at night and sleeping with a beautiful sexy doll while Blade Runner Sleep Radio runs in the background (or something similar)
- My Lotus (but I won't get another - I have wasted too much on cars - I don't live to make car traders wealthy!)
- Peace and quiet
- Future plans (always worthwhile making plans for the future - put something(s) in your calendar to live for!)
- New experiences (variety is the spice of life)
- Honesty - be honest especially with yourself and also with others (yes, it can be hard, but being dishonest with yourself leads to depression and bad feelings - sometimes you need to tell white lies to others)
Things I don't live for:
- Regrets (worrying about the past)
- Worrying about the future - I'll take each day as it comes (but it is still wise to make future plans)
- Consumerism (specifically excessive consumerism - remember debt free - if you can't afford it, don't buy it - you can live without - make do with what you have - be happy with what you have - many a thing is bought just to have it and stop wanting it anymore!)
- Social Media & Likes (don't live for likes, it'll drive you crazy!)
- Face suckers:
- Face sucking mobile phones
- I don't want to spend all my time with my face in my smartphone like so many people do in this modern world.
- Face sucking computers
- Similarly, even though my work dictates I must spend a lot of time in front of a computer, I don't want to spend too much time.
- YouTube (which kinda goes under face suckers)
- Things that waste my time!
- Things that don't bring happiness (work brings happiness - money to spend on stuff - even if you're not always happy doing it)
- Negativity!