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Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 10, 2015 at 11:51 pm
(This post was last modified: December 20, 2015 at 11:36 pm by SteelCurtain.
Edit Reason: 30/30 Violation
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>snip<
A very inspirational and motivational video. To me, it provided a clear way to find meaning without a deity, as I was confused about this before. I recommend watching until the end.
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 5:07 am
Meaning is not an intrinsic property of life. If you need one, give it to it yourself
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 6:00 am
Can I give my life the meaning of "chicken"? If there is a reasoning as to why I would give my life one reason and not another, am I really the one who gets to choose?
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 6:42 am
There doesn't need to be a 'meaning' to life. Life is exactly what you make it. Not having an imaginary friend gives me more time than someone who goes to church every sunday, and I can do anything with that extra time. My meaning is whatever I make of it. Some prefer to work, some make music, some paint and some spend time with their children.
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 11:09 am
(December 11, 2015 at 6:00 am)Amine Wrote: Can I give my life the meaning of "chicken"? If there is a reasoning as to why I would give my life one reason and not another, am I really the one who gets to choose?
Just don't give it the meaning of dishonesty by being purposefully obtuse and conflating two meanings of a word and you'll be fine.
If there is any reasoning to why you would go by train and not by foot, are you the one to choose?
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 11:36 am
(December 11, 2015 at 6:42 am)Ghorza Wrote: There doesn't need to be a 'meaning' to life. Life is exactly what you make it. Not having an imaginary friend gives me more time than someone who goes to church every sunday, and I can do anything with that extra time. My meaning is whatever I make of it. Some prefer to work, some make music, some paint and some spend time with their children.
And you save a lot of money when you are not supporting those parasites.
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 2:25 pm
(December 11, 2015 at 11:09 am)Vic Wrote: Just don't give it the meaning of dishonesty by being purposefully obtuse and conflating two meanings of a word and you'll be fine.
If there is any reasoning to why you would go by train and not by foot, are you the one to choose?
Not really, IMO. The question always boils down to circumstances that make one choice or the other the correct choice (unless you just don't know enough) given your objectives, which themselves can be looked at this way. If you are going cross-country to visit your relatives for Christmas, take the train, as you probably don't want the journey to be several months long. If you want to re-create the Oregon Trail or tour the country, then going by foot could be an interesting and challenging endeavor.
Of course, what if you decided to go around deliberately choosing bad options in an effort to prove that you have the freedom to choose after all? I think that itself fills an unchosen (and poorly informed) objective. In fact, it changes the objective, defeating the purpose. No longer is the objective getting to your relatives' place, it is proving that you can choose the wrong choices. And you have to pick the right wrong choices to do that.
In other words, I don't think I can simply make my life's meaning whatever I choose. I have a nature. That's why I don't choose to make my life's meaning some random, incoherent thing. There are currents in my own mind I have to discover and work with. I can't just decide what makes me happy, but I can certainly find out.
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 4:32 pm
Once you tear it all down, and accept there is no overall meaning or purpose, I think the way to go is maximize your tangible feedback. Do as much of the things that return a positive response as you can. Doesn't really matter what. If you can get the feedback go for it, even if it's irrational. It's an interesting twist ending, when you realize that nothing having meaning includes being rational or finding the truth.
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 5:35 pm
Friendship is meaningful. Compassion is meaningful. Many things can be meaningful.
I've never understood the idea that atheism is even remotely nihilistic.
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RE: Life's meaning when you are an atheist - reality, struggle, etc.
December 11, 2015 at 6:20 pm
Cristards tell themselves all sorts of shit. Very important to them that they feel superior.
As always, H. L. Mencken said it best.
Quote:God is the immemorial refuge of the incompetent, the helpless, the miserable. They find not only sanctuary in His arms, but also a kind of superiority, soothing to their macerated egos: He will set them above their betters.
— H L Mencken
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