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Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 3:38 am
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2011 at 4:04 am by Jackalope.)
Over the years, I've been pondering the meaning of all of this (waves hand around), and the best I've come up with is that we find our own personal meaning in life, whatever that may be.
Theists often accuse us (the godless heathens) of having no meaning in our lives.
So the question to the atheists / humanists / naturalists here is this:
What gives meaning to your personal life? Share your story.
For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by the ocean - the abundance of life at the shoreline, and hidden beneath the surface. As a child, I wanted to be able to explore this hidden world - an environment completely alien and hostile to human life.
In 2001, I became a certified scuba diver. It was not an easy thing for me to do - I never have been a strong swimmer, and I have a natural fear of drowning, and the thought of sharks lurking just out of site gave me the willies. Still, I persevered through it and was free to explore the world hidden beneath the surface of the sea - at least the portions within the limits of my training.
Over the next ten years, I dove in all kinds of environments: from warm tropical reefs to near-freezing pristine alpine lakes, caverns and wrecks - but mostly in the nearby waters of Puget Sound and Hood Canal in the state of Washington, USA. I picked up a lot of additional training along the way, and in September of 2010 earned my Master Scuba certification.
Throughout all of these experiences, my love of the ocean grew, and I became more and more aware of the environmental concerns that our oceans and seas face - some as a result of human activity, and some a result of natural phenomenon.
I became an advocate for the sea - passing along my concerns to people I know, making them aware of issues that many are unaware of: the island of debris in the Pacific, the horrible practice of shark finning, whaling, overfishing, pollution... the list goes on. I'm not particularly vocal in my activism - but I do try to spread the word when the opportunity presents itself, and I donate to environmental causes.
So in effect, the hobby that I love so much led me to something more meaningful - even if the difference I can make is immeasurable, I know that I have made some difference.
That's one thing that gives meaning to my life.
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 7:13 am
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2011 at 7:15 am by JollyForr.)
I suppose we've all got out seperate pursuits, and it all just depends on what you wish to do; and that is what gives meaning.
Art, science, beauty, and...life, all give meaning to my life; to exist is just a miracle in itself. Learning about the universe and history. Yet I always think that my everyday outlook is ineffable; poetry lets them moments be described with language though.
I can't miss out humor either. Comedy, Chaplin, Monty Python, you know.
Cups of tea are pretty damn great too.
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 7:19 am
My kids, helping people, sex, science, adventure, music, words, and love.
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 7:27 am
There is no meaning to anybodies life from an impersonal point of view. There is one reason for everybody, and that is to procreate and ensure the survival of the species. After that I struggle to see any meaning.
From a personal self perspective, I'd agree with others in that you give your own life meaning. For me that is aiming for things that I'd like to achieve, enjoying the pleasures in life like good food, sunny days, sex of course, and family.
You are currently experiencing a lucky and very brief window of awareness, sandwiched in between two periods of timeless and utter nothingness. So why not make the most of it, and stop wasting your life away trying to convince other people that there is something else? The reality is obvious.
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 7:30 am
I personally enjoy frequent sex and trying out new things in sex. I also enjoy comedy and reading more than anything, bar sexual escapades. I love old comedies like monty python, fawlty towers, dads army. Modern comedy that i enjoy includes, american cartoons; family guy, american dad(you had to be funny at something as your real shows are generally shit) and King of the hill. My favourite authors are Christopher Hitchens, George Orwell and JK Rowling.
Though, perhaps what give me the most enjoyment in my life is when my baby boy wants a hug because he's hurt or tired.
Suppose that waffle states what gives my meaningless existance meaning to me.
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 7:43 am
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2011 at 8:30 am by KichigaiNeko.)
Hedonism....yeah ...do what feels good and harm none.
Although ...thinking about it...my family being healthy and happy and working towards what they want out of life. Sounds wooo wooo I KNOW but that is what gives meaning to my life.
"The Universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest." G'Kar-B5
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 12:26 pm
What gives my life meaning? My wife & kid(s), my work, my hobbies, and generally to enjoy the short time I have to walk around on this planet. Same things that give religious people's lives meaning, only without the religion part.
Seriously, though, why do people always ask this of atheists? Our lives are no different from Christians, only we live our lives free of any religious belief. I guess people tend to think that if we don't believe we have some grand, cosmic purpose for our existence then our lives should be meaningless. I say, enjoy life while you have it.
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
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Enter the ABSURD ... What gives your life yea... whatever?
November 16, 2011 at 12:45 pm
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2011 at 12:51 pm by mayor of simpleton.)
The phenomena of being alive.
I don't care to look for the meaning of life. I find that this just get me bogged down and is an incoherent folly at best. All experiences are subject to accumulation and adaptation. What was once the greatest priority can reveal itself to be a mere trivial pursuit over time.
Besides if I would actually find an answer to the meaning of life, well... then what? Game over? Sounds rather boring too me.
I have many interests, pursuits, agendas, intentions, desires, goals, but none of them are ultimate or are the sole thing that bring "meaning" to my life. I have suffered a lot in life, but I would not trade it away. I am a product of this suffering. I have laughed a lot in life, but again would not trade it, as I am a part of this just as well.
I'm a happy Sisyfus! I choose my rocks (the key to my happiness) and shove them up Mt. Olympus. Zeus is there waiting to zap me in the ass. I drop the rock, it rolls down to the valley again and I get to do it all over again. How cool is that!
In spite of what comes my way, I carry on regardless...
Two songs for the road...
...the second is why I returned to philosophy after a long absense, whatever that's worth?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUa1Ia6vvhI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx00NuMSipc
Meow!
GREG
Moral is as moral does and as moral wishes it all too be. - MoS
The absence of all empirical evidence for the necessity of intuitive X existing is evidence against the necessary empirical existence of intuitive X - MoS (variation of 180proof)
Athesim is not a system of belief, but rather a single answer to a single question. It is the designation applied by theists to those who do not share their assumption that a god/deity exists. - MoS
I am not one to attribute godlike qualities to things that I am unable to understand. I may never be in the position to understand certain things, but I am not about to create an anthropomorphic deity out of my short-commings. I wish not to errect a monument to my own personal ignorace and demand that others worship this proxy of ego. - MoS
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Seriously, though, why do people always ask this of atheists? Our lives are no different from Christians, only we live our lives free of any religious belief. I guess people tend to think that if we don't believe we have some grand, cosmic purpose for our existence then our lives should be meaningless. I say, enjoy life while you have it.
[/quote]
Yeah, surely knowing that it's the only life gives more meaning to it, whereas if we thought it was just some test in the greater, larger plan, it would somehow seem less beautiful. Actually I think that would give less meaning to life, knowing that it's just some kind of game.
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RE: Humanists/Naturalists: What gives your life meaning?
November 16, 2011 at 1:08 pm
(This post was last modified: November 16, 2011 at 1:15 pm by mayor of simpleton.)
(November 16, 2011 at 12:57 pm)JollyForr Wrote: Seriously, though, why do people always ask this of atheists? Our lives are no different from Christians, only we live our lives free of any religious belief. I guess people tend to think that if we don't believe we have some grand, cosmic purpose for our existence then our lives should be meaningless. I say, enjoy life while you have it.
Yeah, surely knowing that it's the only life gives more meaning to it, whereas if we thought it was just some test in the greater, larger plan, it would somehow seem less beautiful. Actually I think that would give less meaning to life, knowing that it's just some kind of game.
That's easy to answer. Christians (many of them along with many other folks of theistic superstitions and placebos) cannot imagine a life without this central answer (aka god) at the core of it all. It seems incoherent too them. If you have made a habit of molding lifes questions to fit a preconceived central answer, you'll have a difficult time imagining how things could be if you remove the trump cards.
(Don't know if this term is familiar too you, but the removal of god from the equasion is a "Black Swan" to the theistic community)
In this case, god plays craps with the universe using our personal loaded dice.
Funny thing too. If you can manage to remove god from the equasion, the universe is suddenly a very interesting place to live in, rather than a boring thing to get behind you for sake of some wishful thinking of a better life to come (aka heaven). How boring and meaningless is that?
Meow!
GREG
Moral is as moral does and as moral wishes it all too be. - MoS
The absence of all empirical evidence for the necessity of intuitive X existing is evidence against the necessary empirical existence of intuitive X - MoS (variation of 180proof)
Athesim is not a system of belief, but rather a single answer to a single question. It is the designation applied by theists to those who do not share their assumption that a god/deity exists. - MoS
I am not one to attribute godlike qualities to things that I am unable to understand. I may never be in the position to understand certain things, but I am not about to create an anthropomorphic deity out of my short-commings. I wish not to errect a monument to my own personal ignorace and demand that others worship this proxy of ego. - MoS
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