What is the point of anything?

[Nell]

Hi there, so this is my first post here. I won't bore you all with the details, but I've been on the way to deconversion for some time. There's one thing I struggle to get my head around though, largely because of my religious background (Catholic) I'm sure but it is something I do think about a lot.

Life. Living. What is the point of any of it?

No I'm not posting this while slitting my wrists to a Hawthorne Heights/Linkin Park mix, and it is something that crosses my mind whenever anything good or bad happens now. You built a sandcastle? What's the point? It's going to be gone when the tide comes in. You finished reading some novel? Well wasn't that a fine waste of an hour.

Yes..I know this sounds pessimistic, but this line of thinking goes on to higher levels too. Why bother building monuments when eventually either hundreds or thousands of years from now it's going to be gone. Why bother reproducing if the human race and the planet itself is inevitably going to pass away. In particularly ill moods I've even thought about whats the point eating or drinking to sustain yourself now if you're going to die anyway. Everything just appears ultimately pointless, staving off the inevitable and ultimately a complete and utter waste.

In a way I know I've cultivated this mindset myself, years of religious activity and several years studying Theology reinforces this mindset. Even still, I can't seem to come up with a good reason to do anything now. Of course I work, I eat and the like; I might not care but there are others around me who still do and I don't see a reason to "Break the Spell" as Dennett put it. Most of the time I wish I hadn't myself, and let doubts and remain just that.

Not exactly a cheerful post I know, but it is something I think of more and more. Have any of you got an answer or an idea, because I can't come up with one.

[Tonus]

You built a sandcastle? What's the point? It's going to be gone when the tide comes in. You finished reading some novel? Well wasn't that a fine waste of an hour.

Did you enjoy it? Did you get something out of it? Relaxation... learning something new... figuring out a new direction to take... etc?

When you've been taught that the meaning in your life was determined and given to you by someone else, and he cannot be denied, it's easy to feel lost when you find out that the 'someone else' isn't real. But the sense of meaning and purpose you felt during that period of your life was real. The happiness or apprehension or ambition or motivation you felt were real. So if you could feel these things when there was no god, can you feel them now that you realize that there is no god? Sure.

God is the face you see in the mirror. Ask that god for meaning and purpose. Why focus on the time that comes after you are gone? You can't get anything done at that point. If the only meaning and purpose you find in life will end for you when you die, isn't that all the more reason to enjoy it and appreciate it while you live? And isn't that reason enough to strive for greater things? The feeling of happiness and freedom I felt when finally shrugging off the shackles of religion was at least in part because now I could assign my own meaning and purpose in life, instead of waiting for god to show up and point out my spot on the eternal assembly line.

[Aoi Magi]

I don't know 'bout others, but I live my life and do things because they are fun and I like it that way. I don't have a grand goal in mind for my life, heck sometimes I don't even consider the outcomes of my actions, but it is my life and my choice so I gladly accept the consequences as well and move on.

[Gawdzilla]

I'm 64 years old and I have had a ball in most of my life (after escaping home, that is). Even when I had to do three years of physical therapy I was pleased that I was alive.

So. You only get one go-round, and it's tragic that some people piss that incredible chance away by worrying about "the next life".

[professor]

Hi Nell, I was in exactly the position you are in, a little over 4 decades ago.
I weighed out the good and the bad of life and it was obvious the bad won out.
If atheism / naturalism is right, the smartest thing to do is exit.
Ah but what if they are wrong?

Growing up in Catholicism, I came to figure I would have to go to hell with my friends because I could not be good enough. I threw out their rigmarole, but eventually began to search for the truth about life.

I looked into occult stuff, but began to read the bible.
I came to the place where it was obvious that out of all the myriad philosophies and views of life
ONE and only one is true and all the rest are lies and shades of lies.
Like a checkerboard- one of the squares is the truth.
Make that your quest.
There is a reward out there.

[robvalue]

Hello, welcome to the forum

When you've been used to religion giving all the "answers", it is common to feel a bit lost. But the thing is that those weren't real answers, they were pacifiers, to stop you having to think about the real purpose.

Once you've put religion behind you, you can make your own purpose. All we have is this life, so that makes it far more precious than the religious "model" where this is but a drop in the ocean compared to infinite afterlife.

Your purpose is how you decide to best make use of your time. For me, for example, I try to enjoy life, be a good person, and help other people and animals as much as I can. The fact that eventually I'll be dead doesn't mean my experiences don't matter to me now, and to everyone around me. I've never been religious, but I've never had any problem deciding my own purpose.

We don't have to be given a purpose, in fact it's demeaning to be told what to do with our lives. Now you're off the pre-drawn rails that would have lead you to waste your life with religious nonsense, and free to find your own path.

I hope in time things will settle down. Don't worry, a lot of people go through this, and after a period of adjustment they often find it extremely liberating. Remember you are still you. All you've lost is delusion.

I hope you stick around on the forum, there's a lot of great people here who can support you

[One Above All]

Meaning can't be intrinsic. The question "What's the meaning of life?" makes no more sense than "What's the meaning of blue?". Things exist. That's as far as objectivity goes. It's then up to us to attribute meaning to them if we so choose.
Here are a few questions - some you asked, some you didn't - and their answers, from my perspective.
Why would I spend an hour reading a book? Because I like the book.
Why would I spend ten minutes building a sandcastle? Because I like building sandcastles.
Why would I spend five hours playing a game? Because I like playing that game.
Why would I have kids? I wouldn't. Kids are terrible, and the Earth is overpopulated as it is.
Why would I build a monument? Because some monuments are pretty.
Why would I spend two hours cooking something to perfection that will be fully consumed in thirty minutes or less? Because I like cooking, and I like eating.
Why would I learn things? Because I get a pleasant tingling in my brain when I figure out something complex.

[bennyboy]

Life. Living. What is the point of any of it?

Who needs a point when you have an internet connection?

Yes..I know this sounds pessimistic, but this line of thinking goes on to higher levels too. Why bother building monuments when eventually either hundreds or thousands of years from now it's going to be gone. Why bother reproducing if the human race and the planet itself is inevitably going to pass away.

Because doing stuff is more fun than not doing stuff.

Not exactly a cheerful post I know, but it is something I think of more and more. Have any of you got an answer or an idea, because I can't come up with one.

First, you have to figure out why you NEED life to have a "point," when the "point" was just to follow the limitations on your freedom imposed by a religious institution. If you found the key to your prison camp cell, would you stay in the cell, asking yourself, "How will I know where to stand?" I wouldn't. I'd hit the ground running, and run whichever way my little feet wanted to lead me.

So that's my answer. Each morning, ask, "What would I like to do today?" Then go do it. Eventually, you might say, "Today, I want to build a monument." Or you might just stay in bed and pull the covers over your head. Either way, you're not going to be molding your thoughts and actions to a fairy tale that doesn't even include you as an important character.

[robvalue]

Leaving religion is like going from an on-rails shooter (a very boring one) to an open world RPG. Enjoy the freedom!

[Homeless Nutter]

[...] You built a sandcastle? What's the point?[...]

Hmmm.... I'm sorry, but what does a religious person get for building a sandcastle? Is there some passage in a holy book, that says "Blessed are the sandcastle makers, for god almighty can't get enough of the damn things and will reunite righteous people with their poorly sculpted piles of wet dirt in heaven"?

Or perhaps religious people don't get involved in any endeavors, that don't specifically assist in getting into paradise? Has every single sandcastle I've seen been made by atheists?

Sandcastles - as well as the majority of activities we occupy ourselves with, like art and music - are pointless, regardless of your religious views. If you used to have fun wasting time, while you thought Jesus was watching, why can't you enjoy the same activity, without that belief? In fact - now you should be enjoying it even more, because you don't have to worry about god's plan for you and whether or not you should be in church right now, repenting for sins, rather than at the beach, looking at semi-naked people.

And even more things are pointless, or counter-productive if you actually believe in afterlife. Why waste time preparing healthy food, or wear seat-belts, if that's only going to postpone your meeting with god and eternity in heaven?

To quote "philosophers" from the 80's:
"Life's what you make it". (Talk Talk)