The Futility of Existece

How many of us here at ATS have ever wondered "why am I here"? I will answer that question. Every single person. There have been many threads illustrating how to enlighten oneself in order to ascend to the next level of consciousness. So I ask the question. Why? Why is it so important for us to ascend or learn?

I ask because of the realization I had the other day. The futility of existence.

When you get up in the morning what is your first thought? Mine is "ahh crap, I'm still here". And so I get up and do the regular thing and then go to work. Why did I go to work that day? To make money that pays bills. Why do I pay the bills? To keep my apartment, electricity, internet etc. But why do I need those things? Cause they keep me happy. But, why do I need to stay happy? So that I stay productive and go back to work the next day and repeat this cycle all over again.

Now, why transcend to the next level of consciousness? To get there you must learn and grow and expand as a human being. And once you reach that next level, it becomes your job to learn and expand and grow in order to reach the level after that. Where does it end? Is there an end? If there is, what happens then? The way I figure it there are two choices. You stop existing or start over from square one again. Kinda like a computers hard drive. When you fill it all the way up, it stops working the way it is supposed to.

Think about everything you have ever done in life. It had a purpose, I would assume. But what was the end result? This may shock some of you, but every person on this planet had the same end result with ANYTHING they have done. Some kind of emotional satisfaction. And it was that satisfaction that drove them to do similar acts in the future which in turn incited that same emotional satisfaction.

This is the futility of existence. Mortal and Immortal alike. Everything is a circle. A pointless loop that will never go anywhere except back in on itself. I don't say futility of life because of the argument that so many will try to make. That life as WE know it, is not where it ends.

I challenge someone to name a situation that doesn't end in an eternal loop. If it can be done. Then well, good on you. You proved me wrong. Yippee.....

reply to post by Mr. Toodles


]You could return or go to the nothing then you could be really be bored to nothing, because nothing would ever happen.
You should been in wonder of all things around you and not be selfish, there are many people with more problems than you, you should try to be a light in the darkness rather than conplain about things you don't even understand.
Thing are not as bad as they seen, you shoud be happy take the high road, don't let thing get you down this a mystical place and the majic is all around.
You need to grow don't set limits on self, maybe you have never had benifit of see beyond this existance.
I don't know if I can but I'll see if I can contact you in altereded state, and try help break your dilemma.

And to me it matters not whether I am here are not here, I am simply where I am, my concerns lie more for the ones who are still lost in this place.

If you were to ever attain the Wisdom you speak of you would not ask, foolish questions.


[edit on 13-12-2009 by googolplex]

Originally posted by Mr. ToodlesI challenge someone to name a situation that doesn't end in an eternal loop.

I sense where you're coming from, to an extent, but each day I awake I'm no longer the same "person" I was yesterday. I'm "different" ... evolved, even ... as my experiences throughout and from that previous day have "changed" me. Hopefully. (?)

.... perhaps I met someone new, reconsidered my view on a certain aspect of the world around me, gave pause to ponder or give thought to that which I might not have previously ...

Me?
I live for today Anticipating tomorrow.



[edit on 13-12-2009 by 12m8keall2c]

reply to post by googolplex


Believe me I was not trying to compare my life to anyone elses. I am aware that my problems are miniscule compared to most of the rest of the worlds. But problems or not. Wealthy or poor. Means nothing. Because in the end....hah, there is no end. We all do the same thing every single day. A repeating loop to fulfill the desire to continue repeating the loop. Whether poor or wealthy.

Ah,your thread brings me to the Book of Ecclesiastes,which starts out,

"Meaningless! Meaningless!",says the teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!" (1:2)

..."What does a man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?
Generations come and generations go,but the earth remains forever.(1:3)

Youth,vigor,weath,wisdom,folly,..."a chasing after the wind".

Eternal loop? Not if you believe in the Bible! Reincarnation is not in there!

Our duty is to fear God and keep His commands,and enjoy our "meaningless" days under the sun! That's pretty much the conclusion of the matter!

I recommend you read it for yourself. Whether you believe in God or not,it might surprise you how much sense it makes!

I searched for these answers myself,like everyone else. All the wisdom and guidance I need I get from the Bible and asking God for His guidance in all things.

Part of the lesson is knowing that we cannot know the mind of God,and some things we should just accept,because our Father "says so"!

I know this doesn't work for everybody. Many will be instantly defensive and turned off at the mere mention of the Bible.

So,just for the record,I'm not trying to sound "bossy". It's just the only real truth or encouragement I have ever received has come from reading the Bible and opening myself up to the Lord.


I hope you find what you're looking for!

reply to post by On the Edge


Thank you for your insight. I have known many people who have said the same thing. I will say that I have tried it and it did not work for me. Reincarnation or pure mortality. Either way. The loop is still endless while you are here. Everything you do leads you back to the reason you tried so hard to begin with. Jobs pay money. Money=car. Car=way to the job to pay for the car. Simple, but all the same.

Ah the old philosophy of existentialism. You're probably feeling a bit of existential anguish. We all go through this at one time or other.

We probably have done this infinite number of times before. There is probably no end result. It goes on and on forever. There is ultimately no meaning or purpose to life or existence.

Truth be told... existence probably has no meaning!

As Sartre has said, why let that stop us? Why let that depress us? There is no reason.

I used to suffer from bouts of existentialism until it dawned on me one day. The key is forgetfulness.

What if we reincarnate and forget all our past existences? Then it would appear that we have been born anew. Existence starts anew.

It just so happens that from time to time, some intellectuals start thinking about existence and start to get depressed.

Sartre said QUIT WORRYING AND ENJOY LIFE!

reply to post by Mr. Toodles
Maybe it's time to do something else, I use to be tied to work and would pray just to make it thru each day.
Now I do nothing the day just unfolds how ever it might, I work but what I want to work on.

Life is just a MMORPG!

If you don't by the next Xpack and level up your left behind

reply to post by Deaf Alien


I couldn't come up with the word. I knew it was nothing new to humans. Existentialism. I have heard that before but for some reason it didn't seem to click on as the right word. Thank you for jogging my brain, lol.

This thread got me into a thought cycle that hurt. Why does any life exist? We will never do anything, because everything will end. Why not kill myself now? No matter what I do in a few hundred years all the evidence I have every existed will be gone. Why not just end all life right now? Because we won't more electrical signals in our brain to make us happy. But why do we need those? If we all die right now we won't need those anymore, because we won't know the difference, as we won't exist. As a species nothing we do matter. What can we do that will make a difference in the big picture? Nothing. We can travel the universe, harness energy, eat, reproduce, and kill. But if you at the point of view of the universe, it doesn't matter.

Look for discoveries, find the hidden manna, give to others, search your past for growth, love with good deeds....

I see what you're saying about the same old day-to-day cycle.

I guess the only thing that keeps me from getting bogged down in all that is to look around and see what the world is going through right now.

We live in some extraordinary times when things are changing very fast!

There may come a time when we'd give anything to have our old boring existences back!

Maybe just being more thankful for what we have and not worrying about what we don't have helps,too.

If youhave a job,food to eat,a roof over your head,pretty good health,well,that's more than some have.

My grandma used to say people needed three things to be happy.(I don't know who she was quoting,but someone else said it before she did!)...

1.Someone to love.
2.Something to do.
3.Something to look forward to.

Again,I wish you well!

I agree with the Bible guy up there, and with hip hop rappers... ''Do what you do, homey!''

Enjoy life.

You will get the pains and frustrations from doing the ''wrong'' things, so turn to the ''right'' things. It is easy.

People play games for the sake of the game. Just do it!

To the op, that was an insightful read, but to think that's the only reason why we exist is trivial. The meaning of existence is a very tricky and complicated subjet. Your meaning of existence seems logical, but I can have a meaning that also seems logical, but now it turns in to faith in one's meaning. I believe that the meaning of existence will always be either a theory or a faith.

[edit on 13-12-2009 by Pains Wisdom]

reply to post by Pains Wisdom


And that is where I see a major problem. Your very statement brings us to the question of "why are we even conscious"? Obviously we were not meant to know the meaning of existence through logical means. And logic cannot be escaped when a consciousness emerges. Because through logic, we come to endless loops and paradoxes that defeat existence by itself.

So if the meaning of life can only be defined by faith and hope, then why do we have a conscious logical reasoning ability? It is not necessary in a world of pure faith.

See the loop even here? Logically, existence is pointless. Yet we exist to hope that the existence isn't pointless. Which keeps us on the path to existing and hoping and existing and hoping.

[edit on 13-12-2009 by Mr. Toodles]

Originally posted by paranoiaFTW
This thread got me into a thought cycle that hurt. Why does any life exist? We will never do anything, because everything will end. Why not kill myself now? No matter what I do in a few hundred years all the evidence I have every existed will be gone. Why not just end all life right now? Because we won't more electrical signals in our brain to make us happy. But why do we need those? If we all die right now we won't need those anymore, because we won't know the difference, as we won't exist. As a species nothing we do matter. What can we do that will make a difference in the big picture? Nothing. We can travel the universe, harness energy, eat, reproduce, and kill. But if you at the point of view of the universe, it doesn't matter.

I once died, and as I was shooting out thru space a very high speed, and the relization came " I said well you've done it now, you killed yourself " well some how I was ginven a reprive and was suddenly back on Earth. Then at that moment must of been very close to Creator " I said I wish there was nothing " be carful of what you wish for because all of asudden I was in nothing and it didn't take long but I said " No NO I want there to be something ' needless to say I was returned to the something and have never complained again.
That I have came near death on several occasion, I neither fear it nor seak it out, for it will come soon enough with out any help.
When I do go it is my desire as the Indian prayer " when I come up the Creator let me come with clear hands" that's when I say "Daddy I'm home"

Originally posted by Mr. Toodles
reply to post by Pains Wisdom

 

And that is where I see a major problem. Your very statement brings us to the question of "why are we even conscious"? Obviously we were not meant to know the meaning of existence through logical means. And logic cannot be escaped when a consciousness emerges. Because through logic, we come to endless loops and paradoxes that defeat existence by itself.

So if the meaning of life can only be defined by faith and hope, then why do we have a conscious logical reasoning ability? It is not necessary in a world of pure faith.

See the loop even here? Logically, existence is pointless. Yet we exist to hope that the existence isn't pointless. Which keeps us on the path to existing and hoping and existing and hoping.

[edit on 13-12-2009 by Mr. Toodles]

You need to quit complaining
There are two possiblities the some thing and the nothing.
The nothing is very boring and nothing would ever happen existance would never happen Dead universe, then you have the something and once you have something you have everything and I mean everything.
It just so happen we are in thr gross physical plane, cause and effect, but I would assume this to be the balance point of creation.

I would say the meaning of life is life to live, some time s things seem bad but they are it just life this is a nessary occurrance in the scheme of things, all is not so bad it just appears that it is.

And the one thing, maybe, you can't take it with you, maybe you can, is the good you spread, and the good feelings you spread as you pass others, a smile on someones face is worth everythig.
Quite being selfish, if your just going to die and that's it, at least be happy with self, make others happy, be good person, at least then when you do leave the physical you can leave with a smile on your face.

Hi there

I find this thread fascinating because every day I ask myself the same question. For 36 years I have existed on this earth but can see no point or reason as to why? I thus far have not contributed anything that I can see will be long lasting and worry daily how I can. I go from job to job looking for my purpose or reason for being and still have found nothing to justify my existence over which I had no choice.. 7 years ago I lost my wife, house ,car, dog and most of my pride. It took me 3 years to pick up pieces and move on. I have now been in a relationship with somone who has shown or at least given me new meaning. I have a 3 year old daughter who is the light of my life and for me, this is my reason for being. To find the elusive perfect job or lifestyle means nothing to me now because in reality I don't think i'll ever find it. My daughter and her happiness and her future means everything and that is what keeps me going day to day. So maybe procreation is our purpose? Preservation of the species? Just my story and opinion....

I have to say that I disagree with existence being futile. How can we put a value on a chain of events that hasn't come to and end, or even full circle? Who is to say what our individual destinies (let alone that of our species) is?

Even if you yourself contribute nothing major, you still contribute in some way, even if it is intangible. Even responding to this thread, you could be setting into motion the thoughts of someone else that will go from there and answer a great mystery of life, and move us closer to understanding the universe.

Also, think of that small contribution.. and know that somewhere out there, there is someone doing something on a much more grand scale. Even though the number of people working on such a large scale is small compared to the rest of the world who live day to day (and don't really think long term), that small fraction of our planet does, in fact, change our planet and, sometimes, they move us towards positive ends. Now if you take that and look on an even BIGGER scale, who is to say that conscious existence isn't comparable to those on our planet who think long term, vs day to day types?

Basically, I'm just saying that we don't know what is gonna happen, till it does. Until then, we can have purpose: to find the worth of our own existence. Just my two cents.