What is the meaning of life?

Hello fellow ATSers. I'm writing this because there is nothing else for me to write, do, or say to people in my real world. I'm 26 years old and scared. I current live on an island in SW Florida and worked the weirdest yet easiest job in the world. Just lost my job for "stealing" - I took food from the "donate food here" bin - Ironically, every 4th Tuesday I go to Roser Community Church and get a little aide from the church - paycheck to paycheck existence.

Being a recovering addict and an only child by this point you've pretty much burned all your bridges. Your employment history looks like swiss cheese and "on paper" - such as a background check - you come back looking pretty unstable and criminalish. However I'm a dork with a big smile who plays text only RPG games and listens to a lot of talk radio.

Do" they" do this on purpose? This part of FL has a "Gotcha!" magazine, once a week they publish everyone arrested at the local jail and their charge. It's $1. Sells like candy. Online - the digital age, run someones tag and the police pull information - yes, but in the corner there's the "NOTES:" section - I saw mine once. It said 'USF STUDENT, suspect drug selling.' I was 19. I couldn't sell drugs if my life depended on it. However, I did pop a lot of pills. (Oh, I never attended USF either. I remember lying to an officer one night about being one.)

Of course, maybe modern science is right. Who knows.

Since what scares TPTB the most is - One Man, One Vote - what better way than to eliminate millions of potential voters? Strip them of their rights. Open any Gotcha! magazine... (Quick True Facts: 80% of our prisons are drug related crimes.) look for every drug arrest (felonies, all of them) - and you can imagine most of them will lose their right to vote. Makes me think of the System of a Down Song "They're trying to build a prison."

"After the civil rights movement drugs conveniently became available for all the kids, you clamped on with your iron fists."

So - back to where we are,

I'm fired for taking the food. Because I was wrong. It... yeah, I made a mistake. Does the punishment fit the crime? No. Was I made example of? Yes. I ran a donation center, a goodwill one - and it had 8 video cameras. I worked by my self. They have over 200 video cameras for this 34 store operation. They're not watching the customers, they're watching the employees. Just watched all day... then I leave, and there's a video camera on the red light. Then there's a video camera on top of the restaurant (for the local news) - feel like Smith from 1984.

I made $8.16 an hour.

Often, working over time.

Living paycheck to paycheck, I was usually borrowing money by the 2nd Wednesday saying "I get paid in 2 days!" and you know that game. So when I was terminated - and the roommate is moving out Dec. 15th - I've realized - I'm going to be homeless... and or move somewhere...

When this is all thats left - when you are this scared, wound up - you often find debating JFK or Aliens is a complete waste of time as your primal needs are being threatened. Yet often being a "fan" of these type of issues draws attention to you... a circle if you will.

I said a prayer that war really would start between North and South Korea. It'd divert attention away from me and give the Nation and it's people a purpose.

Then I saw a mini-van on the bridge driving home. It didn't have its lights on. Quickly almost instinctively I flashed the high beams. Glancing in the rear view mirror, he turned them on. The sheriff car was about a mile away.

It was when I did this I sort of smiled and looked at all the sailboats moored in the intercoastal. You could see the Skyway bridge in the distance and I realized this was the kindest act I did for another person today.

The meaning of life is to find purpose for life.

reply to post by Diluted


does there HAVE TO be a meaning of life?

cant we just live and pursue love and success and happiness that is sustainable and wont get us into trouble?

some people have found meaning in religion or drugs or whatever else

I say - do you HAVE TO find a meaning? cant we just be happy? and aim to live a life that when you are on your deathbed makes you smile with happiness?

I like what this guy said years ago...

The meaning of life: reproduce... die... so get it on while you can!

Plan to live forever but live everyday like it was your last...

The meaning of life is to understand the uttermost purpose in life. And that is reproduction. Everything life does is ensure reproduction of species. And the beauty of it all is, for one life form to exist is for many other life forms to co-exist. So the extended purpose in life is to ensure your species reproduces as well as keep the balance of different species of life flowing so the natural balance remains.

It is really that simple. You may complicate it if you wish. But all we are really supposed to do in life is to "Do It".

reply to post by Diluted


Oh, sweety, you are so right! Finding that purpose is probably the hardest thing you can do. But those of us who have it the hardest are a lot farther down the existential road than those who cannot comprehend our problems with and in life. I'm happy that you can at least still smile, in spite of everything. I cannot sometimes (this being one of them) and it bothers me to no end. You have your drug thing, I have depression. We all have our bugbears.

May I make a rather insane request? Please sit in a completely quiet spot, or someplace where you can be entirely alone and relaxed. Sit there and push everything out of your mind. If you can still smile, you can surely do this. Once it's empty for even a brief moment, feel. Embrace whatever that feeling is. If that feeling tells you to cry, do it unabashedly. If it feels like the most pure and awesome love ever, spill your love forth in return. If it is utter darkness, dive into the abyss. Feel it completely, whatever it might be. And once it has been experienced in its entirety, be grateful for it. That was a great gift. And then ask your question. Wait patiently and in silence for your answer. It will come. Look, listen, be in every moment. Every sound is meant for you alone.

Don't bother going back to drugs, no matter how things turn out. This is a bad time for that. Just know that things will be exactly as they are meant to be. Keep smiling, my friend. I'm far away from you on this planet, but my heart is right beside you. Know that and just keep walking, no matter what.

CHEESE!
Sorry.. I had to. D:
But yeah, I'm posting this right before I read it.I'll prolly make another comment when im done.

First, I want to say that I'm sorry that you are in this situation. I can only imagine how badly it sucks.

Now to answer your question: to me, life has whatever meaning you give to it; to each their own. For example:

Some people live their lives to serve others (foreign missions, red cross, military, police, everyday volunteers, etc...)
Some people live their lives doing bad to others (gang members, drug dealers, rapists, corporate criminals, etc...)
Some people live their lives blazé, or self centered (are well off but never give back to the ones in need)
ETC...

This means that all these different people have a different view on the meaning of life, they live for different reasons. If you feel the need to know the reason for life beyond just reproduction (which is the basic reason for life), then you need to look at yourself and ask what meaning you want to give to your life. Only then will you feel like you are in control of your life.

I hope this helps!

Magnum

The meaning of life?

"You've gotta find the one thing" - Curly, "City Slickers".

"C'mon, Brian, cheer up. Always look on the bright side of life" - "Monty Python's Life of Brian"

reply to post by Diluted


You can't blame your crappy employment on your previous addictions and criminal actions (no matter how small), and expect others to have sympathy.

You CERTAINLY can't blame this on being "an only child".

I'm probably gonna get flamed for this, but it sounds like you've made crappy choices throughout your life and have been taking advantage of the opportunity to blame these decisions on others and on your perceived "only child" situation.

Grow a pair and take some personal responsibility for your actions. You steal from your employer, it's grounds for immediate dismissal in just about any company. So they only paid you just over $8 an hour? Get an education and clean up your life, and stop blaming others for your poor choices.

If you think this is a result of "TPTB not letting the little guy get ahead", you're deluded. You're insignificant to their plans.

The meaning of life is:
Beautiful sweet bitter irony!

However the definition is:

The condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally.

The meaning of life is:

Making heartfelt communication with other human beings.