The need for a grand purpose/meaning

[The Transcended Omniverse]

Then consider this: you won't cease to exist. Everything that you are will still be there.

Because ultimately, everything that you are, everything that you see, smell, touch, everything you've ever known, literally EVERYTHING, is Stardust.

That doesn't work either. I have to literally be alive and happy forever. Since that isn't going to happen, then I am left with this obsessive thought about death that makes my life miserable.

 

[Riverwolf]

That doesn't work either. I have to literally be alive and happy forever. Since that isn't going to happen, then I am left with this obsessive thought about death that makes my life miserable.

It sounds to me like you're suffering from pretty severe depression.

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

It sounds to me like you're suffering from pretty severe depression.

I have mental health issues. I am not your normal functioning happy healthy human brain that can just ignore negative things in life and be happy, enjoy, and find meaning in this life. The attitude of being happy and finding meaning in this life in the face of death is that of a normal functioning healthy human brain. My brain is not like that.

 

[Riverwolf]

I have mental health issues. I am not your normal functioning happy healthy human brain that can just ignore negative things in life and be happy, enjoy, and find meaning in this life. The attitude of being happy and finding meaning in this life in the face of death is that of a normal functioning healthy human brain. My brain is not like that.

I understand. Mine isn't "normal" (what's sometimes called "neurotypical") either. I'm recovering from depression, and suffer from fears that are of the type that could potentially lead to clinical paranoia if I'm not careful. I also have asperger's syndrome/high-functioning autistic spectrum disorder, making it VERY hard to socialize.

I strongly, strongly urge you to seek professional help. The internet is seriously one of the worst places to look for solace, because you'll find people trying to play councilor who have no idea what they're doing (that's me), people who try to take advantage of your vulnerability to get you to start following them and giving them money, or people who are so insensitive to the sufferings of others that they either just dismiss your troubles as "making mountains out of molehills", or actively feed your depression because your reactions make them laugh. (You hopefully won't find that last one here on RF.)

 

[idav]

The attitude of being happy and finding meaning in this life in the face of death is that of a normal functioning healthy human brain.

I don't think people are normally happy in the face of death, but facing death would be more like having a terminal illness or having a very close call. If you value life then you find meaning in it, otherwise you wouldn't even care about death. The value of life becomes meaningless if it's spent preoccupied with something that inevitably comes to everyone.

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

I don't think people are normally happy in the face of death, but facing death would be more like having a terminal illness or having a very close call. If you value life then you find meaning in it, otherwise you wouldn't even care about death. The value of life becomes meaningless if it's spent preoccupied with something that inevitably comes to everyone.

Exactly. I am constantly preoccupied (obsessed) with the idea of death. This obsession is what makes my life meaningless and I cannot get away from this obsession no matter how hard I try and no matter what I think.

 

[idav]

Exactly. I am constantly preoccupied (obsessed) with the idea of death. This obsession is what makes my life meaningless and I cannot get away from this obsession no matter how hard I try and no matter what I think.

The future is really an imagining in our head so try not to preoccupy yourself too much.

Do be careful going on the internet about this stuff, like Riverwolf mentioned, it may not be the healthiest place to vent about death.

 

[serp777]

I see an absolute need for this. I see an absolute need for us to be immortal souls that can live in eternal bliss in the afterlife. Some people would say there is no need for that and the life we have here instead is all we need. I don't see it that way.

If we are nothing more than life forms that are just here to live and forever perish, then I see no reason to have a family or to cherish this life if all we are is just life forms that live and forever perish. If this is all we are, then we as human beings were better off having never been born in the first place. This life and this entire universe was better off having never come into being. This being the one and only life I will ever have is not any reason at all to me to cherish it and make the best of it.

To me, a person who is able to cherish this life and make the best of it in the absence of this grand purpose/meaning is nothing more than a simple minded animal. Nothing more than a simple minded creature that goes about its daily life that says:

"Welp, I will enjoy and cherish this life while it lasts. When I die, I die and that is it."

That, to me, is a simple minded animal not concerned with any grand purpose/meaning. But as for me, I am nothing like that. I am on a much higher level than that. I am able to see the big picture for what it is (the grand scheme of things). That being, if this is all we are as human beings, then there is no reason for any of it.

This existence is just nonsense and to carry on with your life and have reason to cherish and enjoy this life is just absurd nonsense like that of a simple minded animal and nothing more.

Face up to the fact that there is no grand purpose or meaning. THe universe doesn't cater to your desires. We like living because its enjoyable and it might be your only chance to experience awareness. You might as well take advantage of it as much as you can. You'll probably have an eternity of non existence so take advantage of your brief existence.

What meaning would you be happy with anyways? Would it be better if you were one of God's play things? Something to mess around with in his sandbox? I mean pretty much no meaning or purpose is going to be desirable I would image.

 

[serp777]

Does anyone here see an infinite life as something different from a finite life extended indefinitely? How so?

Well there are several permutations of infinite life. For example you might have infinite life in an infinite multi verse. There will always be an infinite number of exact copies of your consciousness in many different brains. Thus you are or will be or have been living an infinite life. Furthermore a finite life extended indefinitely is impossible. Eventually all the stars in the universe will die and it will be impossible to sustain life or any other form of sentience.

FInally, its also possible you live an instantaneous life. Its possible that after every instant of awareness, a new consciousness replaces the previous consciousness, which has all the memories of all the previous consciousnesses. You would never know because you have all the previous memories. For example, you would have no idea if you were created 5 seconds ago with exact replicas of all of the things you remember. You would remember being alive but you wouldn't have actually been conscious until about 5 seconds ago.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I have mental health issues. I am not your normal functioning happy healthy human brain that can just ignore negative things in life and be happy, enjoy, and find meaning in this life. The attitude of being happy and finding meaning in this life in the face of death is that of a normal functioning healthy human brain. My brain is not like that.

Exactly. I am constantly preoccupied (obsessed) with the idea of death. This obsession is what makes my life meaningless and I cannot get away from this obsession no matter how hard I try and no matter what I think.

It really sounds like you may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy. While working with a therapist, such obsessions and negative thinking will be addressed, adjusted, and overcame. Most atheists are not nihilists, and many religions and philosophies do have any such notion or concept of a personal-soul that reflects the physical ego surviving death yet those people are not miserable. You don't have to be miserable, but it does seem you need help in getting there, and that is nothing to be ashamed of (me, I need help in learning how to better socialize and understanding the barrage of non-verbal cues).

 

[The Transcended Omniverse]

It really sounds like you may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy. While working with a therapist, such obsessions and negative thinking will be addressed, adjusted, and overcame. Most atheists are not nihilists, and many religions and philosophies do have any such notion or concept of a personal-soul that reflects the physical ego surviving death yet those people are not miserable. You don't have to be miserable, but it does seem you need help in getting there, and that is nothing to be ashamed of (me, I need help in learning how to better socialize and understanding the barrage of non-verbal cues).

I am already addressing such thoughts on my own with as much rationalizations as possible. But it is not working. I am telling myself many things such as to enjoy and appreciate this life I have. It isn't working. So how would cognitive behavioral therapy even help then since this is what it is all about? It is all about telling yourself positive things. I am already doing all of this and it isn't working.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I am already addressing such thoughts on my own with as much rationalizations as possible. But it is not working. I am telling myself many things such as to enjoy and appreciate this life I have. It isn't working. So how would cognitive behavioral therapy even help then since this is what it is all about? It is all about telling yourself positive things. I am already doing all of this and it isn't working.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT) works with a client to address an issue. You'll talk with a clinician about your problem, and you and the clinician will work together to find what may be fueling the issue, deal with the negative emotions, work towards appropriate coping methods, and working to change the very way you look at something. Most of the work you will do yourself, such as reminding yourself of the good things life has to offer, but a therapist can help you to uncover the roots of the issue, and offer you advice and tips for overcoming your negative thinking, and being able to enjoy this life for what it is.
And I really don't think this issue just has to do with death. Someone who enjoys this life doesn't need an afterlife to enjoy this life, but to someone that is suffering the promise of an afterlife can help to bring comfort. It may just be that the thought of non-existence is the entirety of the issue, but it's not unusual for the need of an afterlife to be rooted in suffering.

 

[Sabour]

I see an absolute need for this. I see an absolute need for us to be immortal souls that can live in eternal bliss in the afterlife. Some people would say there is no need for that and the life we have here instead is all we need. I don't see it that way.

If we are nothing more than life forms that are just here to live and forever perish, then I see no reason to have a family or to cherish this life if all we are is just life forms that live and forever perish. If this is all we are, then we as human beings were better off having never been born in the first place. This life and this entire universe was better off having never come into being. This being the one and only life I will ever have is not any reason at all to me to cherish it and make the best of it.

To me, a person who is able to cherish this life and make the best of it in the absence of this grand purpose/meaning is nothing more than a simple minded animal. Nothing more than a simple minded creature that goes about its daily life that says:

"Welp, I will enjoy and cherish this life while it lasts. When I die, I die and that is it."

That, to me, is a simple minded animal not concerned with any grand purpose/meaning. But as for me, I am nothing like that. I am on a much higher level than that. I am able to see the big picture for what it is (the grand scheme of things). That being, if this is all we are as human beings, then there is no reason for any of it.

This existence is just nonsense and to carry on with your life and have reason to cherish and enjoy this life is just absurd nonsense like that of a simple minded animal and nothing more.

I would say you are on the right track

 

[JustWondering]

How do you view the afterlife? What is the nature of it? To me, it makes more sense to believe in the afterlife because it helps the person cope with living. It's another, an I question this, to live as if the afterlife is real and live this fact of possible delusion. Possible. While many people live in delusion and lead normal lives, there are others who take their delusions so far because they are so attached to living in the future they forget to have goals and see life in gratitude in the present.

This is one reason I find some religions dangerous. It puts the idea in peoples heads that there is no real consequences for their actions. Why worry when I get a better eternal life in a better world after this one? Why do you think it is that the religious right is fine with everyone having guns and polluting the environment like it doesn't matter? Because in their minds, because of their religious beliefs, it doesn't matter. This life and world is just temporary to them, so they place less if any value on it.

 

[JustWondering]

What I find is that every person in the entire world has seen or experienced a Ghost or Spirit or call it whatever and people like myself accept that reality while many other people simply refuse to accept or believe and that is why we call non believers to be deniers and in denial.

Wrong. I have never experienced a ghost or spirit. If you wish to live with a mystical world view, have at it. Unfortunately for you, your experiences are YOURS. Assuming that you experiencing something in life is something that EVERYONE else experiences is a huge assumption and very narrow minded.

Since there are so many people like this then I see this as a real form of abuse that our evil society imposes on people - especially in white Christianity Countries, because our schools are teaching the people garbage and Godless trash and so denial has become the force of the dominating class of people who want to do wrong and want to live in sin and so denial is the only weapon they have.

So your flavor of Christianity has got it all right and every other religion/belief system on earth (some of which have been around long before Christianity) are garbage? Know it all is the perfect handle for you.

What you "MattMVS7" need to do is to understand your own brainwashing and then overcome it.

Maybe you should overcome your own brainwashing before advising another about it.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I would say you are on the right track

How is it on the right track if he can't enjoy life just for the sake of life?

 

[Sabour]

How is it on the right track if he can't enjoy life just for the sake of life?

Knowing the problem is the first step of finding the solution.

I said what I said assuming that the OP suggests that Matt is in a searching process. I didn't take the OP as someone expressing his depression.

 

[VioletVortex]

This is one reason I find some religions dangerous. It puts the idea in peoples heads that there is no real consequences for their actions. Why worry when I get a better eternal life in a better world after this one? Why do you think it is that the religious right is fine with everyone having guns and polluting the environment like it doesn't matter? Because in their minds, because of their religious beliefs, it doesn't matter. This life and world is just temporary to them, so they place less if any value on it.

Exactly. I don't understand why anyone would ever value anything more than their own existence and the existence of the world that they live in.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Knowing the problem is the first step of finding the solution.

I said what I said assuming that the OP suggests that Matt is in a searching process. I didn't take the OP as someone expressing his depression.

When you see nihilism as reality, there is a pretty good chance you are depressed and have some issues you need to work out. When you can't enjoy life just because you are alive and breathing, there are pretty good chances that you have issues that need to be addressed.

 

[Sabour]

When you can't enjoy life just because you are alive and breathing, there

are pretty good chances that you have issues that need to be addressed.

I don't agree with that. There are things more important than breathing and being alive.

I believe we have a purpose in this life and without knowing it, it is like a person in a middle in a desert who wants to get out but has no map to guide him.

The way I see it is that the heart has a gap and needs to be filled. For that need to be filled, one has to know God.

I am surprised at the sentence you wrote, given that under you username I read " Living Dead Girl".

For you, what I wrote maybe just an opinion of someone you don't know in person, but I strongly believe in what I have stated