I've always been a fan of colloquial writing style (Bukowski, Palahnuik, Danielewski) but I've recently finished The myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus and fell in love with his rhetoric. I found that some of the points he made in his essays were thoughts that have crossed my mind in high school. Years ago I realized that we've become so accustomed to the habit of living; we don't actually think about it's purpose, we live through day-to-day horrors and for what? What profits do we achieve on this road called "life"? So what I'm ultimately trying to get at here is: What's your reason for living?
That's a great essay. It might even be the best philosophical essay I've ever read. The key to happiness is to not think too much. My day-to-day life isn't filled with horrors, but I do acknowledge that it's filled with absurdity. Still, there are moments of happiness and joy, and even if these feelings are fleeting, I know they'll come around again (sort of like the moment when Sisyphus reaches the top of the mountain). It depends on the individual and his definition of "profits." Some people seek wealth, some seek fame, and some seek happiness. It's a very personal thing, and like absurdism states, the pursuit of meaning may have meaning in itself. Like I said before, I basically live for moments of happiness. Quite honestly, being happy is one of the best feelings in the world.
There is a button, every time you click it a piano falls on your head, quite painful. But every few clicks it gives you a cookie. The cookie is so damn fucking good that you'll be willing to go through more pain of pianos falling on you for another cookie. I live for those delicious cookies called happiness.
being useful to those in need of what i can do... when i can't do that any more, it'll be time for me to go... which is why i chose oregon when i had to return to living in the states, though i'd prefer to remain an ex-pat... being the only state with an assisted suicide law, i'll be able to leave quietly, when i can no longer be useful due to old age's infirmity or a terminal illness..
To experience and to ask questions. As a true Pisces, I'm enamored of questions but can't be arsed about the answers.
I believe my reason in the world, is to do my best not to be selfish and do what I can to help other people and in turn me being truly happy for it.
I live to be happy I guess, but getting to that happiness doesn't feel worth it is sometimes. I honestly feel like another ant in the swarm, just there because I was a product of biology. In the end, I don't feel like I have much purpose to live. Sorry if I'm being depressing, but there's no sense in lying to myself. I do try to be unselfish and help others because it feels better I suppose.
Some said this was the best "philosophical" essay they had ever read? As to the main question of the post : 1) You need to define "meaning". 2) You need to equate what consciousness is in relation to written language and not confuse the two as the same entity.
Previously those would've been my reasons as well. Recently, however, it's shifted a bit, and nowadays my sole motivation to exist is to make one person happy. Luckily what makes her happy just happens to bring joy and happiness to myself as well, but that's just a bonus. I know, I'm a corny romantic.
Give yourselves ten years Eventually, you'll realise that the only way to stay happy in a relationship is to develop individual interests. If you can be happy and content on your own, you'll be more able to bring happiness to the other person when you are together. You'll still feel like a part of you is missing every time you are apart, and that's the whole point. I wish you guys same unique happiness I found with my love, we never thought it was possible, but our love is only getting stronger as the years go by
Not sure if it's weird, but this is also my reason for living, and it's been for 6 years. This is what keeps me going when life gives me onions. ... that and chocolate.
Thanks. To tell you the truth, I don't think 4 more years (or 14) will change anything seeing as we've been like this for 6 years now. A part of it has to do with what a friend of ours once said: "You guys are so much alike, it's scary." We just share pretty much every interest, things we'd both do even if we weren't together (we do the same sports, listen/play the same music/instrument, read/write the same books etc). I know this sort of do-everything-together -way of life isn't for everyone (and since every relationship is unique, it might even be detrimental to some), but I wouldn't have it any other way. [MENTION=53403]KaTrian[/MENTION], chocolate = awesome.
My reason for living? I want to live my life taking the risk that I don't know anything like enough yet, that I haven't understood enough, that I can't know enough, that I'm always hungrily operating on the margins of a potentially great harvest of future knowledge and wisdom. And I wouldn't have it any other way. - Christopher Hitchens
