If you remove the normal things we live for, what then?

If you have no family, no significant other, no children, what do you live for?
If you are retired, no career to focus on, what do you live for?
If you believe in no religion or idea system, what do you live for?
If all of your dreams have faded over time, what do you live for?

What keeps this person making the effort to go on? Pride? Habit?
If you remove the normal reasons to persevere until the end, what would cause this person to make the effort to survive until their natural end?

reply to post by droid56


good point.

i have asked myself the same question from time to time.

for example imagine this.

in the movie " I am legend" what is the purpose of living if you are the last person on earth?

all of a sudden a fancy car, or a big roomy house loses its value and appeal.

think about it, if you are the last human left on earth, whats the point of living in a big mansion? does it really matter?

then i come to the conclusion that almost everything we do in life, is to impress our fellow humans. to "one up" each other in a way.

we live for each other

You live because one of the most basic human instincts is to survive.

You don't need to live for anyone or anything but yourself.

It may not be the existence one would always want, but most of us have that instinct. Some lose it at some point and others find it when they need it most.

There are hermits that live exactly as you describe quite happily.

reply to post by droid56


To challenge oneself to make it one more day. For each new days is fertilizer for hope. Live for hope. With hope comes possibility.

Good question OP.

Des

reply to post by droid56


Still the same thing. To be happy. That is all anyone wants.

reply to post by ZeussusZ


But what is happy?
Does this happy depend on good things coming our way? Does this happy last forever?

reply to post by droid56


For many that is called retirement.

Sailboats and cruising the world would work for me which is what I am working towards.

I have had my eye on this boat for a while.

Grimpachi
reply to post by droid56

 

For many that is called retirement.

Sailboats and cruising the world would work for me which is what I am working towards.

I have had my eye on this boat for a while.

edit on 8-3-2014 by Grimpachi because: (no reason given)

Are you confident, when you get this boat, you will be happy? I have doubt.

reply to post by droid56


You know what happy is. You must have experienced it. Does it last forever, no. But you try to get back there.
Think about anything you do, it is to make yourself feel good. We are all selfish at the end . You might do something unselfishly for somebody else, but you get a kick out of it, even if you don't acknowledge the feeling, its still there.
I try real hard to make my kids happy, even doing stuff I don't like. Why. Because when they are happy I am.

droid56

Grimpachi
reply to post by droid56

 

For many that is called retirement.

Sailboats and cruising the world would work for me which is what I am working towards.

I have had my eye on this boat for a while.

edit on 8-3-2014 by Grimpachi because: (no reason given)

Are you confident, when you get this boat, you will be happy? I have doubt.

Of course you have doubt. It isn't your dream.

Everything I like is oceanside.

The achievment of getting food to survive, ask any Neandertal, thier only goal was to get food and make fire to support them self or their group, they had nothing to do beside that or any real goal.

Any hunter living alone in the woods would say the same, just enjoy surviving and cooperating with nature.

And the human nature of exploring and creating.

What you describe is pretty much an animal, they have no real goal or dreams but will do anything to survive.

reply to post by droid56


One lives to annoy the cr*p out of everyone else.

reply to post by droid56


Im kind of in that scenario....although I do have a few friends....id say knowledge....seeking knowledge and new hobbies is what keeps me going.

droid56
reply to post by ZeussusZ

 

But what is happy?
Does this happy depend on good things coming our way? Does this happy last forever?

Certainly, each individual's idea of happiness is different. Of course, it is also correct if one were to say that 'collectively' happiness is food, a roof over our heads, safety, and those sorts of things.

Everyone seeks something different and will therefore define their happiness on finding that in which they personally seek.
I don't think it is so much that 'good things come our way' as it is not having to experience a bombardment of 'bad things.'

Happiness itself, also changes its shape, force, and face.

Also, science, spirituality and psychology can, within their separate frameworks, describe happiness differently, the same or with some similar aspects.

There was a series on PBS that ran this program. The question is asked here: What Is Happiness?

Not sure if there isn't one human, who hasn't asked themsleves this question at one time.

If you are a reader, and would like to read further than what is out there on the web (which is quite extensive) here are two on the subject that have gotten some decent review:

Stumbling On Happiness
Against Happiness

Further than collected data from research study (whether empirical or hypothetical) one may also turn to the spiritual (do not read as 'religious') for such philosophical questions?