Quick question: What's the meaning of life?

I was wandering if anyone out there in ATS land ( I suppose I should change this to BTS land, now that the threads been moved) actually believes they have a definate answer to the age old question, What is the meaning/purpose of life?
Whether it was stumbled across accidently, gained through listening to a conversation between strangers on a bustrip, derived through years and years of research, came to you in a dream, hand delivered by aliens, revealed during a meditative session or hit you like a bolt of lightning while watching a late night infomercial about some revolutionary new fat burning contraption, let's here it!

Original answers are more than welcome.

[edit on 24-4-2006 by point]

The answer to the Ultimate Question is 42. Don't Panic, and carry your towel and you'll be ok.

Don't worry about the mice, just ignore them if you see anything odd.

Short answer: To live for God and love his children.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
The answer to the Ultimate Question is 42. Don't Panic, and carry your towel and you'll be ok.

Don't worry about the mice, just ignore them if you see anything odd.

Yes but what is the Question?

What is six times nine? HA! You thought I wouldn't know it! I happen to know for a fact that there was at least one escape from the planet before the Vogons blew it up.

now this is interesting, i hope everyone is busy typing because i would love to hear the feedback on this, i would answer myself, but i fear my opinions on the subject are very unorganized and it would probably totaly control me right now trying to lay it out for even myself.

dont let this thread die.

To answer your question in the purest and most base way that I can, I have to ask you another question, for after many years of occasional pondering of the same thing, I came to the sad conclusion that this is a question that cannot have a definitive answer. And so the question is this: Why not? The purpose and point of life is what you make of it my friend. I don't believe there was any intended purpose, and if there was, it was not intended for us to know. This forum is a great place to learn and achieve wisdom and a greater understanding of the great multitude of unknown things around us in this strange universe, but I personally believe a question such as this is going to get you nowhere. Spiritually, physically, and most importantly, mentally. One hell of a headache if you ask me. There is something I like to remember when such a question comes up. Life, is what happens while you are waiting for life to happen. If you spend all of your time wondering what it is all about, then you're going to turn around one day and realize that you have MISSED what it was all about, and are still not one step closer to the truth of whatever answer it was that you BELIEVED you sought. Nevertheless, happy hunting my friend.

I believe life has no real meaning - it just "is". The better question imho would be, "How should one live their life?" However, I think there are ways to enhance one's life experience and learn from other's how to better handle life's problems, as well as it's possibilites.


Or it could be that we were put on this planet to eat chocolate everyday in order to give us power in the afterlife.

or... as one comedian said, maybe the 'hokey pokey' is what it's all about.

I'd say to help lower life forms. For example: If you see a turtle in the road (or any animal you can help) don't just drive by thinking that the next person will pull it clear, YOU pull over and pull it clear. (I lost count of how many turles I've rescued here in florida and taken to safe haven) It makes you feel good and nothing can take that away from you (that feeling) not some jerk boss you might work for., or that dumb thing you might have done to get yelled at by yourself or anyone else.

Life I think is helping life.

Ruff

Ruff, I live in Florida also and know exactly what you mean. Even if we are on our way somewhere we will stop for an animal in need. It makes you feel so good afterwards. Although when I'm coming home from work in the morning the squirrels in the park make me so nervous, we drive slowly but you can't tell where the little guys will dart next and we worry about them getting hit from the other traffic.

Originally posted by Praxilla
I believe life has no real meaning - it just "is". The better question imho would be, "How should one live their life?" However, I think there are ways to enhance one's life experience and learn from other's how to better handle life's problems, as well as it's possibilites...

Yes, the meaning of Life is the meaning you give to it. Do you want to enhance or detract from the world, which includes you.

***Yes, the meaning of Life is the meaning you give to it. Do you want to enhance or detract from the world, which includes you.***

Desert you summed it up in one sentence. Beautiful! I'd love to use that as a sig, and give you credit of course!

He who dies with the most toys wins!



and good financial planning is spending your last dollar with your dying breath.

Thank you, Praxilla. Please pass this message on.
Oh, I forgot to tell you, thanks for plugging chocolate. And the Desert Tortoises here thank you for taking care of their cousins. ''

life is an ocean of emotion surrounded by expenses

Ruff

I believe the answer has been fairly well answered here.

It is not to ask what the purpose of life is, it is to give life purpose with what you choose or do.

Interesting question...wonder why no-one ever thought to ask it before...

Anyways...my answer would be that the purpose of life is for the Creator to experience the material plane firsthand.

What's the meaning of life?

Personally I think the real meaning is basic and the same for us humans as it is for every other animal. To pass on our genetic information too future generations, and in a sense achieve immortality.

There are so many animals that die right after the reproduce, their job and role of life is done and they expire. I not one for giving human lives any greater meaning then any other animal.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
What's the meaning of life?

Personally I think the real meaning is basic and the same for us humans as it is for every other animal. To pass on our genetic information too future generations, and in a sense achieve immortality.

There are so many animals that die right after the reproduce, their job and role of life is done and they expire. I not one for giving human lives any greater meaning then any other animal.

that is a good point.

do you believe that civilization can give us ultimate imortality (knowledge and understanding)?

are we still on track? are we passing down more knowledge of what it means to be human? are we in a rut?

although many nations fund plenty of money into research to understand physics and biology, it seems that small articles in news papers and short clips on the 5 pm news is not exactly making these understandings a way of life, infact most of us dont really care.

I have learned the meaning of life and the answer to all things. It is not what you hope it to be. Many people ask me to tell them the answer but they are not ready and ask not out of a genuine desire to know but simply because they think that I am full of sh*t. They will also attempt to ask me silly queries like, "what is 7 * 7777777" the result of the query is 54444439 which I am not capable of calculating in my head but the answer to their question I do know. The answer to all things and the meaning of life are one in the same.

The answer will come to you when you are capable of understanding. Until that time you must live, experience, fail, succeed, dream, and wonder. When you have learned the meaning of life and the answer to all things then you must decide what you want to do with this knowledge. Some remain while others put a gun to their head and end it all. I'm still here because I enjoy the little things in life.

I won't tell you the answer but I will tell you that all the answers you've gotten so far fall short.

I like the following statements:

eat, drink and be merry for tommorow you die... King Solomon

you died today, you'll die tommorow, and you died yesterday...me

meditate on nothingness...dalai lama

If you want to know more U2U me. If you think I don't know what I'm talking about leave me alone. If you think I'll tell you the answer if you pretend to be interested and are just trying to play along with me then think again.