The complete and utter pointlessness of life

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I think that maybe for this discussion "meaning" refers more to purpose or significance, rather than definition. The Dahli Lama says the purpose of life is to be happy.

mean·ing
n.
1. Something that is conveyed or signified; sense or significance.
2. Something that one wishes to convey, especially by language: The writer's meaning was obscured by his convoluted prose.
3. An interpreted goal, intent, or end: "The central meaning of his pontificate is to restore papal authority" (Conor Cruise O'Brien).
4. Inner significance: "But who can comprehend the meaning of the voice of the city?" (O. Henry).
adj.
1. Full of meaning; expressive.
2. Disposed or intended in a specified manner. Often used in combination: a well-meaning fellow; ill-meaning intentions.
Synonyms: meaning, acceptation, import, sense, significance, signification
These nouns refer to the idea conveyed by something, such as a word, action, gesture, or situation: Synonyms are words with the same or nearly the same meaning. In one of its acceptations value is a technical term in music. The import of his statement is ambiguous. The term anthropometry has only one sense. The significance of a green traffic light is widely understood. Linguists have determined the hieroglyphics' signification.

Some people think that life has no meaning other than what we give it or project onto it.

Jung saud: "Western man seems predominantly extraverted, Eastern man predominantly introverted. The former projects the meaning and considers that it exists in objects; the latter feels the meaning in himself. But the meaning is both without and within."

So does life have some objective meaning that exists outside of ourselves, or does it only have whatever meaning we feel inside ourselves? Jung seemed to feel it was both.

Some people think Jung is full of s**t. Personally, I think he is no more than half full. For me, meaning is derived internally. I try to do what I can to increase happiness and reduce suffering in myself and others. This, among other things, gives me a sense that my life has meaning and purpose. Otherwise, it's just completely and utterly pointless.


Nevertheless, I can see that others derive meaning externally. Some rich people think it's all about money, and they feel their lives have meaning. Some highly socially skilled men think it's all about having sex with lots of beautiful women or men or both and they feel their lives have meaning. Some very intellegent people worship the rational mind, and they feel their lives have meaning. So apparently some people experience meaning internally, and some people experience it externally, and perhaps some do both.

I'm sure I don't know.

Carl Jung is my imaginary boyfriend. Please stop talking trash about him.

Awww... I wanna be your imaginary boyfriend!

I guess a similar question would be, what motivates a person to get up, go to work, and deal with life.

Perhaps there are genetic factors at work as I've been in and out of hospitals for suicide attempts. My only meaning in life was boozing...until I went homeless. Even then, I had no motivation to live or function. Yet I've seen people who've functioned in life without the use of drugs, religion, food, spirituality as if they're wiring was completely driven to survive and succeed. But I can't be too sure of that since I didn't know them THAT well.

Part of it may be linked to depression and an emotional need that isn't being fullfilled aside from other genetic factors variables like mental illness?

It could be that those with this tendency are more highly imaginitive and emotional than others?

I think that people who tend to search for meaning in things are probably more creative, emotional types. Thinking too much about things is not always beneficial to a person but that person chooses to do it anyways because he/she believes it is more important to know truth than to get along well in life.
I don't think it is wrong or more right to be deep and pensive but I do see the error in thinking that being happy is the goal and sole meaning to life. People with dulled senses are often the most happy. Ignorance is bliss...

I speak in generalities because this is no place to write a book. People who drink dull their senses and they do it to be more happy. ret*d people seem like the happiest bunch of sweethearts. If the meaning of life is to be happy then think of all the ways people try to make themselves happy. People who do not find meanings interesting strike me as dullards. Sometimes I act like a dumb blonde because life is more fun that way but I don't find life more meaningful when I engage in that sort of behavior. There is more to life than kicks. Money doesn't buy happiness, yadda yadda...