Serious question for those people who haven't ignored me. With me coming up to the big 50 next year it's come to me more and more now. I've always struggled to grasp what life is and what we should be doing. It always felt to me what is the point of doing when sadly it's going to come to a different inevitable end. So to you what does life mean?
What is Life
- Thread starter MeltonFox
- Start date
Life is a momentary drop of consciousness in the ocean of time.
It means feck all. Nobody will remember you in a few generations time. Almost certainly, nothing you do in your life will be of significant meaning.
Therefore, embrace the ridiculousness of it. The sheer incredible fortune of having consciousness for a bit.
There is definitely nothing to be gained from naval gazing and trying to make it into something it isn't. At 50, the approach should be to be kind to those from older and younger generations. Help them wherever possible on their way up and their way out.
Don't be afraid to use the wisdom you've acquired. And don't be too proud to try to gain more wisdom if you are short of it. Knowledge and learning are life long pursuits.
Death and despair will hit us all. Accept its inevitability and live for the good times. Above all, don't overthink it.
It means feck all. Nobody will remember you in a few generations time. Almost certainly, nothing you do in your life will be of significant meaning.
Therefore, embrace the ridiculousness of it. The sheer incredible fortune of having consciousness for a bit.
There is definitely nothing to be gained from naval gazing and trying to make it into something it isn't. At 50, the approach should be to be kind to those from older and younger generations. Help them wherever possible on their way up and their way out.
Don't be afraid to use the wisdom you've acquired. And don't be too proud to try to gain more wisdom if you are short of it. Knowledge and learning are life long pursuits.
Death and despair will hit us all. Accept its inevitability and live for the good times. Above all, don't overthink it.
That's my problem I overthink these things
DagenhamFox
Blue Roofer
sabredunce
Silver Surfer
I would investigate the ideas of the various religions of the world. It's a decent starting place and they all seem to specialise in questions like this and all have their own unique answers and interpretations. Look into:
Judaism <--- NOT! just ignore them.
Islam
Hinduism
Christianity
Buddhism
Taoism
Shinto
atheism <--- ignore them too. They wouldn't exist if it wasn't for religion, so they don't get capitalised like regular religions.
Stay away from things like Scientology. However, reincarnation may be your bag if you're feeling mortal.
Judaism <--- NOT! just ignore them.
Islam
Hinduism
Christianity
Buddhism
Taoism
Shinto
atheism <--- ignore them too. They wouldn't exist if it wasn't for religion, so they don't get capitalised like regular religions.
Stay away from things like Scientology. However, reincarnation may be your bag if you're feeling mortal.
Nope unfortunately those days are long gone
Favourite quotations "The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A death. What's that, a bonus?!?
I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you go live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, go collect all your pension, then, when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You drink alcohol, you party, and you get ready for High School. You go to primary school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last 9 months floating with luxuries like central heating, spa, room service on tap, then you finish off as an orgasm! Amen."
george costanza
I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you go live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, go collect all your pension, then, when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You drink alcohol, you party, and you get ready for High School. You go to primary school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last 9 months floating with luxuries like central heating, spa, room service on tap, then you finish off as an orgasm! Amen."
george costanza
Wear sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You're not as fat as you
imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with
people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes
you're behind…the race is long, and in the end, it's only with
yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe
you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don't
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don't be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever
own..
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
(Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurting, but I know I've been waiting to be there
for you. And I'll be there, just helping you out, whenever I can.
Everybody's free.)
Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for
good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You're not as fat as you
imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with
people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes
you're behind…the race is long, and in the end, it's only with
yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe
you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don't
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don't be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever
own..
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
(Brother and sister together we'll make it through
Someday your spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you've been hurting, but I know I've been waiting to be there
for you. And I'll be there, just helping you out, whenever I can.
Everybody's free.)
Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for
good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen…
Club_B00k_Crutchless
Registered
If you're going to read fantasy stories you might as well do them all, don't ignore them. Might as well read Harry Potter as well.
atheism <--- ignore them too. They wouldn't exist if it wasn't for religion, so they don't get capitalised like regular religions.
Atheism isn't a religion.
RegiRoka
Roofer
He's right though, if you define yourself as being against theism, then you are, by your own definition, nothing without the thing you're against.
RegiRoka
Roofer
Keep hitting me with the jealousy Golfy.
sixthswan
Non-Member
I'm again F****t and if they disappeared, I'd be fucking delighted...
sabredunce
Silver Surfer
Keep your pants on. Nutso. This is Melton's journey of self discovery, not yours. It's not always about you.
sin.
S. Hegel Dunce
RegiRoka
Roofer
RegiRoka
Roofer
So you define yourself as Aforest? Nah, no you don't.
st matthews
Roofer
grow up
Yes I guess it does certain things that happen in life that force you to grow up.
I thought you were going to invite us all to your party.
