I wonder, what is the purpose of our existence?
I always believed that our ultimate purpose is to find purpose for ourselves. I believe(d) that our reason to be is to find what satisfies our individuality; a presupposition that would argue the existence of our free will. If my beliefs are incorrect, if we do have a purpose set by some higher order, what is it?
I consider myself to be a wandering spirit. I don't like to be bound by obligations, guilt, or expectations. I see so many people struggling and working just to live. When do they actually find the time to live? People look to the far future, to their expected retirement, as the time when they'll finally be able to live their lives as they desire so. I question why people must wait until later in their lives. We were not born as laborers or as servants to those that suppose their superiority over us.
The only masters I can admit to are the hunger and desires of my body and soul. I often feel the hunger and thirst for nourishment. The purpose of nourishing my body is to continue and preserve its existence and the existence of my consciousness. But what is the reason for our continuing existence in body and mind? The soul/heart's hunger for the passion(s) which would satisfy it.
What is my passion? What does my heart and soul hunger for? I must admit that what's hungered and desired by my intangible self is currently uncertain. All I can be certain of is that I want to live. I want to live not as someone's subject or to labor on until my later years in order to live. Why must I sacrifice my life in order to supposedly gain the means of living it? I want my body and my mind to be willed by one another and by no other outside of myself.
I've come to the realisation that the existence of the universe would be pointless without a consciousness to recognise it. Life must be abundant throughout the universe; would you build a house with no one to live in it? I think a lot like you; the thought of being shackled by marriage and a mortgage I find unsettling. I'm sure many hetero married guys secretly resent the loss of freedom and possibilities. One of the perks of being gay. Remember that working is living; we all need something to fill the time whether school or work. It is important to look after your health as the years go by with proper diet and exercise, and managing your finances and stress. Stay away from anything that has the word 'addiction' associated with it (except sex lol). It is no good reaching retirement with a host of health problems, although we all usually have at least one health problem after middle age when the warranty is off. Passions change as the years go by and that is living life. Me I have always loved the outdoors; I feel so relaxed and normal doing activities outside. I can't run around on my legs like in my younger days but I do a lot of mountain biking and motorcycling (sport bike). Too many young people are slaves to video games and screens and are not living life. I am shocked today at how rarely I see young people outside doing physical activity when the weather is beautiful. My fondest memories are of hiking through the woods and long lazy days at the beach with my teen friends. We knew every path through the forest, skated on the river, and snowshoed where the snow was deep. We also partied outside well away from the prying eyes of parents. I just feel that too many young people are missing out on this natural part of life that is so vital to the mental well-being. Just live life, it's about the trip and you're not sacrificing anything. bfn - Wayne :)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be so haste as to say that gay men are free from the bonds of marriage and mortgages, those things are social constructs that aren't concretely characteristic of heterosexuals, es-tu d'accord?
ReplyDeleteWorking is living, yes, but not the definition of work that most people have in mind these days. To wake up, get up, feed oneself, etc. requires work, but many seem to now believe that life as work is defined as labor in exchange for capital. Yes, we need to work in order to live, but is it not only a means to and end? It seems as if laborious work has become more of the continuous end, whereas living is the medium we work with in order to accomplish the former.
I always dreamed of being in the wilderness and seeing the view above endless tree tops. Unfortunately, the possibility of coming across a snake (whether poisonous or not) discourages me from doing so.
KC
Usually when it comes to philosophy, planning events, or life, I always assume the worst. And I feel like, at least in my opinion, the worst situation in this question is that we have no purpose (AKA we are alone and the human condition is true, etc.) OR this higher purpose has no relation/a very shallow relation to what we do as humans (it has no relation to love... basically human feeling is all obsolete as it will be trash in the end). There's no extra points for getting a great job or fulfilling your potential. Beliefs are neither correct or incorrect... they're just beliefs. Everything is stripped of a "definition" and put more in an absolute state. In a way I guess it also supports free will.
ReplyDeleteAt first it seems sad, but it pushes you to live for yourself and live... consciously. And I think living consciously is what you wish you see other people doing, as they work their lives off but don't actually see their life pass by. People are people, and some people live for a future that they have idealized/incepted, and sometimes work is seen as that medium. I think work has developed because of the sense of justice humans have (in having to earn something) and because of the effort involved in order to get something one wants. If life's "definition" includes getting things one desires, work is inevitable. I guess that constant, laborious work for the future is becoming a more common choice because we can more accurately map out our life using current life expectancies. Current society is making it easier to project into the future.
I have a love/hate relationship with hunger because I love food, but hunger makes me feel so human. But I think that's also an appeal. I feel weak because i'm constantly binded by this need, but I think we feel the most human when we are eating. We share intimate moments with people over meals, and it's another assurance that we exist in some way because we accept a stimulus (unless we're all in our own minds).
I just hope that in the afterlife (if it exists), if there was some bogus purpose that I didn't fulfill, that I do not get punished. You never really know... which is I guess is part of the reason why I want to stay on this earth for a long time... we observe this life and it is all that we know. I think that's probably the only reason why I wish to sustain myself for as long as I can here. I don't think passion is necessary. All my wants can change from day to day, but all these wants are connected to this world. If you define "passion" as that special great desire, then I guess my passion would be living consciously in the world I know exists because I have been granted that knowledge.
Hope you find a passion sometime, too. I love being able to talk about these things with someone.
I dunno, I've always had the impression that married and even unmarried women are controlling and possessive when it comes to their husbands/bfs and keep a short leash. I think gay relationships may be less so. Of course from some gay blogs that I have read there are lots of jealous and possessive gay guys out there so you have a point. But the social constructs of marriage, mortgage and work are the kiss of death for a wandering spirit! I think the best you can hope for from work is to find employment that you find satisfying with decent pay. A lot of people love their work and do not want to retire. I saw a program recently on advanced theories of quantum physics and the leading mathematician works as a plumber! But ultimately when we complete our educations we are faced with finding employment that defines us in some way. Relativity counts for a lot; in centuries past life for the common man was indeed short, nasty, ignorant, and brutish. The poorest people in developed countries today have a life of luxury in comparison. I remember a young guy on our crew one time saying he 'wasn't fulfilled' by his job. Another guy piped up and said that he got fulfilled every second Thursday (payday) lol. I guess keeping a balance between work, R&R, family, and the daily chores of life makes living life possible. But if you want ultimate freedom then you will either be a lottery winner or homeless. Bfn - Wayne :) (KC, I think snakes are more afraid of you than vice-versa!)
ReplyDeleteKFC: Well, that's what I meant when I said that our ultimate purpose is to found purpose for ourselves. Sure, perhaps once this life ends nothing will follow; I believe that how we perceive such an end should be given some importance. If one sees the end as the disposal of a life lived (or not lived), then it does seem like a grim future. On the other hand, why focus on the end and not on the actual occurrence of life itself? Just because things come to a halt at some point in time, does that mean that everything that preceded that moment was worthless? I want to see life for what I can make of it instead of what will result from it. I hope that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteIn what you said about work, I agree with you. Humans, as conscious beings, have the innate desire to give their identity a certain tangibility (other than their body in existence). In other words, the work one does and the byproducts of such work gives a person a sense of legitimacy in existence as their identity is brought in front of them in the form of their work done. On the other hand, what I have a problem with is the inequality in which people can attain their life's desires. I must say that this will lead to a discussion about race, class, gender, etc., but in any case... These attributes are socially given value; one race/class/gender is no better than any other, yet for some reason such particularities are hierarchically ordered and are determinant of what one can attain or how easily they can attain it.
Wayner: I would say that's more of a situational or cultural concept. I get the feeling that you might be referencing open relationships and the sort? Personally, I've noticed that more and more homosexuals are becoming like their traditional, heterosexual counterparts where they prefer monogamous, long-term relationships over those that are open or NSA. Considering the fact that homosexuality is still seen as "the other" in comparison to heterosexuality, the former is perceived to be more sexually liberated, therefore promiscuity is socially salient, but not a universal identifier of gay men. I guess when I say that I want to be free, I want my jobs, my responsibilities, and everything else that comes with them will be under my control. As such things were implicated for our own well-being, for our advantage and betterment, why does it seem as if we have let our own creations become our masters?
Well said K.C. I think that freedom is an illusion though cos you can only think of freedom in relative terms. Probably the most difficult thing to deal with in life is being blindsided; when the rules of the game change on you (seems to happen every 10yrs lol), but we are adaptable creatures. bfn - Wayne :)
ReplyDeleteEverything is an illusion, in a sense, wouldn't you agree? The words we use, the things we desire, what is considered good or bad; as conscious beings we have given items their arbitrary definitions. Down to the very core of existence, we gave things certain meanings because we deemed them so and others simply agreed. Perhaps, we ourselves are gods per se. :)
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean. I feel that humans are inherently curious about the result of anything they put in effort too. Action - reaction type of curiosity. I think its too learned or a habit for myself to break. But just because I care about the end doesnt necessarily mean I think about the end all the time. Worth/value may be a man-made construct, meaning life and its items can have different interpretations. Theres no standard when it comes to assessing life. Is something that disappeared the same thing as something thats never been there at all? Thats also a root question. I respect your life decision to live life for what it is now... Thats exactly what I want to do. I dont think lives that end with nothing afterwards are useless, personally.
ReplyDeleteI think these inequalities between diff. identities is inevitable(for now). It is your choice whether to continue those, but I think the way to honor those who cant reach their desires, live your life to its potential. The world is heavily connected and perhaps those people have inadvertently helped yourself live/be born in the world you are today. Why they arose? Maybe victors feel the need to prolong their positions for future generations. Your answers as good as mine.
Yes, I agree worth/value are man-made considering that we all value things differently.
ReplyDeleteTo continue what as my choice exactly?
The inequalities in the world! Since those inequalities in the world are man made, you have a say in them, at least in your social scope.
ReplyDeletePS I think some humans exist that desire their creations to transcend time and space and be something eternal. Therefore i dont think its uncommon for people to become obsessed with work. Sometimes people work with a disregard for their own lives for that very reason. Sometimes peoples work blindsides them and becomes their only means for survival. Theres so many different reasons... All dependent on situation. Im sure that if your desire is strong enough and you play your cards right, you will control your own life in a very conscious manner. You know yourself the best, and the most you could do is prepare. At least thats just my opinion.
I need to stop blabbering.
Yes, you're right, in a sense we do have a say in them; we have the choice to either simply disregard it or to react to it. I guess what was bugging me is the idea that whatever we do as individuals won't significantly alter society's view of the subject, but I guess there's really nothing we can do about that. I have to keep in mind that we are still bound as individuals and the best we can truly do is to react and share our thoughts, tackling each injustice/inequality piece by piece.
ReplyDeleteI guess I didn't think about the impact that work can have on an individual. I never thought how something as small as a minimum wage job could hold the greatest importance to someone. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. :)
And don't worry about "blabbering." Discussions such as these enable people to develop and intellectually progress. :)