The 10 truths I have discovered
Posted on: July 21, 2007 - 12:41am
Offline
The 10 truths I have discovered
I just wanted to share some things I've realized recently about life, and get feedback.
1.) Science will never truly conquer death, therefore it is inevitable.
2.) The point of life is to distract yourself with pleasures until you die. Just stay comfortable until you die. There is no higher purpose in life.
3.) We are all ultimately alone in life, but while alive we can support each other and be friends and families.
4.) My goal is to live to age 60, at least.
5.) Life is ultimately absurd (this is known as Absurdism), b/c all we can do as humans is to distract ourselves for the moment, see #2. Thus, life is ultimately unfulfilling for intelligent people like me. Still, all I can do is live for today and take comfort in friends and family, see #3.
6.) If life and death are good enough for Stephen Hawking, they're good enough for me. He's my hero. So is Randall Munroe, author of xkcd. If both these brilliant scientists can get by in life, so can I.
7.) Like Hawking, I too will major in Physics and become a physicist so I can study the nature of existence and the universe.
8.) Existence is absurd, and many good people have and do suffer every day, which is why it would've been better if mankind had never evolved into existence. But now that we're here, we must make the most of it. It's no one's fault that we exist, we are an accident of an unconscious universe.
9.) We are all shipwrecked in this absurd and tragic world (see #8 ), so we should support and comfort each other until we die- and have fun, like in #2.
10.) People hurt me when I was a kid, but I won't ever allow that pain to affect my real life as an adult.
Please let me know what you think.
- Login to post comments
I guess I'll chime in.
1) I don't know how true this is. Death is essentially just the wearing out of cells. If cells can be rejuvinated or renewed theres no reason why they couldn't keep functioning indefinately (or at least until the sun expands or some other major thing makes life impossible.)
2) I'd like to think a good goal in life is to leave some kind of legacy, I find comfort in the idea of leaving behind something that will make the world better for my descendents.
3) While at times I do feel lost and alone, and in a sense I am alone in my own mind. I find a greater joy in being with people and working together and what not. Sort of a "sum is greater than the parts" kind of thing.
4) My goal is to make the world better for my kids and family and fellow human beings, to let my voice be heard through my chosen media and enjoy every single day, whether I live to 30, 60, 90, or whatever.
5) sounds kinda existential to me, and while I like beckett, I dont care for too much existentialism. Too objective for my tastes.
6) Sounds like a good plan, my hero's always been writers like vonnegut and twain who found life and death (so it goes) to be good.
7) Sounds good, finding truths through science is always good
8) I agree for the most part.
9) Still sounds kinda Existential, but otherwise a good plan.
10) A good idea, I think a lot of people let too many relatively little things control them. Self empowerment is always a good thing.
I think the whole "let things be" is a relatively apathetic idea, whether thats what you were saying or not is different, but I think its better to strive to make things better instead of just letting things be. Search for th truth, help humanity, leave a good legacy, etc.
Oh, and welcome to the forums.
Excellent idea. Also there are some great books on physics by authors other than Hawking, I recommend Michio Kaku and Lisa Randall
It is possible for immortality if we could renew them or repair through science. It is of my opinion that death is avoidable it's life that is not. We do not choose to be born and even if we kill ouselves we have still had life and thus it is not avoided. Science can never destroy the fact that we live.
"Is man one of God's blunders? Or is God one of man's blunders?”
Friedrich Nietzsche
http://www.myspace.com/rrsuk
http://www.myspace.com/inxlovexwithxdeath
http://www.myspace.com/angelofviolationband
http://www.myspace.com/atheistacademyuk
Sleep... Our goal is always to have a good night sleep, this is the driving force behind all moral concerns and decisions.
Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer. - William S. Burroughs
Welcome to the forums, xkcd.
I'm guessing you must be a lot younger than I. 60? Nah. I'm going for the century mark because 60 looms on my horizon!
Besides, you don't want to die before you have a chance to retire and reap the benefits of all those years you have to work.
Atheist Books, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server.
My grandparents are in their 80s so I'm thinking another 20 years would be nice, but xkcd strikes me as a glass half empty kinda guy
I am a trans-humanist. I think with technology and science we will be able to control death and go beyond our fragile biological bodies.
I imagine the day when scientist come out and say:
We have a good news and a bad news. The bad news "There is no soul." (I know science already shows this), the good news "You can be immortal by transfering your mind to our mainframe and making backups of it".
And that is a future to look forward to.
A mystic is someone who wants to understand the universe, but is too lazy to study physics.
I like the question, "Will you die?" I like the answers even better
Made a new thread on it here.
More feedback, please.
The only 'inevitable' death is the heat death of the universe. You're not worrying yourself about 30 billion years from now are you?
Read 'The Singularity is Near' by Ray Kurzweil to see interesting evidence that people alive today will be able to extend their lives indefinitely with medical technology and AI.
Aside from mundane pleasures, there is also the human capacity to feel great wonder. You have chosen to ignore this, so I'm trying to remind you.
This is just pessimism. I'm alone among all these 6 billion people. With the internet you can talk to anyone anywhere. Start a YouTube account and you can have nearly-face-to-face conversations with them and find exactly the kind of people you like.
Good. If Kurzweil is right, you'll have the opportunity to extend your life much longer if you choose.
Again, this is pessimism, completely ignoring all the good things in life that DO make intelligent people fulfilled. Read some good science fiction, watch a good documetary, travel the world, talk to people who share almost exactly the same problems as you. All of these things personally make me feel fulfilled, and I am learning more and more every day about how to be fulfilled.
Excellent. I also recommend Carl Sagan. The Cosmos series is available for download somewhere. It really is fantastic and I think it might touch something inside to spark a hope for the future beyond 'just waiting it out'.
Ah, this is something I can absolutely relate to. I'm still recovering from it at age 31. I just want to say one thing about this topic: I understand your choice to not 'ever allow that pain to affect my real life as an adult', but it will eventually rise to the surface, as it has to me. I tried to suppress it, but no deal. It nearly ruined my life. So, I suggest that in the short term, don't let that pain distract you from life. But in the long term, you will probably need to eventually face the pains and memories and work them out. Don't let them rot you from the inside out.
Good luck man, and I'm glad to see that you're feeling a little less nihilistic about life. Absurdism is better than nihilism, in my book.
Speaking of nihilism, my personal choice to get out of what I call 'the nihilistic pit' is pragmatism. As a basis for 'what's true', pragmatism is probably the strongest source of truth (little t) we have. Basically it says 'use whatever works best'. If nihilism and absurdism aren't working for you, try pragmatism, it's better.
[MOD EDIT - fixed quotes]
Wonderist on Facebook — Support the idea of wonderism by 'liking' the Wonderism page — or join the open Wonderism group to take part in the discussion!
Gnu Atheism Facebook group — All gnu-friendly RRS members welcome (including Luminon!) — Try something gnu!
Nice! I like your reasoning there. A good quote.
Wonderist on Facebook — Support the idea of wonderism by 'liking' the Wonderism page — or join the open Wonderism group to take part in the discussion!
Gnu Atheism Facebook group — All gnu-friendly RRS members welcome (including Luminon!) — Try something gnu!
If you care so much about death, you are interested in finding infinite life, and you need a purpose in life... why don't you become a scientist and try to extend life yourself? It seems to me that right now your goal in life is finding someone who will grab you by the hand and walk you through life. No one will do this. You have to walk through life yourself.
OK then...
Never say never.
Yes, that's obviously why we have developed societies rather than living in caves getting stoned out of our gourds. Hedonism is not life's purpose.
Thank god for that. I would hate to have some other bugger in my head 24/7.
Statistically likely.
Arguments like this are usually put forward by people who need to get laid more. Or at all.
Good, because it's not as if you have any other realistic choice outside killing yourself.
It's not really that interesting. Seriously.
Because no-one ever laughs or enjoys themselves. Oh wait...
You need to paint your bedroom another colour than black. And no, blood red isn't a good idea either.
Yeah, shit happens. Move on.
I think you're fishing for pity. Shame you ain't getting any.
[MOD EDIT - fixed quotes. Please use a plain text editor if you write your comments elsewhere and copy them here.]
Freedom of religious belief is an inalienable right. Stuffing that belief down other people's throats is not.
Oh, and this is you:
http://redwing.hutman.net/%7Emreed/warriorshtm/acne.htmI agree.
Yes. Except I wouldn't want to do pleasurable things that would result in unpleasurable results later. Ex: Crystal Meth, crack cocain, smoking, unsafe-sex....etc.
I agree.
That should be very easy. 60 will be here before you know it. I'm 55 now so 60 will be a piece of cake for me. My goal is 80.
Maybe I'm not as intelligent as you because I find life to be very fulfilling. Or maybe the word is enjoyable. Whatever....I just like being here and feel lucky that I am.
Yes. Stephen Hawkins is amazing.
Good for you. Setting and reaching goals makes life more enjoyable.
Yes. Human suffering is bad. But human enjoyment is good. Therefore I believe our existence is worth it. I've been very depressed a few times in my life. But I've also had experiences of ecstacy too. ( not the drug ) I'm glad I was here for that.
I agree.
Good. Have a wonderful trip to 60 and beyond.
Frosty's coming back someday. Will you be ready?