My problem is I can't stop viewing the world as... existence as... a thing that people are playing along with, but it doesn't make any sense.

What are we? Why are we? How do we continue to do this, pretending that reality isn't screaming at us all the time?

What is the point? What is our end goal? Why are so many people scared of not existing?

The last question might be the easiest: Programming.

We're just like the other animals...

I know you could say you live for family, friends etc.

Those are great reasons... the question is... what even is this? Why do we exist?

Think about all the things that go into us existing in the state we do... and what is the bigger goal here?

These questions aren't original... they are why religion exists - but religion is just a band-aid for a wound that will never heal. It is a lie to answer the unanswerable question.

Among deep daily sadness, the above additionally contribute to my consistent existential crisis...

How do you feel about the nature of us being self-aware, deeply thinking animals? What is your life mission and reason for being?

I guess my life’s mission is to enjoy the good parts about life and experience new things. I have always been religious too so I believe we’re here for a number of reasons and there is something better to look forward to.

I usually look at religion as a "quick fix". Something people use to make them have to think less about their own pointlessness. I am sort of in an in between of atheism and just believing in something despite not having a term for it. I consider myself to be spiritual, as opposed to religious but pretty loosely. I have always been jealous of people that can believe more than that. For me, what I tell myself that makes it worth living, is all the small things that feel so naturally nice. For example, A nice warm spring day sitting in the grass and breathing in the air, or sitting in my bedroom playing my favorite game with a nice incense burning.

I don't have a reason for being and I think it's something to do with our childhood and how we are raised. I ended up becoming homeless at 16 due to having to run away from my abusive mother. Ever since then, my reason for living has just been nothing.

We live to die. Most of us aren't going to impact the world in any positive way. What is the point?

Edited May 3, 2025May 3 by jess

I had these questions a lot when I was in high-school and it drove me insane. We live in such a way because it works and keeps humanity continuing. I think we naturally have a drive to live and a drive for others to live as well. I also think that nothing is an accident as far as our creation goes. I think that we were made to have a will and drive to live. If we look at how complex we were made and how complex our body works to keep us alive everyday I don’t think that was an accident. But with that thought you’d have to think we were designed and made. I don’t really think that earth and existence is just this weird phenomenon. I think that who ever created us made it so we will never know. We have proved through quantum physics that alternate reality’s exist. Now we don’t know what that looks like but I feel like this supports that whatever happens after death, or why we are here CAN be something that our brain will never understand until it’s our time. I feel like death will also be warm and welcoming hence why we still have brain activity after we die. There has to be a reason for that. Everything has a reason. I found peace in ignorance is bliss. My drive is to become the best I can be, and to make my kids awesome humans. With all of this information, I think also the point is to make your human experience as well as your family’s human experience the best as possible without hurting others.

On 5/25/2025 at 8:44 AM, mary said:

I found peace in ignorance is bliss.

That's right... focusing on the bad things can kill, so sometimes you have to save yourself, and find the power to deny certain harsh cruelties about the world.

How do you feel about the nature of us being self-aware, deeply thinking animals? What is your life mission and reason for being?

On 5/3/2025 at 9:14 AM, Onision said:

How do you feel about the nature of us being self-aware, deeply thinking animals? What is your life mission and reason for being?

Have you read anything by Thomas Ligotti by chance? You're incredibly close to quoting him. I enjoyed his work, but don't particularly believe it. I've always preferred Nieztche and hold firmly to the belief that optimistic nihilism is the way. Nothing matters? Great! That means you get to make up the meaning. The human experience is basically a cosmic arena for us to test our endurance and creativity. Diving a little deeper into the spiritual side, I believe that in each life we are given a role to play. Sometimes you continue to play, sometimes you 'wake up' a little early. Remembering yourself can be very empowering. That this is just a game your soul decided to play.

5 minutes ago, EveK said:

The human experience is basically a cosmic arena for us to test our endurance and creativity.

The theory of meaning

On 5/3/2025 at 7:14 PM, Onision said:

My problem is I can't stop viewing the world as... existence as... a thing that people are playing along with, but it doesn't make any sense.

What are we? Why are we? How do we continue to do this, pretending that reality isn't screaming at us all the time?

What is the point? What is our end goal? Why are so many people scared of not existing?

The last question might be the easiest: Programming.

We're just like the other animals...

I know you could say you live for family, friends etc.

Those are great reasons... the question is... what even is this? Why do we exist?

Think about all the things that go into us existing in the state we do... and what is the bigger goal here?

These questions aren't original... they are why religion exists - but religion is just a band-aid for a wound that will never heal. It is a lie to answer the unanswerable question.

Among deep daily sadness, the above additionally contribute to my consistent existential crisis...

How do you feel about the nature of us being self-aware, deeply thinking animals? What is your life mission and reason for being?

I read somewhere that before we are born,we choose to live this life.Exactly like the way you're livin' it right now.

That's so dumb...

Like why would someone want to suffer hunger,thirst in a very poor country?

Or childbrides still happening somewhere in the world.

Or depression,anxiety and many psychological and physiological illnesses.

Like what,you gonna gain something from after all the suffering?no.They fool themselves.Either they say god is testing them or this or reincarnation.

I constantly think about this like you do.

This may sound weird but i think humankind was a mistake.

Earth supposed to be without humans,i dont know if you believe in evolution,that we are juat clump of stars etc.

There are no living creatures like us and we're the only ones that created the system of "if you wanna be in this earth you gotta pay"

We're the only creatures that actually conciously destroying the world.We consume the world too much,you know what i'm saying?we dont give back,the cycle only goes for humans only.it's only beneficial for us.

I think we should extinct so the earth can start over.

Lol.

On 6/16/2025 at 6:41 AM, EveK said:

How do you feel about the nature of us being self-aware, deeply thinking animals? What is your life mission and reason for being?

Have you read anything by Thomas Ligotti by chance? You're incredibly close to quoting him. I enjoyed his work, but don't particularly believe it. I've always preferred Nieztche and hold firmly to the belief that optimistic nihilism is the way. Nothing matters? Great! That means you get to make up the meaning. The human experience is basically a cosmic arena for us to test our endurance and creativity. Diving a little deeper into the spiritual side, I believe that in each life we are given a role to play. Sometimes you continue to play, sometimes you 'wake up' a little early. Remembering yourself can be very empowering. That this is just a game your soul decided to play.

Have you ever read Tom Campbell?

Some people find Nietzsche's idea that we have to overcome nihilism and create our own meaning freeing, which I can understand. But what if you can't find meaning? And you can't see an overall objective meaning? I feel like that was my reaction to embracing nihilism as a teenager.

17 hours ago, Promisegreen said:

I read somewhere that before we are born,we choose to live this life.Exactly like the way you're livin' it right now.

I have always loved this idea. Another aspect of the theory is that we all got together in a boardroom before living our current lives and agreed who would play what role.

I like the idea that our souls are going through a sort of Earth School, having the same issues over and over until we learn what lesson we need to.

I don't think I believe it, but I like it

What you've described seems to resonate quite alot with the Existential Elk Theory of the norwegian philosopher Zapffe in his 1933 essay The Last Messiah.

It basically posits humanities many odd qwirks as symptoms of a way to deal with the seeming nihilism of existance our intelligence reveals to us.

Personally his philosophy seems like an endorsement of absurdism to me as he seems unnecessarily gloomy about what he discovers without acknowledging the fact he offers solutions to his own quandries.

But, from the sounds of your choice of wording, it sounds like you're more optimistic than Zapffe also, Greg 🫠

Zapffe argues for giving up, without really explaining what value giving up offers. But you're making a case for soldiering on.
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And my mission? I guess to either make peace with myself before I die and meet my maker or achieve something that seems worthwhile enough to me in order to make peace with myself.

Edited January 19Jan 19 by Red Robert

15 minutes ago, Red Robert said:

What you've described seems to resonate quite alot with the Existential Elk Theory of the norwegian philosopher Zapffe in his 1933 essay The Last Messiah.

It basically posits humanities many odd qwirks as symptoms of a way to deal with the seeming nihilism of existance our intelligence reveals to us.

Personally his philosophy seems like an endorsement of absurdism to me as he seems unnecessarily gloomy about what he discovers without acknowledging the fact he offers solutions to his own quandries.

But, from the sounds of your choice of wording, it sounds like you're more optimistic than Zapffe also, Greg 🫠

Zapffe argues for giving up, without really explaining what value giving up offers. But you're making a case for soldiering on.
-----
And my mission? I guess to either make peace with myself before I die and meet my maker or achieve something that seems worthwhile enough to me in order to make peace with myself.

Maybe he's like Camus? 😭 Hevery... soldier on while being continuously plagued by the absurd irrationality of our existence-y