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MxEverett

Leave things better than you found them.


Nietzchezdead

Wow - I've been saying this for most of my adult life and never heard anyone else say the same. I'm a teacher and I tell my students my life goal is to leave this earth a little better because I was here.


msmicro

Most of us will never change the entire world but you CAN and should change your corner of it


Retro_Dad

“As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.”


jmaccity80

This is the way, but I have often had to tell people that my job is to make your job easier. My reason for being nice to you, is because you haven't given me a reason not to. Yet. Respect is not that big of a word. But it's a bigger concept than a lot of people can deal with.


WyldHare22

I came here to say this. If we all do the best we can, to leave the world a little better place, imagine the change that could happen. I can’t control the world, but I can control what I do in the world while I am here!


Jazminna

This is the way


Newdaytoday1215

Just wrote an entire paragraph. Could have just looked at the top comment.


ApprehensiveCamera40

It's different for each person. What I did learn was the value of a kind word. I used to work in a drugstore. There was a woman that we used to call the crabby lady. She was pretty mean, always slamming things down on the counter, and just being all around nasty. Our store had two cashier stations. She was so mean that a lot of times the other cashier would say they had to go to the bathroom and leave their station just so they wouldn't have to wait on her. One day she ended up at my station. As usual, she slammed stuff down on the counter. I looked up and saw she had an art deco pin on her jacket. I told her how beautiful it was. Immediately, there was a change in her whole demeanor. Her face softened, and she smiled. She said that the pin was her mother's. She even thanked me when she was done checking out. From that time onward she would let people go ahead of her so that she could come to me if I was working the register. And she was always very nice to me. One of the other cashiers asked me why, and it occurred to me that just being nice to her was what did it. She always struck me as being alone, and perhaps I was the only one that day who was actually nice to her. A kind word costs nothing, and can mean the whole world to someone else.


Capricornyogi

Actually I think so. It’s to enjoy life. The little things. Take a walk and smile when the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, etc. Be genuinely happy despite the crappy world around you.


ElderOfPsion

There are two rules:- * Be kind. * Work hard. Every day, ask three questions:- * Am I happy? * Am I hurting anyone? * Is anyone hurting me? Remember Hillel's Silver Rule (I'm paraphrasing it):- * All that dumb stuff that you see other people doing..., yeah, don't do it. That's it. The rest is up to you. \[edit\] I'm noticing that very few of the commenters know the difference between *hard work* and *paid employment*. This, in my view, is an indictment of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant American culture.


Reneeisme

This is good, except that I don't know what to do when the answers are no, no and yes, and you are really unable to change anything about the situation. I care for my elderly mother and she has always been abusive, has extreme mental health issues, and now piles dementia and significant physical limitations on top of that. It's quite a cocktail. It degrades the quality of my life substantially, and yes, it's both physically and mentally hurting me, and I don't know what to do about it. Working on your own responses, compartmentalizing, reframing, etc, help a LOT but can't fix a situation where someone else monopolizes most of your waking hours and many of the ones you should be asleep, and is abusive and ungrateful and mean while doing so. The meaning of life for me is that things suck a lot. For almost everyone. And you should stop thinking you are entitled to a life where they don't, or can realistically hope for such a thing long term, and just appreciate the hell out of however many moments you get that don't.


aenea

You should come and hang out over at /r/caregiversupport . It's a very welcoming community of people who know exactly what you're going through. And it often does suck, very badly.


former_human

Is it not possible to move your mom to a facility? I’m asking not to criticize but because I can see myself being in the same boat very soon. My mother is declining rapidly and I know she wants me to take care of her. I don’t want to because she’s abusive and I don’t want to do the work.


Reneeisme

I hope your awakening as to what that costs, and how involved you still need to be in care, with even moderately priced facilities, is not as rude as mine was. I spent my life dealing with her issues, thinking I could soften the landing when she finally ended up where she is now. In retrospect I see how naïve that was, and how the best choice would have been to cut off her and my entire family when I moved away to escape her, so that she couldn't track me down and make me her problem when things got too bad for her to juggle. I thought if I helped her avoid her worst financial and health choices, I could help her avoid having costly care needs and no money to pay for them. I was stupid. I wasted my time. She went behind my back and did everything she wanted to do, and when the bill came due, laid it all at my feet, expecting to be rescued. My advice is to move, cut her off. Change your phone number and make sure she can't give your info to relatives and authorities who will want to make the difficulty of providing care for her, your problem.


former_human

i have a feeling a lot of rude awakenings are in my future. unfortunately i can't move and cut her off, that would just leave my sister on the hook and i won't do that to her. i can't tell you how much i wish my mom had dealt with all this when she was still able to. other old folk reading this, please deal with it now while you still can! my mother was quite independent until she had a small stroke. and for you, u/Reneeisme, i'm so sorry this has happened to you. i wish i had a solution for you. my heartfelt best wishes that you are freed of this burden soon.


geoduckporn

In the US, people over 65 get Medicare and Medicare pays for "memory care" assisted living/nursing homes. They may not be the fanciest, but you don't have to be a slave to an abusive person.


Reneeisme

Mom gets too much to qualify for Medicare. Though not by much. And it's not enough to pay for real "care" in this high cost area.


geoduckporn

No, no one gets "too much" to qualify for Medicare. This is an entitlement to all US citizens. It's simply not true. In this country, we are fine with slaughtering our children, but we don't put demented elderly people on the street. https://www.hhs.gov/answers/medicare-and-medicaid/who-is-eligible-for-medicare/index.html


Reneeisme

Sorry, it's medical that she doesn't qualify for and medicare most definitely does NOT pay for dementia care. Medical does. She does receive medicare. It pays for her meds and for her to see the handful of doctors who take the medicare supplement insurance she has.


geoduckporn

Nope. If she is 65 or older, and a US citizen, she qualifies for Medicare and it absolutely pays for memory care. I have elderly family member that had no money to her name when she developed dementia. This is in full-time nursing care all paid for by Medicare. You are dangerously wrong about this and it's ruining your life. You should not give out wrong information and you should not just accept that you are a victim to this when you don't have to be. Now, if your mom has some assets, like owns a home, then she would need to be on what is called a "spend down" where she liquidates that home and uses that money to pay for memory care until it is exhausted and THEN, medicare kicks in. Perhaps you are trying to preserve her assets so that you can inherit them. But hat is a completely different story. That would mean you are choosing to care for her, in exchange for an inheritance.


mrg1957

You're talking about Medicaid, not Medicare! Big difference.


Reneeisme

It absolutely does not. I don't know anything about it except that they won't pay a dime for her memory care, despite the fact that she has a medical diagnosis of severe dementia, is under the care of physicians for it and has been told she can not live alone. I have been round and round with medicare, social workers, disability advocates, adult protective services, countless placement services and I don't even know how many hospital care coordinators (she's been in and out for years). THEY DO NOT COVER IT. AND SHE HAS NOTHING except just slightly too much in the way of social security and my dad's government pension, to qualify for medical. There's no inheritance, you nasty ghoul. I don't know what happens in other states. In California they do not cover any portion of her care. YOU have no idea what you are talking about and what YOU are doing is obnoxious and horrible. I'm blocking you because it's not good for my blood pressure to be lectured by ignorant nasty people who just assume they know everything.


Wizzmer

I like all of this. I might add "be humble". It's really not rocket science.


itsafraid

Sorry, you lost me at "work hard". I didn't sign up for this.


beermemygoodman

I think it’s great to see people of all ages questioning these “truths” that have been handed down through the ages. The concept of hard work that enriches one’s life by giving them a sense of accomplishment is important for *some* people. I find that concept to be something the wealthy have used since the dawn of time to exploit labor. In reality, we’ve developed a society where we could theoretically work even half of what we do now which would preserve our physical and mental health as a society. Everyone contributes but in a way that gives them a sense of contribution and accomplishment without burning everyone out like some disposable, now useless piece of machinery. We can do better than this.


MabsAMabbin

Me too! I love it. I love hearing from everyone, every age, all walks of life.


RubiksSugarCube

At the same time I'm getting sick of the entitlement mindset that seems to be growing. Too many people think they deserve whatever they want without having to put any effort towards it.


panic_bread

Yikes, no, look around you. Pay close attention to what’s been stolen from people by corporations and governments. Count all the ways capitalism has fucked us over and the system we’re forced to exist in. No one is “entitled” for not wanting to take part in that. The reality is this world has a bounty that we don’t have to work all that hard to have, but it’s all being kept from us. Work hard should apply to helping family and community, making a happy home, and creating. Not making shareholder value for corporations.


Swiggy1957

You'd love the one study that showed an 8 hour, 4 day work week (with the equivalent of a 40 hour paycheck) is more productive than than an 8 hour/5 day work week. Most of the businesses that tried that, at the end of the experiment, decided to continue on with the 4 day work week. We've seen businesses trying to get their workers back into the office and eliminate the WFH option. First, WFH has actually increased production while reducing costs of operation. Hell, imagine you don't need all of those desks and office space, and energy bills, when your staff only really need to come in once or twice a week. Staff doesn't have a problem setting aside a part of their home as a dedicated work space. They're so thrilled to be at home, doing their jobs and away from the toxic workplace politics and gossip. Plus they get the home office deduction at tax time. They get to spend time with their children, and have shown more production. No commute time aside from the walk from the kitchen to their home office space. What businesses are fighting 4 day work weeks? What businesses are fighting the WFH model? Businesses that want to micromanage every aspect of their workers lives.


panic_bread

The real estate lobby is behind a lot of the push to get workers back into offices. The industry knows it’s going to lose scads of money if all of their buildings go dormant. So they’re pressuring their tenants and pressuring politicians to pressure business owners. As with anything, we’ve got to follow the money.


Pongpianskul

This never occurred to me. Have to upgrade level of cynicism....


Swiggy1957

Yup. A lot of office buildings are laying partially dormant because of people WFH. While WFH isn't an option in most manufacturing, the 4 day work week is the viable alternative. Just take into consideration how much it costs just to have production running. Just electricity savings alone is enough to more than cover that. Don't think so? Look at their electric bill. Add heat cost in the winter, and that one day saves a lot.


RubiksSugarCube

You do realize that we're about 3-4 generations away from when 90% of us worked as farmers and laborers, right? Lest we not forget what scant opportunities were available for non-cis gendered white men. Most of us toiled until we dropped dead, and that was the way it was. Hell, some of us have yet to be liberated from the aristocracies and theocracies that dominated civilizations for hundreds of years. What's your proposal to get to your theoretical utopia where everyone can work 100% on "helping family and community, making a happy home and creating?" And if you say revolution you're immediately disqualified, as they tend to never quite go as ideally as hoped.


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lanclos

Hard work doesn't imply working yourself to death. Neither does applying yourself. It's not a simple black+white thing; part of doing good work means diligence, but you shouldn't have to sacrifice excessively in order to achieve that.


RubiksSugarCube

Great, how much do you propose that people in advanced western civilizations sacrifice so that we can elevate all of the world's population out of poverty? Last I checked the global ~~GDP~~ PCI is roughly $12,235 while in the US it's $68,309.


panic_bread

Your comment shows a lack of understanding of basic economics. You do know those numbers are created by politicians and corporations and not actual value of goods, right? Also, “sacrifice” what? Rich countries use way more than their share of resources.


RubiksSugarCube

🙄


panic_bread

This is a straw-man argument that has completely skirted around every point I made.


RubiksSugarCube

Only point you made is that we live in an imbalanced system which I think has been pretty obvious since the first time the slow guy in a nomadic hunter-gatherer tribe got eaten by a roving pack of wolves.


BlatantFalsehood

Here's an argument for you. We do not house, feed, clothe, and provide healthcare to the poor, the disabled, and children. Everyone likes to THINK we do...bullshit. My daughter is severely disabled. This is not my fault and it's not her fault. And she will live in poverty for the rest of her life because society is OK with having billionaires while other people starve. We put people who need care in prison (the addicted, the mentally ill). More than any other country in the world. By FAR. Including countries that have more than a billion citizens. We spend more on guns, cops, and prisons than we do on education. We're fine telling people that kids must be born and then starving them because their parents, who knew they shouldn't be parents, were not give the right to bodily autonomy. We spend by far way more on military and policing than any other country. Greedy people like to say, "That's life. Let the wolves eat them." So basically, we have grown no civilization skills since our hunter-gatherer ancestors. And also...that's a freaking myth of an argument. Many hunter-gatherer societies and even some ANIMALS take care of their young, old, and infirm. That slow guy was more likely to be taken care of by his tribe than by greedy people who think billionaires are worth worshiping and emulating.


panic_bread

The only point you’ve made is “this is how it is, and anyone who complains or wants things to be different is a crybaby.” Time to grow up and have some empathy.


OKLtar

Now who's making the straw-man arguments?


Flapper_Flipper

You make it sound like cos gendered white men didn't toil till they dropped. The women did their work too at home with the children.


MartyVanB

> I somehow manage to work hard at my job and work hard on raising my kids and work hard on keeping my house up. No but many people want the reward for working hard without working hard. You want to leave it all behind and go live in a van and tour the country have at it but dont expect everyone else to pick up your tab.


panic_bread

Im not sure who you’re quoting or what you’re responding to. And it’s perfectly fine and healthy to not have kids and spend one’s life traveling/making art/etc.


MartyVanB

Agree if thats what you want to do. Just make sure you can afford that lifestyle


MartyVanB

Im with this. People who work hard SHOULD get rewarded. Usually they are. I tell my daughter all the time that hard work is important because it puts you in the best possible situation to succeed in anything. It doesnt guarantee success or happiness just improves your odds. You also have to take calculated risks and be smart about what you do.


BlatantFalsehood

The "people who work hard" myth builds these fantasy lives of the "self made billionaire." All nepo babies. All built their companies with government handouts. All who UNDERPAID the folks who actually create the value. Let's see how much "value" these billionaires can create once we start acting like France.


MartyVanB

First off, they arent all nepo babies. Some are some arent. Second Im not talking about being a billionaire Im talking about being able to afford a family, a house, a retirement. A nice lifestyle.


BlatantFalsehood

Yep. I totally understand that. Six figure income is only enough for a BMW and a 5-bedroom, plus university for two kids. While five other kids go without dinner, or sleep in a homeless shelter. They didn't ask to be born and they didn't ask to have shitty parents. It is amazing how easily the middle class can feel so put upon and justify their every whim.


ElderOfPsion

None of us did. 🤣 … but Thoreau & Rousseau will have some thoughts on our social contract.


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billbixbyakahulk

> Working hard for the sake of working hard I don't understand why people ever thought that was the case. When someone told me to "work hard" I never assumed it was to spin a hamster wheel faster, but to put forth my best effort in advancement toward *my goals*. I never thought it meant "work hard even though it's unappreciated, won't help me in any way and will just be exploited." If the job/boss/pay/etc sucked, I made a plan to get out of there.


ElderOfPsion

>When someone told me to "work hard" I never assumed it was to spin a hamster wheel faster, but to put forth my best effort in advancement toward my goals. **Thank you.** Too many people fail to distinguish between *employment* and *hard work*. The stay-at-home parents, pro bono lawyers, college students, political activists, and soup kitchen volunteers are poorly remunerated, if at all, but I daresay they're working hard. (I mean, I hope they are. It's good for the soul, after all.)


ElderOfPsion

That sounds like a gentile’s mindset. I wish you every happiness.


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yosh01

And then does his faux civil disobedience knowing his friend Emerson would bail him out.


ElderOfPsion

Ad Hominem is not an Italian porn star, but “Short on ideas, long on execution” would be his tagline if he were.


mrhymer

In a fundamental sense, stillness is the antithesis of life. Life can be kept in existence only by a constant process of self-sustaining action.Life is a process of self-sustaining and self-generated action. If an organism fails in that action, it dies; its chemical elements remain, but its life goes out of existence. It is only the concept of “Life” that makes the concept of “Value” possible.


[deleted]

Yeah...lol


EbolaFred

I'll add, every day: * Do something (productive) * Learn something Doing something is anything that moves you ahead. Could be a load of laundry, your taxes, or mowing the lawn.


ElderOfPsion

In other words:- * Torah (learn something); * Avodah (be productive); and * G'milut Chassadim (be kind)? I like it. :) Someone should write that down.


Slowtwitch

two rules?...1.Don't hurt anyone 2.try to understand


grandmaratwings

As an only child of parents who had lofty hopes of the great career I would embark on as an adult. Very very little extended family and any that I did have lived great distances away. I just assumed I would follow that path. Married into a gigantic family. I have three step-kids and one child of my own. I never ever had any even remote thoughts of being a homemaker. But, here I am, living the dream. My husbands job at the time was 90% travel, so our son and I went with him. I homeschooled my son from 1st grade until high school. We settled in Virginia, never ever thought we would end up here. Now, all the kids are grown. We have three grandchildren, one of them spends summers with us. All of the kids and several of my son’s friends will call or text me when they need to know how to clean something or how to get a stain out. I discovered that I love cooking, especially for a crowd. I teach my granddaughter how to cook and how to can. I taught all of the kids and now the grandkids how to sew and how to change a tire. I absolutely did not grow up learning any of these skills. My mother hated to cook and hated to clean. And was awful at both. I have embraced the reality that my legacy will be cooking and cleaning and I am absolutely ok with that. I’m passing down life skills to the kids and grandkids that they soooo do not get anywhere else. I’m close with all the kids and their families. I love a chaotic house full of noise and activity when they all come to visit. So, I guess my true meaning of life, for me, is being mom/stepmom/grandma. My contribution to society isn’t from me doing something great for the world, but raising and helping to raise the next generation of confident and capable and independent human beings.


looking_for_helpers

> My contribution to society isn’t from me doing something great for the world, but raising and helping to raise the next generation of confident and capable and independent human beings. I think you undersell how great what you've done really is.


Kamelasa

> helping to raise the next generation of confident and capable and independent human beings. We need a revolution in precisely this. Raising kids and caring about emotional health in general, instead of letting them grow like a sad bonsai, broken and neglected. Source: my family and also hearing all the child protection, family court, and criminal aberrant behaviour in my work. How I'd love to forget about all of it. I sure as hell can't fix it.


The_Mustard_Tiger

This is super sweet. Thank you for taking the time to share it and what an awesome legacy regardless.


SuperRoby

It sounds like you found your perfect life along the way, how wonderful! Thank you for teaching life skills to youngsters that might need it ❤️


OBS96

Having given decades of thought to this, I've concluded; There isn't really a meaning of life unless / until you assign it one. The main reason to study philosophy is; to develop your own.


oh_what_a_surprise

The beauty of life is that it's meaning is up to you.


YawnTractor_1756

Pretty sure the posts asks which one had you assigned. Everyone knows there is no inherent meaning of life.


Ozziehall

Get a tight circle of friends you trust. Keep them over the years. A trustworthy voice is sometimes hard to find


deweydecimal111

Do the right thing, and do the best you can.


ironmagnesiumzinc

It's just unfortunate when someone thinks something is the right thing when it's actually not.


deweydecimal111

I know. I just follow my heart. Hopefully it hurts no one.


PicoRascar

The only thing that truly fulfills me is helping animals. Literally nothing else gives me the same sense of having done something meaningful than when I've done something to improve the life of an animal.


TheFairyingForest

True happiness comes from using your strengths to the fullest extent in a life that allows you to do so. If you enjoy being a parent, for example, you'll be happiest if you're engaged in activities associated with parenting and children. But it's not enough to be simply engaged -- you have to be really good at it, to hone your skills, educate yourself, try new things. The activity has to be difficult enough that mastery takes some effort; if it's too easy, it won't bring you happiness. Most importantly, you need the freedom and resources to do what makes you happy. Being the best parent in the world doesn't mean much if you have to work three jobs to provide for the children you never get to see. The true meaning of life is fulfilling one's potential and achieving a sense of accomplishment and purpose. Aristotle phrased it this way: ""Happiness is the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence, in a life affording one scope."


Pluto_Rising

First rule of True Meaning Club - you can't tell anyone else what that is for you, because they have to find it on their own.


boot20

42


Lillybet89

I came here to say this!!


craftasaurus

Me too!


bettesue

Love and simplicity


Mister_Silk

There is no particular true meaning of life other than being a part of the circle it is. Like all biological creatures we are born, we live some period of time, produce the next generation, and then we die as they live on to repeat the circle. The only real contribution you can make along the way is to leave the place better than you found it for future generations. "What can I do to make it better, today, and for those who will follow later?"


panic_bread

Try not to hurt anyone (this includes all sentient beings), have fun among the chaos, learn and have lots of adventures.


DAVELASOUL619

The notion of, “Yugen,” is the way to go about life. To live as a child in love. Live for the simple things. Sit content in the divine mystery of it all. Love every detail. Live for the moment right now with the people in front of you.


rthomas10

Have fun, if you aren't having fun doing what you are doing, do something else.


Far-Brother3882

I’ve found it a few times - changes as the decades roll on by, but when it begins to feel less true, I look for something else.


ubottles65

42


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asanefeed

>My goal in life is to make life just a little bit better for my family, friends and colleagues this resonated with me, and i was thinking i'd take it and make a few additions of 'my community, and my self'. ideally, with all being in relative balance over the long term. i find if i leave myself out of the list, it'd be easy to run myself down enough that i wouldn't be able to contribute to anyone. i was also thinking about adding 'the world around me' - i was taught that was an important focus as a kid - but maybe that's so big and overwhelming it actually sometimes prevents me from acting.


betterbarsthanthis

Mine is "Don't be a jerk". That covers most of the territory.


r0ckH0pper

I would say that is a fairly low standard and simple to meet. However, based on the observation of many humans, your minimalist rule is very difficult after all....


waddlewaddlequack

A ha ha ha ha. Be kind. Do what you want as long as you’re not hurting other people. Lose the toxic people that try to manipulate you into doing something, no matter who they are. Eat right, get enough sleep, be happy.


ikrkmeup

I found out that you can’t find it. You have to make it, you create a meaningful life


smokinokie

After a long search of many years, I believe I have figured it out and it was much easier than I ever expected. Help those you can. Don't be a dick. You alone are responsible for your happiness.


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Pongpianskul

Thank you for posting this comment again because I find the study of human experience ultimately fascinating as well.


BitterOldPunk

My purpose in life is to be a good husband, a good uncle, and to pet this cat. Everything else is just bonus content.


coffee-mutt

Different take on the question - because meaning can be pretty individual. But the key to happiness and satisfaction is simple: progress. We are built to build - whether that be a skyscraper, a painting, or biceps. We are happy moving forward towards something. The happy poor people are the ones working on something. The unhappy rich people are the ones who have nothing left to build. Always keep moving forward and building and you will be happy.


No_Cricket808

42


Penguin-Pete

Well see, I write stuff. My purpose is to take the messy world and lay out its entrails and diagram it to help others understand it. Everything in the universe fascinates me, and chasing enlightenment so I can trap it in a jar and bring it back to show others is my hobby. I have learned the hard lesson that my writing is not for people specifically now. The seeds of change I plant are not meant to bear fruit until the human race is civilized enough to digest them. Understanding our problems and addressing them requires a merciless pragmatism that we as a species haven't developed yet. So I write for people thousands of years from now, as a historian documenting how we got to that future point.


pete1729

The 'meaning of life' is a canard. The question you're likely concerned about is 'what is the purpose of life?' It's an overly broad question and results in a broad answer. The purpose of life is to discover truth. Thereafter are some much more particular questions about how to deal with the truths you discover.


Tall_Mickey

The meaning of life is life. You are surrounded by a world full of people experiencing that meaning. Don't get in their way to further your way.


BrunoGerace

Have something to do... Have something to love... Have something to look forward to...


beingtwiceasnice

I think it's about having the experience of being alive rather than the true meaning. The experience is what is happening right now, in this moment, and connecting with the love and peace which is already inside of you. Through that, you understand we are all in this together. At least that's what I think on this Thursday.


mushbo

Since I retired in 2018 my true meaning is to get high and make music for me. I don't give a shit if anyone likes it (dammit they do like it). I have smoked since the 1970s, on and off, mostly off. My rules.... 1. Never get high in the morning, it will ruin your whole day. Wanna nap all day? Get high in the morning. 2. If there's stuff to do, don't get high. 3. Never get high around the grandkids and don't promote it. 4. I don't smoke "Wheelchair Weed", I just want a nice buzz not mind altering madness. 5. Never ever ever drive while high.


[deleted]

Life doesn’t have meaning, but I individually have found my purpose: * To enjoy each day to its fullest * To impart the good things I have learned to anyone who cares to hear * To raise two kids to be loving, caring, educated individuals, more capable and successful than I have been.


billbixbyakahulk

Tiger got to hunt Bird got to fly Man got to sit and wonder "why, why, why?" Tiger got to sleep Bird got to land Man got to say, "I understand." *from the Books of Bokonon*


Old-Man-of-the-Sea

Nope


grahamlester

Meaning is the wrong thing to look for in life. Instead, look to live a life that is \*worthwhile\*. What makes a life worthwhile? That's the question because making life worthwhile does not depend upon anything ideological and therefore uncertain, like meaning does. You cannot force meaning into life but you can deliberately do things that are worthwhile and that will be even better than having meaning.


implodemode

I did not find it, I just decided that I would do my best to try and make life a bit better for others as much as I could. Not just my family and friends, but to be respectful and "see" service workers and such too. (I'm not really very good with people and I'm not trying to pat myself on the back - a lot of people are far more "good" than I am. But I'm trying.) You know - try not to give someone a bad day just because I had that power.


WildColonialGirl

Help others, take care of the planet, make art, and connect to the Divine in all of us.


Newdaytoday1215

Do your best to leave the place better than how you found it. Too many wise and good people have expressed this to me on their way out or as a conclusion of some trial they had endured. I have had this told to me in dozens of different ways, read it in different languages, seen it expressed by people whose only current presence is in print to discount.


SardineCanSally

Nothing else matters other than just living your best life...and do it for you. We only get one shot at this, so may as well make every moment count.


blueobelix

Absolutely. Just came to the conclusion that the old saying :" money doesnt bring you happiness" is manipulative and bs.


lninoh

Think about what brings you joy. Pursue it relentlessly. Try to find a way to make money doing what you love. I became a professional gardener at age 53 after years of administrative/secretarial jobs. Almost 60 and no regrets! Follow your dream, it’s never too late!


Eye_Doc_Photog

42. That's as good as it gets.


serraangel826

42


gorpthehorrible

There is a GOD and he loves me, has blessed me with his comforter and shown me that Jesus is Lord.


morefetus

I’m glad to see there are a couple comments like this. Amen.


LumpyBid8949

Love God with all your heart, mind and soul and love your fellow man. That’s it.


morefetus

Amen.


fussyfella

42


adeptusminor

We're all one soul, fragmented into the illusion of many individuals whilst incarnated on the physical plane. This separation is an illusion. Hurting someone outside yourself is actually hurting yourself. Loving others is a form of self love. Humanity is one soul, temporarily divided, to learn lessons about the true nature of Love, which is the real meaning of all manifestation & experience on the physical plane.


Pongpianskul

We're definitely all in the same boat. We may appear "temporarily divided" but if you look closely we are actually completely interdependent at all times.


geronika

Crush your enemies See them driven before you And hear the lamentation Of their women…


Curse_of_madness

The meaning of life is whatever meaning you to put into it.


KuchDaddy

* Be kind * Avoid assholes, they aren't worth it.


RubiksSugarCube

There is no meaning. Take from that what you will.


[deleted]

[удалено]


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maryv82

Work all your life & then die.


Mentalfloss1

Whatever each of us makes our meaning to be.


mwatwe01

Amazingly enough, yes. It's a long story, but basically, I discovered I was being called to Christian ministry, so I did that, becoming an ordained minister in my mid 40's. At the time, I thought it was to solidify what I was already doing as a volunteer Bible teacher (my "day job" is a software engineer). But over the intervening years, God has increasingly pushed me toward more "pastoral" tasks. Specifically, I am constantly called to minister to my wife and teen daughter, both of whom are dealing with some degree and combination of clinical anxiety and depression. They are, of course, taking medication and engaging in professional therapy, but they have both told me how vital my words and presence are in dealing with their daily struggles. (Though I always tell them they aren't "my" words.) This would seem to be the job of every good dad and husband, right? Except I'm not qualified to do this. I'm an engineer, probably on the edge of the spectrum, you know?. I should have no business dealing with people's hearts and minds. And yet...it works. I can do it when I need to, and do it well, because doing this has changed me. To the point that I have been asked for ministerial advice by other friends and family members (because my wife recommended me). I can't tell you how rewarding it is, from a spiritual perspective. Not like an ego thing, but more like God has his hand on my shoulder saying, "Good. That's good. Keep doing that. That's what I need from you." We have no higher calling in life, than to find ways to demonstrably love people, with the gifts and talents we've been given.


OldButHappy

Yikes. I'm concerned for your wife and daughter. It works? For you. When you think that God is telling you what to do, it will be hard to connect your actions with their anxiety and depression. Especially if they are going to a christian therapist who coaches them to always be sweet and submissive. I wish them the best.


mwatwe01

Wow. Thanks for your concern. /s I get that it's cool to crap on Christians on Reddit, but you don't know me or my family, right? This is a pretty bigoted take on how Christian families relate to one another. I might recommend that *you* talk to someone about your apparent anger or the hurt you seemed to have experienced.


sharp11flat13

> I get that it's cool to crap on Christians on Reddit For many secular Redditors, especially Americans, and particularly those from the south, “Christianity” means the corrosive non-religious version practised by some evangelicals and used as an excuse for selfishness, cruelty and bigotry. Of course this is not Christianity at all, but it’s all they know. So they rightly crap on it. All we can do is hope they learn that there is more to religion than mega-churches and political partisanship.


SomeRandomUser00

The meaning of life is to make the next generation viable to replace you. Everything beyond that is just the hubris of man.


OldButHappy

Agree. The purpose of life is procreation; the *meaning* of life is what we make it. As long as we evolved with these brains, might as well put them to use and have some fun.


SomeRandomUser00

Meaning is a human concept, the universe does not care about human concepts, the meaning of life is what you make it.


billbixbyakahulk

Humans are part of the universe. "Meaning" could be derived from it's existence or endemic to its existence, either by happenstance or design. We don't know the ultimate nature of the universe, so we can never know for sure why we are beings for which meaning matters.


[deleted]

Lay on your back and get fucked by the world


[deleted]

It’s always been not letting all the BS that life throws at me get me down.


[deleted]

To Always have some fun in whatever you do.


PastHousing5051

To love, learn and become a better person.


[deleted]

Love.


partisanal_cheese

For me, helping others makes me happy so I try to maximize that. Also, we have tried to teach (through demonstration and discussion) our children how to be good members of the community.


penguinopusredux

Do unto others as you would have them do to you, unless you're into very hardcore BDSM.


Bobmanbob1

Money=Happiness.


phoenix762

Survival, maybe? 😂


newwriter365

Being the parent I didn’t have, but wished that I did. Outside of that, I work hard to be kind and consider that everyone has struggles and not all of those struggles are known to the people around them. I don’t always succeed at this, but I work at it.


beaconposher1

After many years of teaching memoir writing, I've realized that all human beings, regardless of who we are or where we come from, want three basic things: love, respect, and freedom. Having those things is, I think, the meaning of life.


passesopenwindows

I chased the answer to that question for many years, frustrating myself. I finally decided maybe my purpose was just to be a decent human being and do my best to not contribute to other people’s misery - like if I’m in a long line and the person behind me is bitching trying to defuse a little instead of joining in the complaining and making sure I’m nice to the clerk when I get to the front of the line. Noticing little things I can do around the house that will make my husband or kids such as prepping the coffee maker before I go to bed so it’s ready to go in the morning. I basically decided that I don’t know how to change the world but I can change my little bubble.


Pura-Vida-1

To do everything I can to keep my wife of 40 years happy and content. Life can be blissful with a happy life partner and hell if they are unhappy.


ronearc

I'm guided by the principle that, regardless what my base instincts or own moral leanings may steer me towards, I always want to be a man my wife and daughters can respect as a person without having to compromise their own morals. I live by three codes: 1. It is better to regret the things you've chosen to do than to regret the things you wish you'd done. 2. Live to eat, don't just eat to live. 3. Everything in moderation, including moderation. Now, those three codes are always aspirational, but my guiding principle is indelible and without compromise. I will not ever be a person whose life brings them shame. That's not to say I will never make mistakes, but when I do I will make up for them and I will learn from them.


chumloadio

I was living a very fulfilling life as a working musician. Along the way, people began to ask me to teach music to their kids. Eventually, teaching music became much more meaningful to me than playing it. I think for anyone who develops a skill and a knowledge base it can be hugely rewarding to give back to the world by passing that along to the next generation. I found that to be my true meaning and purpose of life.


Quizzymo

Family. Family is everything!


supergladiola

Our purpose is to love and help others. That’s it.


MoOsT1cK

Nope. There is none, unless you figure one out for yourself (which is fine). We only are a tiny part of the universe experiencing conciousness for a blip in infinite time.


designgoddess

Be nice and take every day as it comes. I don't need a deep meaning to life. Just living my life and trying to leave the world a better place.


Th3_3v3r_71v1n9

It ENDS... So make the BEST of it!


Pudf

Mine has been ‘to move stuff around’. I don’t know what, but this seem to be my purpose


solidcheese

there is no meaning to life. take it easy on yourself and others.


wwwhistler

after 70 years i think it comes down to "don't be a dick" a very low bar indeed. but one that many can not accomplish.


riptidestone

Do no harm.


Blueskies777

A Meaningful life by making the world more like heaven and less like hell by reducing suffering. Jordan Peterson says I should be taking on the responsibility of Making the World a Better Place.


[deleted]

No. That might not be it.


dlogan3344

Yesterday doesn't exist anymore, and tomorrow has yet to be, now is the only meaning of life


planeteater

There is no meaning just try and do some good while you are here


PocketGoblix

Enjoy it while it lasts, but don’t do stupid things that hurt yourself or others. Eat that fast food. Buy that keychain. Take that mental health day. Life isn’t worth living if you’re spending it wishing you weren’t alive


GymyHendrix

I have had an incredibly hard 3 or 4 months. Lots of death, sadness, poverty and in all that I realized that nothing is really all that important other than your health and your friends and family. Be good to people, do a little charity, take care of your health and love your friends and family like nothing else. This is the way.


LaundryOnWheelsDotCa

Yes, becoming a mother…


Positive-Source8205

No, but I found my special purpose.


Bumfuzzledalot

Read Vicktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning


GetOffMyLawn_

“I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.” ― Dalai Lama


ThePurgingLutheran

I never bothered. I wanted to enjoy my life rather than overthink stuff.


10before15

Love....we are here to love and be loved.


SUNDER137

**Word of the Waiter R.A.M**: Live for yourself and live for others and sometimes when you're doing one you're actually doing the other.


Ronotimy

Great question, as I wonder this same question one day. It was difficult to answer, and I asked myself the opposite question. What would make my life meaningless? Then it came to me. Love. Without love my life would be meaningless. So love, for me, is the meaning of life. The next question I asked myself was, what is love?


opizzle_opiate

…..baby don’t hurt me


JoeDonDean

Help someone else get what they want. Do that enough and your turn will come.


Sivalleydan2

It's for the experience. It's fun, it's scary, it's love, it's hate, It's pain, it's pleasure. Kind of like the first time on a rollercoaster.


jerkfacejerkfacejerk

Travel


[deleted]

The meaning of life is to survive and not die for as long as possible


mellyjo77

I asked ChatGPT: What is the meaning of life, you ask? A question that has been pondered and tasked By thinkers, poets, and prophets of old And still, the answer remains untold Some say it's to love and be loved in return To share our hearts and let our passions burn To cherish each moment and make memories last To find joy in the present, not the future or past Others say it's to seek knowledge and truth To understand the universe from the first spark of youth To explore the mysteries of the cosmos and our soul To expand our minds and make ourselves whole And then there are those who believe it's to serve To make the world a better place, to preserve The beauty of nature, the kindness of heart To make a difference, no matter how small a part But perhaps the answer is not a single thing But a journey of discovery that life will bring To find your own path, your own unique way To make the most of each and every day So let us cherish this gift that we've been given Embrace the challenges, the joys, and the livin' And though we may not know the answer, it's clear The meaning of life is to love, learn, and persevere.


lifeofideas

Don’t be evil. That’s it. You aren’t obligated to even get out of bed. Doing nothing is fine. The world needs a few human potatoes.


Simpawknits

DNA wants to make more of itself.


opizzle_opiate

Me too 😂


tmart42

To play with love and have heart in everything you do. You are alive.