The meaning of life...why are we here?

[Dead Rats]

Ok, for those that think our only purpose is to live and then die what emotion or event do you believe is most important to experience before you die?

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

[faust.dtc]

Ok, for those that think our only purpose is to live and then die what emotion or event do you believe is most important to experience before you die?

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

Well theres the procreation theory out of the window...

[spursingham]

Ok, for those that think our only purpose is to live and then die what emotion or event do you believe is most important to experience before you die?

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

[Dead Rats]

Ok, for those that think our only purpose is to live and then die what emotion or event do you believe is most important to experience before you die?

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

[spursingham]

Ok, for those that think our only purpose is to live and then die what emotion or event do you believe is most important to experience before you die?

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

[Dead Rats]

Ok, for those that think our only purpose is to live and then die what emotion or event do you believe is most important to experience before you die?

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

[firky]

Bumsex.

Giving and recieving.

[magma]

The afterlife thread got me thinking...why do you think we are here and why is it so important to keep out race going? Id be very interested in hearing other peoples ideas, views and opinions on this.

Ive come to believe that Love in its many forms is the meaning of life. From my experience it is the most powerful emotion known to mankind and should be spread and shared with others.

I originally thought procreation was the meaning of lifebut why procreate if you have nothing to live for?

Discuss...

Life is random. I don't particularly believe in a creator, so our existance here is most likely just the result of a big cosmic lottery. Our "purpose" is merely to make the most of it... without Karma, afterlife, judgement etc then your only responsibility is to your own happiness, but human emotions being the way they are, your happiness will be closely linked with many other people's happiness.

Humans are the only creature on Earth able to dance in rhythm. Others can do it to attract mates or as commuication (especially lizards, birds etc), but humans are the only animal that dance in time to music for pleasure. I'm becoming more and more of the opinion that spending as much of your time dancing as possible is a pretty good route to human happiness.

[Genevieve]

Humans are the only creature on Earth able to dance in rhythm. Others can do it to attract mates or as commuication (especially lizards, birds etc), but humans are the only animal that dance in time to music for pleasure. I'm becoming more and more of the opinion that spending as much of your time dancing as possible is a pretty good route to human happiness.

Well, humans are basically animals except more pretentious.

When it boils down to it, that is the only thing that truly sets us apart.

Think about it. O_O

[magma]

Humans are the only creature on Earth able to dance in rhythm. Others can do it to attract mates or as commuication (especially lizards, birds etc), but humans are the only animal that dance in time to music for pleasure. I'm becoming more and more of the opinion that spending as much of your time dancing as possible is a pretty good route to human happiness.

Well, humans are basically animals except more pretentious.

When it boils down to it, that is the only thing that truly sets us apart.

Think about it. O_O

I don't think I ever said we're not animals, of course we are, but no, this is wrong... Babies have no concept of pretention. Babies dance. Pretention is learnt behaviour that relies on being part of society (you can't be pretentious on your own!), dancing is instinctive and done whether alone or living in communities.

We are simply more complex animals than most... complex actions and motives like pretention are evidence of this complexity, not explainations of it.

We don't simply make and enjoy art for pretentious reasons. Evolutionary biologists would contend that, as it is used in the animal kingdom, dancing and singing are basic forms of communication - probably predating human language. We also gain pleasure from these things, which gives us our artistic impulses, but art is still very much communicative... there's nothing inherently pretentious about art.

[nousd]

Humans are the only creature on Earth able to dance in rhythm. Others can do it to attract mates or as commuication (especially lizards, birds etc), but humans are the only animal that dance in time to music for pleasure. I'm becoming more and more of the opinion that spending as much of your time dancing as possible is a pretty good route to human happiness.

Man, that is so fucking insightful.
Belongs in Original Thought fred.

[uncle bill]

Asking what "meaning" life has is based on an assumption that like a chair, pen, car, book, church or nightclub a human life has a function or purpose. It doesn't. Or at least if it does we are capable as humans of identifying it in an objective way.

All you need to know is that you appear to have free will and the ability to shape some aspects of the world to your own preferences. That's a big responsibility. Use it wisely. Try not to fuck people over because they're just as important as you are even though they're annoying.

As for procreation, it doesn't sound like the best idea in the world until you've done it. And then you come home after 24 hours in a maternity ward and grasp what the rest of your life is for. And then go for a pint.

MAN IS NOT A CHAIR.

[faust.dtc]

Something that puzzles me is how human evolution is so drastically advanced compared to other animals. How have we managed to evolve in to such a 'superior' species but why havnt we then evolved into a new form in such a long time? What is stopping other animals from mentally evolving into an advanced species like us.

[Genevieve]

Humans are the only creature on Earth able to dance in rhythm. Others can do it to attract mates or as commuication (especially lizards, birds etc), but humans are the only animal that dance in time to music for pleasure. I'm becoming more and more of the opinion that spending as much of your time dancing as possible is a pretty good route to human happiness.

Well, humans are basically animals except more pretentious.

When it boils down to it, that is the only thing that truly sets us apart.

Think about it. O_O

I don't think I ever said we're not animals, of course we are, but no, this is wrong... Babies have no concept of pretention. Babies dance. Pretention is learnt behaviour that relies on being part of society (you can't be pretentious on your own!), dancing is instinctive and done whether alone or living in communities.

We are simply more complex animals than most... complex actions and motives like pretention are evidence of this complexity, not explainations of it.

I didn't disagree with the initial post, but I elaborated.

Pretension is part of the human mind. Humans are creative by nature. Artistic expression, for example, is the result of human pretension and people aren't taught to have the desire to be artistic, they just do to one degree or another. When you look at our closest relatives Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals, they are not artistic by nature -- nor are any of heidelbergensis' ancestors. Neanderthals did -- mindlessly -- repeat (some) art they saw from humans, but that's it. Humans, however, are born with artistic desires.

Art itself wouldn't be art without pretension. Generally useless personal displays of joy or satisfaction are pretty important parts of human behavior and society. We get joy of out pretension (i.e, art) because that's in our very nature. We make a big deal out of pretty much everything (including the dancing baby). We even give something like sound a special name merely because it's made by humans, as if it's more than sound. We call it music (sound + pretension = music). Though by its nature it's no different from the growl of a lion or the sound of a waterfall. Hence why humans are pretentious by nature.

Object + pretension = sculpture
Moving + pretension = performance art
Colors + pretension = visual art
Social interaction + pretension = drama
Sexuality + pretension = pornography

etc etc

This got more complex with time and thus, film and video games were born.

[uncle bill]

Something that puzzles me is how human evolution is so drastically advanced compared to other animals. How have we managed to evolve in to such a 'superior' species but why havnt we then evolved into a new form in such a long time? What is stopping other animals from mentally evolving into an advanced species like us.

We only involved that way because of a set of environmental factors that were specific to the human animal in a particular time and place.

Presumably the same set of circumstances has just never occured for any other species.

[did]

42.

[Dead Rats]

I have never experienced love

[spursingham]

42.

Already said that one.

[NilsFG]

42.

Already said that one.

Don't panic.

[Dead Rats]

42.

Already said that one.

Leave DID alone!

He might be a dirty Northern wankstain, but he's alright if you look past his ugly mug and burger van occupation.