I saw some very popular posts that discuss the meaning of life in great detail. One in particular that caused upset was where someone suggested that suicide is not in the best interest of the ‘universe’ (?) and also doesn’t make man ‘move forward’. There is a lot of talk about society and the restrictions of it, and whether human life has a higher more spiritual meaning, or whether this is a one time only experience. Whilst I agree with the comments from the majority on one particular post that I fail to see how someone committing suicide is letting down any kind of progression of man or the universe (?), I would like to explain in detail, and in fact, why that is.
In an effort to enhance his ability to cope with his environment by understanding the nature of his existence, only man has developed the mental faculties to pose the question: Why am I doing what I am doing? If there is a purpose to life, how can I comply with it or how can I enhance it? Conversely, if there is no purpose to my life, if life is completely futile, if human beings wander around without a preordained meaning or purpose, why not succumb to the adversities of life and resolve all potential future conflicts by committing suicide? “To be or not to be, that is the question…”
What is it that imbues human life with a meaning or purpose during this process of creation? Can life acquire a meaning subsequent to the creation of life? Is this purpose located in the human body, or is it similar to a soul, ephemeral, without location and without any evidence of its existence? Where was the meaning of my life before I came into existence and where will my meaning go after my death? If we believe anything spiritual, then we are not of the body, the body therefore has no meaning, it’s just a vehicle for this particular plane.
Or is our existence, our life, nothing but a random event, the leaf blowing in the wind, the ripple in the stream? If we suggest that there is a meaning or purpose superimposed on human life, what is the mysterious power that imbues our life with such a purpose or meaning? If this obscure power does exist, how does it manifest itself? If this obscure power does not manifest itself to humans in any objective form, it does not exist as far as humans are concerned. Therefore, it cannot convey a preordained or predestined meaning to our life.
Biology defines human beings as animals. Do other animals have a meaning or significance attached to their life? If only human life has meaning, what is it that sets humans apart from other animals? The great apes are the first cousins of humans. Is there a meaning attached to their life? Does a cow, a pig or a monkey have a meaning or purpose ascribed to its life, except to serve as food for humans?
All life on earth must replicate under the auspices of the process of evolution. The driving force for this basic mechanism of life is the survival instinct, which, in turn, is rooted in the pain/pleasure principle. This principle can be stated briefly: Every living organism, including every human being, always acts in what it considers to be in its best self-interest: To avoid pain and to enhance pleasure. Only organisms that perceive a threat to their existence as an unpleasant emotion, a perception of pain, can survive and replicate. So our only purpose as a human is to do these things, and we have been doing these things very well, so much so that humans have over populated for this planet. So how can death possibly be of any detriment to our purpose or our moving forward? Â
If we are of the spirit and have a higher purpose, then how is the death of the body detrimental to anything?Â
In the same train of thought, how can the life of a human physically have any real purpose? The only purpose can be what has been listed above. We can’t change that system of things, it’s nature, and we certainly can’t change anything in the ‘universe’ so that comment particularly baffled me.
However you look at this subject, there is no reasonable and intelligent argument to say that death matters at all, except to the emotions of those that the death affects.
1 comment
I best like when you say ( This principle can be stated briefly: Every living organism, including every human being, always acts in what it considers to be in its best self-interest: )
This actually answers other regularly posed questions on here about society. The above is true, it’s fact, and so the society is the majority (which it is). Yes, a few people do not like society and struggle and maybe even die, but that is also meant to happen then? Seen as anything that upsets the majority, the society – is a threat, a hindrance – not needed. Depressions, mental upset and even suicide is expected then, as obviously not everyone can fit into society, just the majority and that’s all that’s needed to evolve.