Deep thinking on display today! If I'm feeling flippant I answer this question with the Fishbone Oath, to wit: "I solemnly swear to have a good time, ALL the time, because if I am NOT having a good time, I am WASTING my time AND my money here tonight!" If there is some "purpose" to life (a proposition I heartily doubt) I presume it's to make more life, something I have chosen, and indeed worked hard NOT to do. To the extent that I have some purpose (beyond the aforementioned good time) then it seems kind of obvious that it's to make music. That's the only thing I've ever been particularly good at and the only thing I am consistently driven to do regardless of my (relative) lack of commercial success at same.
Wow, what a question this is. It's been pondered by so many philosophers over the ages. I see myself as part of the evolution of the universe. Billions of years ago, the universe sent out particles at the Big Bang, and existence has been evolving to where we are today. It is really incredible when you think about it. I do not believe there is a purpose to this universe. It just IS.
Now, since the question is a personal one, I believe my purpose is to leave this planet a little better than I found it. I think the universe would be happy with that.
I believe that my purpose is to be generally curious, to understand as much context as I can and muster some comprehension of reality’s messy complexity. Though, I admit this statement is based on a few factors in my immediate life. Primarily a feeling that I cannot tackle a more precise goal like “quell climate change with my might alone” and that my autistic brain seems to filter and focus incoming sensory experience less.
I have read that our time on this planet can be thought of as attending "Earth School." It certainly has been and continues to be for me, at the age of 84, a never-ending education. I've learned that the more I know, the more I realize I don't know. So I view my time here as a necessary part of my evolving into becoming a more perfect soul. I also choose to believe in reincarnation. So we'd better not wreck the planet, because we will be returning someday to live in whatever we've created now.
This is a question I imagine most people believe they know the answer to, but are unable to put it into words. I suppose my purpose is to live with a degree of curiosity whilst doing a job that interests me and permits interaction with people that furthers my curiosity and enables the exploration of curiosity outside of work. In addition to this I want to say 'lead a good life' but as that's subjective it's something I'm making up and developing as I go along.
I've long had some version of the following statement as my bio on various platforms: "Strong believer in the exchange of ideas in service to serendipitous inspiration." That gets at my purpose, although the specific form that exchange and inspiration take evolves over time. In a current iteration my clients are looking for better tools and practices for their management and leadership, so that is what I exchange and the improvement of their work lives is what is inspired.
Deep thinking on display today! If I'm feeling flippant I answer this question with the Fishbone Oath, to wit: "I solemnly swear to have a good time, ALL the time, because if I am NOT having a good time, I am WASTING my time AND my money here tonight!" If there is some "purpose" to life (a proposition I heartily doubt) I presume it's to make more life, something I have chosen, and indeed worked hard NOT to do. To the extent that I have some purpose (beyond the aforementioned good time) then it seems kind of obvious that it's to make music. That's the only thing I've ever been particularly good at and the only thing I am consistently driven to do regardless of my (relative) lack of commercial success at same.
Wow, what a question this is. It's been pondered by so many philosophers over the ages. I see myself as part of the evolution of the universe. Billions of years ago, the universe sent out particles at the Big Bang, and existence has been evolving to where we are today. It is really incredible when you think about it. I do not believe there is a purpose to this universe. It just IS.
Now, since the question is a personal one, I believe my purpose is to leave this planet a little better than I found it. I think the universe would be happy with that.
I believe that my purpose is to be generally curious, to understand as much context as I can and muster some comprehension of reality’s messy complexity. Though, I admit this statement is based on a few factors in my immediate life. Primarily a feeling that I cannot tackle a more precise goal like “quell climate change with my might alone” and that my autistic brain seems to filter and focus incoming sensory experience less.
Also, fun and challenging prompt!
I can distill my meaning into "making cool shit with cool people" 💜 or "actively searching for meaning as rebellion to an absurdist world"
I have read that our time on this planet can be thought of as attending "Earth School." It certainly has been and continues to be for me, at the age of 84, a never-ending education. I've learned that the more I know, the more I realize I don't know. So I view my time here as a necessary part of my evolving into becoming a more perfect soul. I also choose to believe in reincarnation. So we'd better not wreck the planet, because we will be returning someday to live in whatever we've created now.
I have thought about this a lot recently and I have come to the conclusion that I have no idea what my purpose is.
This is a question I imagine most people believe they know the answer to, but are unable to put it into words. I suppose my purpose is to live with a degree of curiosity whilst doing a job that interests me and permits interaction with people that furthers my curiosity and enables the exploration of curiosity outside of work. In addition to this I want to say 'lead a good life' but as that's subjective it's something I'm making up and developing as I go along.
I've long had some version of the following statement as my bio on various platforms: "Strong believer in the exchange of ideas in service to serendipitous inspiration." That gets at my purpose, although the specific form that exchange and inspiration take evolves over time. In a current iteration my clients are looking for better tools and practices for their management and leadership, so that is what I exchange and the improvement of their work lives is what is inspired.