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What to do when life is known to be pointless

Ezra

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What do you do when you suddenly realise that your existence is completely pointless? Quite simply, you live for a higher ideal. I had one of those moments today in the shower; I thought "what the hell; there is no point to life". Then I tried to come up with a solution. That was it; you live for something greater than your own preservation. Be it justice, helping the helpless, spreading the truth or giving people joy and happiness. It's the way you feel truly satisfied as a human being.
 

elfinchilde

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In response to the title thread:

Deny reality.

You build one of your own.

Justice, equality, freedom, love, whatever. After all, if life really has no meaning, what's to stop us from creating one of our own?

Perhaps that's why life was born pointless. So that we may create our own point and meaning.
 

The_Liquid_Laser

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The only life that one can truly say is pointless is their own. If you find your life to be pointless, then take steps to remedy the situation. Imagine what would give your life some type of point and then take steps toward achieving that goal.
 

Night

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I imagine relationships to higher ideals (religious; political; social; fiscal; etc.) likely began as a strategy to protect from immediate dangers in our ancestral environment.

This shared "parental" community model probably contemporarily functions as an intermediary system, engineered as a voicebox for many concerns that its members are either unable to personally negotiate or as a way to find comfort in unifying their ideology with like-minded peoples.

Many people enjoy enlistment within such an ideal as a way to elevate their personal identity; possibly to promote their nuanced belief while establishing (?) a deeper sense of personal importance.

So...to your question: what to do when one is without tangible existential connection?

Nothing.

Embrace pointlessness. Sincerely.

Your immunity will be your greatest reward.
 

elfinchilde

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^ That's the other way.

Pros and cons either way.

If you can adopt Night's method (which is essentially Buddhism--the concepts of annatta, anicca, and dukkha)--you will be at peace, and life exists as something for you to ebb and flow with. Not many can achieve such grace, though. And if one can't, the realistic danger is nihilism: a complete negativity that does not believe in life, or anything, and is bitter and cynical. When the real meaning is positive.

By doing things and identifying with a "higher ideal"--it would give a sense of purpose, and from there, one may find what one genuinely enjoys, and resonates with your soul. The caveat is that you may lose yourself in midst of all the action.

No way is right or wrong. It is simply who you are, and who you want to be.

And how you get from the former to the latter. Personality will guide which method is taken.
 

INTJMom

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What do you do when you suddenly realise that your existence is completely pointless? Quite simply, you live for a higher ideal. I had one of those moments today in the shower; I thought "what the hell; there is no point to life". Then I tried to come up with a solution. That was it; you live for something greater than your own preservation. Be it justice, helping the helpless, spreading the truth or giving people joy and happiness. It's the way you feel truly satisfied as a human being.
Exactly.
Life comes to seem more and more pointless, the more that we live to endlessly please ourselves.
I have heard it said many many times in my life that we must get outside of ourselves and serve someone else in order to feel real fulfillment, purpose and joy.
They say the way to get out of depression is to focus on someone else. While that's a little too simplistic, helping others or serving others does help.

I used to be exceedingly selfish when I was young. I never wanted children because I was afraid they would ruin my life. Instead, my children have made my life worth living because I have made it my aim in life to be their helper, their advocate, their whatever-they-need (not in a co-dependent way). I'm also preparing them for independence. If it wasn't for my kids, I would still be a very selfish person. God knew I needed them.
 

elfinchilde

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Exactly.
They say the way to get out of depression is to focus on someone else. While that's a little too simplistic, helping others or serving others does help.

that sounds about right. great insight, Mom. :)
 
R

RDF

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What do you do when you suddenly realise that your existence is completely pointless? Quite simply, you live for a higher ideal. I had one of those moments today in the shower; I thought "what the hell; there is no point to life". Then I tried to come up with a solution. That was it; you live for something greater than your own preservation. Be it justice, helping the helpless, spreading the truth or giving people joy and happiness. It's the way you feel truly satisfied as a human being.

INFPs can have the opposite problem. They can devote their lives to seeking high ideals and end up feeling spent down all the time due to overreaching. Real peace and satisfaction may come only later in life when they learn to take care of themselves a bit, focus on the sensory life around and within them, and interact with more directly with their immediate environment.

IOW, it depends on the personality type, the individual, and what stage of life you're at. Early in life, better use of the Auxiliary will provide solutions. Later in life (mid-life crises and that sort of thing) I would look to one's Tertiary and Inferior for added meaning. That's where each type will start finding answers to problems that sap their lives of meaning and elude quick resolution.

As a middle-aged INFP, I'm finding added meaning in Si and Te--getting more sensory and being more hands-on with life and my immediate environment.
 

Totenkindly

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What do you do when you suddenly realise that your existence is completely pointless? Quite simply, you live for a higher ideal.

Sometimes that is still difficult... because intellectually you are left thinking, "I'm just making up this ideal, it has no real life outside of me." It's easier to pursue something you can see bigger than yourself, outlasting yourself... but when it is all mortal, then interest even those sorts of goals can fade.

For a very long time I based my meaning in traditional Christianity. When everything felt pointless, I could just tell myself it wasn't a waste because of ideas I gleaned from the Bible about God, heaven, eternity, etc.

So I slipped into existential depression for a long while when that drifted away from me. I had nothing to cling to.

I don't know what changed for me. Maybe I just stopped caring about finding something "inherent" in the universe to follow. I just got to a point where I stopped evaluating my life in those terms.

What matters to me in this world?
What do I think the best way is to live?
What is worth living and dying for?
What could I give myself to without compunction?

I stopped focusing on whether I could justify my life's meaning as something eternal (as compared to mortal), and I just brought it back to me and my life. I realized I also did have values -- things that might not universally apply to everyone but did apply and have meaning to me -- and so I am allowing myself to pursue them.

I think trying to "tell oneself to find meaning" is sort of pointless, although a J has a better chance of pulling that off. P's are scanning the external world for truth; meaning and truth is found outside of them, not inside, generally. So you can't just pretend and lie to yourself.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

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I covered this in my blog, find 2 messages with word suicide.

What I didn't say that my #1 thing to do after wishing for death was to notice the merit of pleasurable emotions, that is, indulgence.
 

Totenkindly

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What I didn't say that my #1 thing to do after wishing for death was to notice the merit of pleasurable emotions, that is, indulgence.

That lasts for a little while. Until the experience becomes old hat. Then you need to find a new one to create the same level of pleasure.

And eventually, once you get used to THAT pattern, you see it goes nowhere too. (Well, at least I did.)
 

cascadeco

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Hmm...like Fineline brought up, I do think it depends on ones personality in terms of how one navigates this issue and the route one ultimately takes.

This issue (the pointlessness) was one of the factors for why I was in an existential/depressive slump several years ago, that took me a couple years to sort through. I ended up coming to a similar conclusion as Night -- just embracing it, and accepting it. And recognizing that I can create and do whatever I please, whenever I need to make changes. Who I am today doesn't have to be who I am tomorrow, and what I pursue today might not be what I pursue tomorrow. So for myself I think I realized a master plan wasn't going to work.

It did take quite a bit of time for me to reach that point, though. It wasn't an overnight process.

Edit: And ironically, life has become more meaningful and precious for me now that I have accepted the pointlessness. So my accepting the pointlessness has made things seem and become much less pointless....
 

Butterfly

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What do you do when you suddenly realise that your existence is completely pointless? .

Existence is not pointless.

The reason for existence is that we Find and Know the One God- The ONE TRUE REALITY. God says "I was a hidden treasure wanting to be discovered, so I created Creation".

He did not create everything in vain. There is a purpose.

The Golden Sufi Center - Anima Mundi

:)
 

Ender

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Existence is not pointless.

The reason for existence is that we Find and Know the One God- The ONE TRUE REALITY. God says "I was a hidden treasure wanting to be discovered, so I created Creation".

He did not create everything in vain. There is a purpose.

The Golden Sufi Center - Anima Mundi

:)

And for those who don't believe in god? or in my case, don't really care either way as to if there is a god or not?
 

zarc

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I don't know if I've ever thought of my life as being entirely pointless. I've certaintly thought of it as destructive as well as creative. Sometimes it's just nothing or startling when I "catch" myself in a strange moment ("I exist! :shock: Whoa!!"). Even when occassionaly upset/sad as a child, I might've immediately thought my life pointless and that it should've ended or never began. That never lasted, though. People who know me intimately, really two people, question me sometimes that I could be so elastic and that I didn't break myself or escaped. Maybe I found a better escape in my mind or through others or through Nature. No clue, silly kid that I was! :D

But someone/s made a point in creating my life, whether or not they value me for it or if I choose to value myself or my life. I don't find life pointless or created so. The point may've been trivial or angry or spiritual or hopeful to begin with. Eh. People began giving us meangings or meaning something to us as soon as they were aware of our existence (even in the womb). To each parental branch their own childlike-ish leaves, and hopefully the wind can blow us away... Again, on being depressed or whenever it should happen for me, I've always found it useful for the future, for self-reflection and reflection on others or ideas. I create meanings while I'm rooted in pain, whether it's wanting to create something better for myself or for others. I'm not entirely sure why but I enjoy it too, even while it's happening. I think once that happens, I move out of it quicker or into it deeper. Err. :doh: I also think I can find meaning in the smallest of objects, a dot on the wall, anything can snap me out of a mood and a new one is created.

Sometimes I peel them all away and just live silently (rather like elfie's Buddhist mentality :wubbie:). It can last moments, it can be random, or it can last a long time when I choose to meditate. I may have dissociated from the world and all I can find outside but I then begin living within. It's an entirely different living. And it can sparkle or just stop or I think it stops! :shocking:

Really, I don't really find life pointless if one keeps on existing. People make points of doing things to ensure they're living and keep on living, even if they view their life as ultimately pointless. Why do anything then? Even to sulk, even laying still, you're still doing something. It just feels like nothing. I guess life can be an illusion and we in turn can become deluded... It's just your value of what life means to you has changed when you view it as pointless, but it's still a worth as you're still existing. Even when we die, we meant something to someone/s-- or maybe even the sum of our life was seen as something unique to us as it was going, even if we define it as pointless in the end. We are points, even if others view/ed our lives as pointless. Maybe people don't craft meanings or view them the same way as I do or another does, but that's all subjective junk anyway. :D So, uh, the capability for making life mean something or finding it pointless (positively or negatively or neutral) will depend on the individual..

Now I shall chew on my tongue. :wacko:
 

Butterfly

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And for those who don't believe in god? or in my case, don't really care either way as to if there is a god or not?

Ones belief or disbelief in something does not change the Reality, the Truth.

You not believing will only lead you to be in darkness, wandering between the valleys of confusion. Lucky if for short time, unlucky if till your death. At death, we shall soon come to know the Reality. Then it would be too late!!
 

Totenkindly

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Ones belief or disbelief in something does not change the Reality, the Truth.

You not believing will only lead you to be in darkness, wandering between the valleys of confusion. Lucky if for short time, unlucky if till your death. At death, we shall soon come to know the Reality. Then it would be too late!!

:doh:

Yes... and again, what makes you SO convinced that your handle on the truth is the correct one?

That's the issue here. Not whether or not there IS a truth.

And the whole bit about being punished once you know the answer... How silly. You'd think Truth would understand the limitations of our knowledge and not condemn us to various holding vats in the afterlife based on our ignorance; it would want us to make an informed decision.

Hence... I'm glad you're happy and that you experience purpose in your life. That's a good feeling. I'm glad this belief works for you.
 

cafe

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There are a lot of different things you can do when you have come to the conclusion that life is pointless, I'd think.

You could kill yourself.
You could embrace it and live a live of nihilistic hedonism.
You could look for a point.
You could make up a point.
You could mope.
Probably there are many other things you can do.

I think it's best to mope a little, then look for a point. If you can't find one, make one up, but do not forget to sprinkle in a little bit of nihilistic hedonism because what fun is it without that?
 
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