LOL-well I screw up on the internet when I am tired too though I probably get even more terse and blunt. Sometimes I get over-explainy though. Maybe my secondary INFJ coming out. ;-) I understand what you are saying and I probably agree with most or all of it ( not going to fully commit myself after only one reading-lol) I have been atheist my entire life and I won't lie, at this point I am also anti-theism but just as there are great people and horrible people and all sorts in between who are religious, so there are with atheists. My instinct to to point out that anyone can find meaning in life, any religion, any atheist, has more to do with the fact that I'd enjoy a discussion on it than anything else. Though given what I know of you already I suspect I want that conversation in a nice cosy setting with lots of coffee. I would happily examine every point you've made and discuss it, agree with some and perhaps debate others. LOL and that would be my idea of a good time.
Of the atheists I know they are a mixed group in terms of whether or not they give much thought to the meaning of life. I think it is the S-types who tend to just get on with things and not spend too much time ruminating. For them, the meaning of life is to get your work done, be good to others, and in some ways it can look quite a bit like what we might think of as basic Christian values. The so-called Protestant work ethic. My S type parents see life as something that doesn't hold any meaning beyond well we are here so we should do the right things which are to look after others as best we can. The N types I now are more likely to get philosophical and think about all the whys and hows. The S types when depressed or not healthy tend to focus on what they don't have or can't have, have lost or haven't achieved. The N types get more abstract. These are just my own observations in a very small study group, of course. I have only encountered this depression over life having no meaning in fiction and have always suspected it's how the religious imagine an atheist might be if depressed. I have experienced depression myself. Never once did I think that life had no meaning and what's it all for. I don't expect life to have meaning. I expect myself to give it meaning. I think that is the atheist perspective. For someone of faith meaning comes from outside of them. For an atheist, meaning is something you make. If said atheist is having troubles making it that would seem more like a failure in herself and could certainly be depressing. If she is not very mature or is very seriously depressed she might be blaming everyone else for making her life miserable or feeling envy of others and thus hopeless. This can be quite existential it's just that it doesn't assume some sort of divine other or force that is beyond the human realm. If I were counselling an atheist with existential angst I would try to direct her back to making her own meaning, finding her purpose. This is different from a religious perspective which would counsel her to see the divine purpose.
That question, why don't people kill themselves because life has no meaning always makes me laugh. It is just an inability to see anything from more than one perspective. People find meaning outside of themselves or inside of themselves, from belief that meaning already exists and just needs to be revealed to them or from the belief that they must make it themselves. Anyone who has lost touch with this and has no sense of meaning is mentally unhealthy and needs help and compassion.
I am probably rambling. Anyhow, I think very highly of you so please know that if I accidentally come across poorly again. I am always worried that I will over-think my statement and make it worse and condescending by saying too much.
Oh good points! Thank you very much for explaining all of this to me. My life has been sorely lacking in people who hold different beliefs than my own, so I love opportunities to figure out other perspectives! I especially like your explanation of meaning coming from an external source or creating meaning.
I'm glad you got something from my ramblings. I would certainly enjoy a good in depth chat on this topic but it needs coffee and then maybe that would eventually become wine. I think nachos would be good too. I like some food with my deep thoughts.
I appreciate and admire how open you are to sharing your thoughts and listening to others. I know I can have strong opinions and come across as arrogant sometimes but really all I want is to collect and examine the ideas so I can find the best ones. There is a not passive aggressive smiley.
Intellectual conversations over coffee are the best! *gives you coffee-flavored nachos with alcohol effects*
And thank you. I appreciate your being open minded as well as your willingness to explain your perspective! This might just be one of the first successful conversations I've had with someone with opposing beliefs that hasn't turned into drama. *breathes sigh of relief* Haha it's funny you view smiley faces as passive aggressive, but I suppose it makes sense: after all, baring ones teeth in the animal world usually means aggression so ... *shrug*
Also, I apologize, OP, for cluttering your thread with this conversation! xD
Sorry but your reply is a bit stupid.
It'd be great to develop your point instead of projecting something that is wrong onto me. Saying I tell you what I want to hear is completely irrelevant since 1) I don't want particularly to be an INFJ, therefore the idea of being INFP do not particularly mind me 2) You're not inside of my head.
So please before making assumptions about someone you don't even know, think about it deeply. Or I'll start to believe the level here is extremely low.