The world is meaningless - Page 2

Eros · 03-07-2010, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Random Havoc

You're looking for an objective reason for a subjective thought pattern.. There isn't one. The point is the only person who has the right to assign any purpose to your life is you. Following someone else's lead is still a personal subjective choice that you have made, whether you know you've made the choice or not.

That doesn't really answer the question, though. Even if life is entirely subjective, we can still use logic to weigh two options from a relative point of view. Even if there is no meaning as to whether I choose to eat an apple or a bag of potato chips, I can still weigh the relative (or subjective) merits of each option.

What I'm looking for, is the reason for creating my own way of doing things as opposed to following someone else's way of doing things. This reason has to be objective. We are both human beings capable of rational thought, and therefore have common ground upon which reach a relative consensus upon.

What I would like to know then, is the relatively rational reasons why a system of doing my own thing is better, or makes me "freer".

JCC · 03-07-2010, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eros

That doesn't really answer the question, though. Even if life is entirely subjective, we can still use logic to weigh two options from a relative point of view. Even if there is no meaning as to whether I choose to eat an apple or a bag of potato chips, I can still weigh the relative (or subjective) merits of each option.

What I'm looking for, is the reason for creating my own way of doing things as opposed to following someone else's way of doing things. This reason has to be objective. We are both human beings capable of rational thought, and therefore have common ground upon which reach a relative consensus upon.

What I would like to know then, is the relatively rational reasons why a system of doing my own thing is better, or makes me "freer".

Existentialism is not a philosophy of moral choices, it is a presentation of the world as it is and how humanity reconciles its position with that world. The point of existentialism is not that you should choose to create your own meaning rather than choose to follow extrinsic purpose, but that there is no extrinsic purpose, and that there is no choice other than to create your own meaning. If someone lives a certain way and you choose to emulate it, that does not undermine existentialism or have any bearing on it whatsoever.

RavenHallows. · 03-07-2010, 07:27 AM

I wish I would believe words like that and feel happy about being just as meaningless as everything else and just enjoy whatever I make my life into, perhaps some day I will. Until then I just wish I wasn't so uselessly shy.

Eros · 03-07-2010, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCC

Existentialism is not a philosophy of moral choices, it is a presentation of the world as it is and how humanity reconciles its position with that world. The point of existentialism is not that you should choose to create your own meaning rather than choose to follow extrinsic purpose, but that there is no extrinsic purpose, and that there is no choice other than to create your own meaning. If someone lives a certain way and you choose to emulate it, that does not undermine existentialism or have any bearing on it whatsoever.

Ah, that makes sense.

Thank you.

Ben Lahnger · 03-08-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the-nihilist

How so?...

Well, for example, how does it prove to be self-serving if I take the time and energy to explain this to you.

kaddam · 03-08-2010, 09:55 AM

If anyone actually has a philosophy like this Ben wrote....

What I'm going to do is put a nice sharpened double edge knife in your hand and then leave. What you do with that knife I gave you after I leave is up to you...

TY 4 ur time.

the-nihilist · 03-08-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

Well, for example, how does it prove to be self-serving if I take the time and energy to explain this to you.

How should I know? I'm not you, and have no idea what you get enjoyment out of doing outside of what you post on this forum. Perhaps you're bored? Perhaps you feel very strongly about this particular subject and enjoy discussing it. Seems to me that if you had no interest in explaining it to me, then you wouldn't.

Alan · 03-08-2010, 03:00 PM

I find the pseudo-philosophical discussion of this thread highly offensive to my people.

Ben Lahnger · 03-08-2010, 04:41 PM

And how many of "your people" are reading this thread? And don't they know it's meaningless to do so! LMAO!

JCC · 03-08-2010, 04:56 PM

So I was reading Plato the other day as I usually do, you know, just loungin' with my copy of the Republic, which I've read many times because I'm a Philosophy student lightyears ahead of my troglodyte peers who haven't read nearly as much Plato as I, and I thought to myself, 'what is the origin of fear?', taking a brief pause from reading Plato to contemplate this metaphysical quandary. Naturally, I asked gothic.net, having placed down my Plato which I read often, what the origin of fear was, and found their responses to be entirely unbecoming of a Philosophy student that reads Plato, like I do, preferring mindless semantic squabbling (Plato loved it, I'm told, or rather I inferred from the Republic, one of the many Plato texts that I read often as I'm a Philosophy student lightyears ahead of any of my peers, you know. One time, a classmate didn't know something so asked what it meant! Naturally I put down my Plato, which I read often, to talk about it on Facebook, much to the riotous laughter of my adoring fanbase, before resuming my Plato-reading) over simple answers myself; it's the way of Philosophy students. Of which I am one. By the way, I read Plato. Quite often, actually, because I'm a philosophy student, way ahead of the total dummies in my class, I'm almost embarrassed to be with them. They couldn't quote Plato. I can.

Existentialism? Phoo-ee, pseudo-philosophical babble or what, am I right? Guys? Am I right? Guys?

I read Plato.

kaddam · 03-08-2010, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Lahnger

And how many of "your people" are reading this thread? And don't they know it's meaningless to do so! LMAO!

Not only I know it is meaningless to do so, but it must be so meaningful for you to post it that I responded. Plz look at me earlier posting. Either way this is an uber cycle of pwnage because you will keep stating it is all meaningless and I'll keep giving you the way out to stop the cycle...hint: all it takes is the right little slice in a certain right spot if it is all so meaningless...otherwise you just given me pwnage over you because by not ending the cycle you prove my point....it has a meaning.

Alan · 03-08-2010, 05:46 PM

So I mention once that I was reading Plato, as a way to imply just how mediocre my question was, and you take it as me boasting that I read Plato?
Yet you don't want me to feel 'lightyears ahead of my troglodyte peers', in this case you, and even worse you feel it somehow justifies pseudo-philosophical rambling?

My head hurts from so much stupidity.

HumanePain · 03-08-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan

So I mention once that I was reading Plato, as a way to imply just how mediocre my question was, and you take it as me boasting that I read Plato?
...

And don't forget to mention as an aside you're bisexual. lulz

Ben Lahnger · 03-09-2010, 08:45 AM

After JCC's and Alan's posts, I now see meaning everywhere.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to return to reading my Play-doh ... because reading the label of Play-doh cans, which I've read many times because I'm a physiognomy student lightyears ahead of my troglodyte peers who haven't read nearly as many Play-doh cans as I ... well, it renders them all just putty in my hands.