While it's a mentality I've had for most of my adult life, my opinion and thoughts on life have really come into focus as I've marched into my thirties. And I want to preface this blog by saying that I'm not depressed or sad at all. I'm actually happier at this point in my life than I've probably ever been. So no concerned emails or phone calls, please.
I am absolutely of the belief that life, as a whole, is completely meaningless.
I suppose I subscribe to the existential nihilism philosophy, although I don't really like putting tags or labels on it. Existential nihilism is the theory that life has no real meaning or value. I don't believe life has no value; I'm sure that if you asked someone that was diagnosed with cancer, or that had been through a life threatening car crash they'd beg to differ. It's easy to say that a life has no value until someone/thing threatens to take it away. I think your life is the most valuable thing you'll ever have in your possession. But I do think that it has no real meaning. And that's a really good thing.
I look at a life like a blank sheet of paper. You've been given this sheet of paper to do with it as you will. And you have a lifetime to find whatever it is you want to write with, and you can write with it whatever you want. I don't like the idea of destiny or fate, because in my eyes, that means someone has already decided what you're supposed to write on your sheet. It's nobody's decision but yours, what you do with that paper.
There's practically no wrong way to use your paper. You can fill it with art, education, sports, family; whatever you want. In my opinion, as long as you aren't hurting anyone else, you're free to do what you like. And at any point, you can decide to stop filling the page with something, and start filling it with something else. That's the beauty of life, there's no wrong answers. It doesn't matter.
When I say life is meaningless, I look at it as a way to stay calm and be happy. Nobody knows why we're here. Maybe God put us here, maybe this is all a simulation, there's a million theories. I like not knowing. Because as far as I'm concerned, there is no real reason we're here. In the grand scheme of the universe, mankind is entirely irrelevant. Hardly a blip on the radar. And with that belief in mind, I look at life as a giant vacation. Your life is yours to do whatever you want with. You owe it to yourself to fill your sheet of paper with whatever makes you happiest. I preach it on here all the time, but do what you want with your life. Forget what people think, or what others have told you you should do. Do what makes you happy.
I don't know what exactly I'm trying to say with this blog. I guess in the end, I just feel like there's no wrong way to "do" life. (Again, as long as you're not hurting anyone else. Don't mess with anyone else's paper, just focus on you). To say life's meaningless is to say it's without direction; you can go any way you want. And change direction anytime you want. Don't let life bring you down, or trap you. There's infinite possibilities out there.
Decide what it is you want to draw on your sheet of paper, and get after it. Anything goes. And if you've filled your sheet with stuff you don't like? Just flip it over and start again on the other side. It just doesn't matter.
Life is good, guys. Enjoy it.
Adam
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