- Jarred Figlar-Barnes
- Elma, WA
- United States
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Why are we here?
“It’s one of life’s great mysteries isn’t it? Why are we here? I mean, are we the product of some cosmic coincidence, or is there really a God watching everything? You know, with a plan for us and stuff. I don’t know, but it keeps me up at night.”
Ok, seriously though, why do we even exist at all. I know everyone has their own ideas including myself, religious or not, but can you put that idea or belief to the test? The test being why are we here, what is the reason we exist at all. And if you believe god created us, why does he exist. Similarly, if the big bang created everything, why and for what reason or purpose? I am rather curios to hear everyone else’s answer to this question.
Closing Statement from Jarred Figlar-Barnes
I think its clear below that we all have differing opinions on why we are here. I am very glad to see so much interest and discussion about this and I personally have expanded my own thoughts as to why we are here. I hope that everyone who's commented has also considered some of the differing view points too. Will there ever be a widely excepted answer to this question? Someday perhaps but I think for now, what each of us believe to be true is as good as knowing the actual answer. Thanks for your comments!
Colleen Steen 500+
I don't need to know "why" I am here....I only need to know that I "am" here NOW.
Can I put my belief to the test? Yes....in every moment of the life experience. We all create our reasons for existance....or not!
I am one lilttle drop in the ocean that is our world. My intent is to flow with everything that "is" in the moment, keeping in mind that I contribute to the whole....or not....it is a choice. What we choose to believe is a choice....how we put our beliefs into practice is a choice....how we live our lives in each and every moment is a choice. I do not need to know any more than that to sleep peacefully at night:>)
Roy Bourque 20+
Philip Tottenham
And anyway, what's with this misty-eyed "we" business? I'm with Jonathan Swift on this one -
"I am everywhere for the individual. For example, I hate lawyers, but love my solicitor"
Why are we here? Well, we are here, like travellers caught in a holding area. Now what? The world, or at least the holding area, is your oyster. Traditionally travellers in such a predicament tell each other stories. Have you heard the one about the three wise men? Topical, and seasonal.
Jarred Figlar-Barnes
--Socrates
I do believe that that is the quote your looking for.
Philip Tottenham
Swift also wilfully misquoted - whatever he actually said is in a letter to Alexander Pope, and sounds a bit less like Groucho Marx.
Scot Wilcox 10+
Kwang Khim Chua
Like I said, you go on your own journey while I go on mine, because as you have seen in so many debates be it in TedTalks or some where else, people will not agree.
What I do know is, I am living my life the way I have been programmed to do, just like the ants, the bees etc and I am impacting other peoples lives positively and that is what matters most to me.
Scot Wilcox 10+
Kwang Khim Chua
To understand why there are groups of human beings doing different things everyday instead of the same thing since we are all human, let me use an analogy to explain.
To me, different groups of humans are akin to the various types of cells in a tadpole egg; they may look the same structurally, but there is a group of cells in the egg that are programmed to eventually become the eye of the tadpole and another group of cells programmed to be the fin. I believe both these group of cells will never be able to see themselves as part of the tadpole. I don't think these cells will ever ask what their purposes are.
I don't think it serves me any purpose to find out my purpose in this world because I will never know and I am not programmed to discover the purpose; for me those who claim they know are to me mere speculation/conjecture.
Having said this, I do believe that there humans out there who are programmed to continue to want to discover where we are from .. I will just leave them to do so, while I continue my own "destined" journey.
Daryl Roche
As for the "we", neither you nor anybody else shall determine for me the why or purpose for my being here or anywhere. Nor I you.
Therefore the real question is -
Why are You here?
Jarred Figlar-Barnes
Random Chance 30+
This is only a moment and one can only be in the moment.
If there is a consciousness of some kind after death, then the only place one will be, is in that moment.
That's' all it is anyway, a conscious awareness of a now moment.
That's all we have yet many try to travel into the past (which doesn't exist) or travel in to the future (which doesn't exist), and just thinking one can do this creates or causes pain and suffering. You can't actually travel to either of those "places".
Nowhere is where we all are.
There is no place to go. There is no destiny. There is only consciousness now, or no consciousness now.
Nothing exists. Nothing at all. Everything just is.
And now the present,
Is, isn't.
Shon George
Toby Dustin
Same AsIs
If we succeed, we will destroy this planet as the last one by creating a black hole on its surface blowing up the planet sending us through space till we hit fertile soil again.
If the Earth succeeds in changing us we will live in eternity and enter a new phase in our existence...I call the trek years, but our creators have already sent a back up plan in case that happens.
So we fight them or destroy the earth along with ourselves...what would you prefer!
Robert Galway 20+
Mark Kurtz 20+
Your question has been asked by man since our earliest beginnings. A good question because it indicates a thinking mind. We possess much more information today, but still these questions stir us to greater curiosity to keep the conversation going over eons of time. Good!
We are here, not because of an accident of evolution, but because of an original mind, parent to our mind we enjoy for thinking, who conceived of a long term plan of growth. Man cannot design purposes for himself and simultaneously admit to not knowing all. If we were omniscient, we would not need the question. Being non-omniscient, we are forced to conjecture, supposition, wondering, gazing in awe, and appreciating the gifts of life, formulated outside ourselves.
Early man was harassed by beasts and other aspects of nature and he wondered, 'Who is tormenting me'? Thinking man with far more knowledge is stirred on by advancing philosophy, evolving religions and revelation. Evolution and revelation work together to bring man to higher levels of clarity and understanding.
The tests you request are best addressed internally through your thoughts which may be adjusted as you grow and by listening to others as they write and speak their understandings of life purposes. There is a plan that involves all creatures and that plan includes for man an eternal purpose of never ending joy and adventure. Life here is just the beginning.
Someone wrote here on TED a few months ago that persons who are adamant God is only imagination are also imagining the big bang. No evidence of it. The why we are here cannot be found in an imagination of a material bang event. The true answers of why are found by going inside oneself and listening for the higher reaches of value and purposes.
Keep thinking. Congratulations on your water and fish projects in Washington!!!!!
Barry Palmer 50+
Humans reached our maximum potential and fulfilled our existential purpose when we invented the chocolate doughnut. Enjoy them while you can. Happy New Year.
Lejan . 30+
And for restful nights, become agnostic, and you will sleep like a stone ... :o)
Gordon Barker 10+
We are here for no reason other than near by stars exploded causing shock waves in 2nd or 3rd generation star material that allowed the creation of terstrial planets around a rather unspectacular sun
Humans are here for no reason other than a big rock hit the earth 65 million years ago otherwise you would be a dinosaur pecking out your question using an opposible talon on a computer (probably not an Apple, more likely a Meat)
LIfe in general is here because there is energy to use and life will always find a way to use some energy left in the system. (this is in contrast to many members of my family whom apparently are not driven to use any energy at all)
E G 10+
I'm wondering how can a person with such perception (as long as he is enough aware of his perceptions) have a stable life : why not kill for example , because the star exploded ? so what ?
John Smith 30+
E G 10+
All I'm saying is that a certain view of life may cause instability (like the one above if fully understood) .
Gordon Barker 10+
I get my moral code from the same place that everyone else does. I create it myself. No one takes their moral code from any place or document, its always an internal source. They may claim otherwise but thats just because they are still afraid.
Your question indicates that you have never thought about it to any great depth because you have the same delusion many do, that morality is provided by an external source. It is not.
E G 10+
I'm just impling the good and the evil transcends us (not that the morality is provided by an external source or anything else ).............. why are we here ? look a part of our beings - the ethics that transcends us , then why you say there is no reason for our existence ?
What about you were created too ? by the people you lived with , by the culture of the country you live in...... what about it ? In the end you were created by the star , right ? why this ? or you just stop at the star moment ? What right do you have to do that ? (the people impotence to do that is not a reason) .
Gordon Barker 10+
Why do you feel that not having a reason to be here causes instant instability.
I decided a long time ago to change my world view to suit the evidence (to the best of my understanding) rather than hold on to outdated precepts regardless of how comforting.
E G 10+
In my opinion you did very well to change your world view to fit the evidence , but what you do when there are no eveidence ? or when you just get at the end of the line ? ...... this is the case with the question 'why are we here' ? right ? so what you do ? you just stop ? it seems so . Partialy that's why I"m feeling that not having a reason to be here causes instability .
'I'm here only because a star exploded long time ago' , how do you feel about it ? are you all right with it ? I'm not , it's too trivial ,it's too empty of importance ...... .
Gordon Barker 10+
The implication here is that you prefer a directed existence which is usually phrased as ...my creator has a plan for me
If this is the case, what do you do when you want this but the creator doesn't really talk to you so you don't know if you are doing what you are supposed to.
If you think your creator talks to you perhaps YOU should be looking for better evidence
E G 10+
Science ask questions, there will never be sufficient evidence to understand everything about us and our universe , I think at this point 'to believe' is the most right thing a person could do .
To just remain in the bounds the evidence creates , to not use the all capacities an human being have (like this wonderful ones ' to trust' , 'to have faith ' ) ......... to do this things is against science and unhuman .
pat gilbert 50+
John Smith 30+
Why does 1+1 equal 2? Why does pi equal 3.14...? Why do humans always need a reason behind something?
Kareem Fahim
Peter Law 30+
:-)
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E G 10+
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E G 10+
Your position is that there is no reason for existence and you backed it up with 'ask the goat' ..... something like 'why there is no reason?' , your answer 'ask the goat' .
You need reasons to can have an opinion , it is obvious ........ that's why what's really puzzling is why ' there is no reason' (may it be a purpose) .
Xavier Belvemont 30+
I think the idea of 'why' is a non-question because it covertly implies an unsubstantiated foundation (a purpose for existence) when theres no justification for that pretense.
Much like the question of 'what happens after we die?' Its not asking an intellectually honest question as Its already pointing to a conclusion that something must happen and thus, what is it?.. Its a flawed line of thought.
We should instead ask 'How', as asking and answering 'how are we here' would not only eventually give a legitimate answer at some point, but will inadvertanly explain the 'why' aswell. We should start here.
Gail . 50+
Within this energy field, that is unlimited potentials, the me that writes to you here is a sentient coordinate point. I experience this life of me as a result of my "choice". I chose to come to experience my potentials and in this way, evolve. I chose my parents and the core circumstances of my life. All that I learn as I participate in this human experience, becomes part of all that is, has always been, and will always be.
Whether or not this life experience is "real" or not is not relevant to my immediate purpose. (There are theories that life is an illusion)
Because I am "aware" that I am part of the energy field, I can tap into it and use the enormous creative power that it is, to manifest those things and situations that I want to appear in this life. (Think "The Secret" on steroids). This exposes more potentials from which I can choose from the probabilities in order to evolve.
In this physical life, I live within a time construct that appears real (though it is not as real as it appears). From the greater perspective, time is understood differently and it is not a linear progression (as quantum physics is now suggesting).
What powerful creatures we are. Too bad so many prefer to be vulnerable and powerless. (In this context, vulnerable means that those who believe in their vulnerability are vulnerable. I cannot be harmed by another unless I choose to believe that I am vulnerable. I don't choose that. This is something that I have tested.)
There is a growing number of people who have this worldview, however strange it may seem to most.
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Gail . 50+
Frans Kellner 100+
You're just one viewpoint within the cosmic being, among many only one way to exist.
The reason you are is because everything else that is.
Ken brown 30+
This is not my belief but i thought it fun to post it.
Maaher Sayeed 10+
Now that we are here and not here for ever... why not make it spectacularly fantastic and change things for the better as much as we can?