Existentialism

http://xkcd.com/220/

If the meaning of my life will have no meaning in the future, then the meaning of my life, essentially, is nothing. So my life doesn't mean anything.

And if my life has no meaning, then the meaning of my life obviously has no meaning. And so the cycle follows, and makes sense.

Which makes me wonder, is this true? Could my life have no meaning? What am I doing? What am I living for? Religion aside for a moment, is it not true that everything I own, everything I have made, everything I am...is it not true that everything will become nothing to me?
What use does a dead man have for millions of dollars? What use does a dead man have for fame? for influencing others? Their lives have no meaning as well (though they might disagree). So why seek to leave a name in a world that has no meaning? So seek material possessions that you will have no use for when you are dead? Why do anything, really, when everything, in the end, will be gone?

I guess a valid conclusion from this would be to "live for the moment." You do what's good for now, because when you're dead, nothing will matter. So might as well have your fun while you can right?

Thinking religiously, our selfish purpose would be to secure our place in heaven. That would mean obeying, following, and loving God. Which is cool with me because God makes good things happen (which is not to say bad things don't happen). So really our purpose in life...is defined by our religion, by our beliefs.

Which makes me wonder what atheists are thinking. Sure the idea of an supernatural being might be wacky, but what have you got to lose? What are you doing? What's your life going to be when you're dead? Will YOU care about thinking when you're dead? Of course not, you'll be dead! I guess rational atheists live for the moment and don't want to be held up by moral standards and religious commandments. Eh, I can see that. Fun is fun. And I would love to live for fun, but as you grow up, don't you get the feeling that life is about more than fun? Unless, of course, you don't get that feeling, and you figure your life will mean nothing in the next century anyways.

Why do we love our families? Why do you help out our friends? Why do we want to "leave our legacy" in this world? If there's no afterlife, it won't matter to us when we're dead. So are we doing it because it matters to us now? I guess that's an OK reason.

Who knows. Why do we get educated? Unless you're going to preserve my brain or give me the fountain of youth it will be gone in a hundred years anyway. Sure, maybe I'll further some area, or change some kid's life. But why bother? That kid's a goner too.

And so the cycle continues...and probably will until the end of human existence. We all do things that are relatively unimportant and insignificant... meh. I'm cool with that, I guess.

-ThienAn