Good question. Important to consider, I think. First of all, it is very short. So my goal is to enjoy every single minute of it to the greatest extent possible. So I have created a pretty good balance, I think. I own my own company and work just enough to make a good living, one that affords me the opportunities to enjoy my life. Being my own boss also means I don't ever have to work too hard. Having gone through the corporate grinder, I've seen what it takes to not only get to the top, but to stay there. Not for me. I am very happy near the upper-middle or that whole mess. Even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat. At the same time, it is very important to me to make sure that my fellow humans get to do the same so I try to live my life in such a manner that does not infringe on theirs. Don't harm me, I won't harm you. We get 60 or 70 good years on the planet if we're lucky, so life is really too short in my view to lay my trip on someone else or get all bent if not everyone sees things my way. That's about it.
Since I can do no other than to live it and die, I must consider that life only exists because it can.
I'm sure it will generate more responses soon. At least until the concept of nihilism enters, after which it'll turn into the "I'm a nihilist? No, you're nihilist" type of discussion
It doesn't have an ultimate meaning if that's what you mean. Such a meaning could always be countered with "so why is that your meaning?". I make my own meaning. It might not be as satisfactory as thinking God wants me to do specific stuff, but I don't assume that nature strives to make me satisfied. The meanings I do have are based in my humanity. To some extent, it is personal pleasure, to some extent, it is investing time in doing something useful for later, to some extent it is treating others in a way that my reptile brain tells me we will live happily together. Right now, it's discussing things on the internet to exercise my brain, learn of the world and other's view of it, and staying off getting bored.
to live in nature there is this 'emergent property' that many within physics do not understand except to acknowledge that it is a fact of nature when coming across it within the labs of science (basically everywhere). it is perfectly observed within living processes. I find the property reveals the law breaking of nature itself. It literally reveals itself as non conforming to the description of the 2nd law of thermodynamics. To combine the concept to natures living things and a philosophical description then it enables a comprehension; 'life; purposed to continue' meaning; Once started (in process) a life, intends to continue, naturally. from basic consumption, to cell division, to procreation, the nature of life is 'to continue'............. naturally. So what is the meaning of MY life? To continue! (to live) most ALL (rational) descriptions can be drilled down to it as well; for example; to teach (giving of self for others to think) to work to 'raising my children' anything people 'do' can be rationalized to the understanding that each are "doing" for it 'to continue' over time my overall scope; to enable mankind to understanding ie.... the pinnacle of evolution; existence (mankind) comprehending itself
I'm not trying to trap anyone. I just want to know what people think the meaning of their lives are, at this moment, as that is all anyone can hope to answer. That's why I phrased the question the way I did, rather than asking the rather meaningless "What is the purpose of life?" or "What is the meaning of life?", both of which are prescriptions for others. I have contempt for those clichés. Thank you for your answer, by the way.
I give my own life meaning, it is what I make it. I don't need a poorly written fairy tale, or the thought of a judgmental fairy in the sky to give it meaning or purpose.
Beyond that, what meaning do you give it? The question already implicitly asserts that meaning is self-driven. Even religious people assign meaning to and interpret their lives through a personal lens.
