Discussion Is Life Precious?

[AngelTear]

You see the title

Is life precious or is that something we just tell ourselves so we feel like we have a purpose?

Is there actual meaning in the world or again, is it just something we make up so everything has a meaning?

 

[Intoxicated]

Life is just a game like GTA. You may like it or not. That's it.

 

[Forever Sleep]

To some I'm sure it can be. I suppose I've had very brief moments where I've felt love, belonging, joy. In those moments- I could envisage that if at least some of life were like that- it could well feel like something to be grateful for and to think a precious thing. I just think it depends on a person's experiences. I'm not sure people say it without meaning it though. At least to some extent. Why would they?

 

[Unlucky777]

Under some circumstances yes it can be very precious.

EDIT for clarity: I once thought life was very precious up until my 30s and that we were very lucky to experience life, including the joys and pains.

Now in mid 40s? I think life is a curse. I don't want to be here anymore. I wish I could just disappear or wish I never existed.

 

[overthehill]

Others sure as fuck don't act like it. Nobody cares about people like us. We're gutter trash, especially the men. Do you know how many of us could be saved with a kind word here and a heartfelt hug there? Yet nobody does anything. Instead they say that websites like this one should be shut down. Huzzah, the only place where lonely losers could meet kindred spirits is shut down and now they're more isolated than ever! Surely this will make everything better!

 

[anhedonic_moron]

personally, no. i don't find life to be precious at all but that doesn't mean that nihilism is a bad thing. in fact i find that nihilism is the best case scenario. that finally reaching the conclusion that life truly is meaningless is liberating in a way. coming from a religious family (am not specifying because I am afraid that it would shatter someone's entire life's illusion) i have learned THE supposed purpose of life and having thought about it further reveals it to be nothing more but a nothingburger. that even with my faith, it is meaningless. which is why that although i understand why people are scared for the fact that life is meaningless, for me i still find it baffling. idk

 

[WeDontKnowTheFuture]

That's one of the question that sometime prevent me to decide if i should go with suicide or not, i feel like putting an end to my life is a big deal, it's putting an end to my very being and all that characterize it and it sound grave to me. However, what if all that was just a construction of my mind and his will to live ? Eventually suicide could be seen as a neutral thing wich does not involve so much at least for the person commiting it.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

To me Life is extreme torture, a hell a trillion times worse than the worst thing one can imagine

Only eternal Non-existence is the opposite of evil life and this evil world

So Non-existence forever is as good and beautiful as that worst hell = life is bad, as the most extreme torture is bad

The horrorible things far outweigh any garbage they say is so good

For example any human can can get most of their skin burned off in a fire and remain alive. The pain of the burning is unimaginable. What is worth that nightmare : watching a shit click bait "enjoyable" video, eating a fucking sandwich, reading a crap "entertaining" social media post? Not to me not by a longshot

 

[OnMyLast Legs]

Under some circumstances yes it can be very precious.

EDIT for clarity: I once thought life was very precious up until my 30s and that we were very lucky to experience life, including the joys and pains.

Now in mid 40s? I think life is a curse. I don't want to be here anymore. I wish I could just disappear or wish I never existed.

Schopenhauer said life was like walking up to the stage in a theater and seeing ever more clearly that it's just cardboard cut outs

 

[badatparties]

Subjectively, sure, it can be precious if that's the meaning you assign to it. Objectively, probably not. Religions consider life sacred because the all powerful sky daddy said so

Humans sure don't act like it because we are currently engaged in several genocides around the world. We look at each other lower than dog poo. If life doesn't consider itself sacred, then what the fudge is all this talk about sanctity?

If life was sacred, we wouldn't even have to ask the question, it would be apparent to everyone.

 

[overmorrow]

not really no

 

[FuneralCry]

No, never to me existence just feels like the opposite, I see existence as the most dreadful, terrible mistake that just causes harm and suffering with no limit as to how much one can be tortured and I could never see a point to any of this rather it's just pain and suffering all for the sake of it and I wish I never suffered more than anything, I find it the most terrible tragedy how this existence was imposed causing all this endless suffering as a result, all I want is to be gone, I'll just always prefer to not exist than suffer.

 

[WhatCouldHaveBeen32]

Life as it is now is not precious. Life could be precious, life could be sacred, people could've choose to give birth only when necessary, to keep populations low, to cry when someone is born and to laugh when someone dies, that is not our life, not our reality.

Even a blind man would agree that life is SHIT either way BUT ITS WAY MORE SHIT because of the choices we made, it can never be precious because we have made it into a gambling simulator instead of acting like humans and actually using our intelligence.

I think human conscience is the worst kind there is and if there are any other conscious beings they would likely agree, a primitive, sadistic and hedonistic animal that gains conscience but doesn't eliminate the animal aspect from itself is doomed to not go past the great filter, I genuienly think that, just think about it, a monkey killing another monkey for something only creates destruction in a 1x1 meter area, the monkeys get injured they draw blood, earth around them gets moved around, some insects might die in the forest by the monkey falling on them, you get the idea. Humans doing the same with one another is similar BUT nation wide, it destroys the ENTIRE world. That's the filter in my opinion that we haven't managed to pass, our animalistic tendencies which we gave weapons capable of destruction that far exceeds our mind.

And I think that the right choice was to just stop pursuing it, unironically, we weren't made for it but we have an ego, we have something to prove so instead of taking our seat as a conscient being that tries to help other animals, that knows it's place, that is happy and becomes humble we became even more egoistic in a quest for whatever the fuck humanity desires.

Life on our planet is not precious, we slaughter, we rape, we relish in all of it, we have squandered the option of life being precious, it's something that is way behind us, a path not taken that would have ended in a wall, sure, but it would've ended in peace rather than endless pursue for power and domination.

We were a mistake.

 

[Unknown21]

I think it depends on your circumstances.. some people live it on the hard mode.

 

[starryend]

To some people they have a lot to cherish in their lives, others simply don't.

 

[camusfan_ig]

To a lot, it is. My personal philosophy is heavily inspired by absurdism (if you couldn't tell... I AM named "camus_fanig" afterall), where it basically accepts that, yes, may not have any inherit meaning, but that doesn't matter. Embrace the absurdity of life, all it's ups and downs. Like Camus himself once said; the struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart.

Even if one day I believe/lean to a different philosophy, I think I'll always keep this in mind. It's... very freeing. There are certain days I believe it more than others, but it will always hold a place in my heart.

So, I think life is precious if you assign it to be.

 

[StrawberryBlood]

Yes. Life itself is. What we humans have made of it is not. We have made it painful, grueling, boring, empty, and meaningless. All in the name of convenience. Greed and Sloth. How tired.

 

[PI3.14]

It depends on who you ask, their answer might also be influenced by their circumstances, those with a good life are less likely to hate life than those with a bad one.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

At least in the sense that you get one of it and therefore deep reflection is warranted when it comes to the decision to quit it, yes it is.

 

[Alive42long]

Honestly, I think that the life of loved ones for me are precious. Even the ones of some people I don't know, the ones writing on this site for instance, are utterly precious.

I can't think the same of my own life though. Sometimes I get obsessive thoughts about hurting myself and dying painfully. I just can't bring myself to love my own life and being.

 

[Forveleth]

I do not think life is "precious". All living things are just tiny cogs in a giant machine that was turning long before life got here and will keep turning long after it is gone (on this planet, at least). Even as individuals, we are here to make more copies of ourselves to ensure the survival of the species because life has evolved in such a way that that is the priority. I do not think the human race particularly needs to continue existing, nor do I think that any single individual out of the current 8 billion matter in the grand scheme of things.

 

[doomedforsure]

nahhh not really

 

[itsgone2]

It depends on who you ask, their answer might also be influenced by their circumstances, those with a good life are less likely to hate life than those with a bad one.

Do you think, for the most part, it comes down to having money, or not?

I feel that way right now. There would be exceptions to the rule. Not many.

 

[SpencerSees]

Only if you want it to be.
We're all born without a reason. Maybe two people loved each other a lot, wanted to start a family, or just wanted to have fun without the proper precautions. None of those explain why *you* were born, and not anyone else.
If you find your passion,something to live for, boom your life is precious. But it isn't by default. As bad as this sounds, there are probably people exactly like you out there, so you'll just have to try to be different. It is exhausting, especially since none of us asked for it. I'd say it's cruel, but that would imply intent to harm. The universe has no intentions. It's not good or bad, it simply is.

 

[PI3.14]

Do you think, for the most part, it comes down to having money, or not?

I feel that way right now. There would be exceptions to the rule. Not many.

There isn't a single answer tbh, there are people with extreme wealth, and are depressed and suicidal.

However, lacking money, or enough of it, puts a huge stress in one's life, and constant stress can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts.

If you're currently feeling that lacking material stuff like money is what is causing you to be depressed, then you're probably right.

I'm on the same boat as you, my depression stems from unmet needs, socioeconomic and whatnot, so taking pills and doing therapy didn't help at all, which was to be expected tbh.