The Meaning of Life
SPOILER ALERT!
There isn’t a universal meaning of life. We are born, we’re alive, we breathe, we eat, we sleep, we poop, we mature enough to procreate, we procreate, we raise our progeny, and we eventually die.
So, there are billions of religious people who think that the meaning of life is to serve their god(s) in the best way possible – in Judeo-Christian religions, this means being a nice good boy to your father (God) so he doesn’t burn you for eternity (though, if you are a good boy, your father decides to rape you anyways in some sects).
Some, particularly nihilistic academics, will point out that the meaning of life is to create more life – reproduce.
But I reject these ideas. While I will unabashedly admit that there is no higher “meaning” to life, we do have a purpose, though many seem to confuse the two words and use them interchangeably, which is understandable considering how “meaning” is used in reference to the divine, and “purpose” seems to connote a devotion to a religion. Our purpose in life, however, can be done and accomplished by anybody, and probably has been accomplished by everyone on the planet.
The purpose of life is simple: achieve happiness, however you want (within a few boundaries, of course).
You may think, “Leap, that’s so bloody simple! How could it be the purpose of life?”
It’s because that’s all we have to do on this planet, as far as I can tell. Pleasure is positivity manifested in our bodies, isn’t it? Well, let’s achieve pleasure all the time, then, because all we want is positivity in our lives (unless you’re of a particularly masochistic bent), or at least as much as possible.
Seriously guys, just think about it. And while you’re at it, go do something that makes you happy. That’s the step towards living a fulfilling life.
The 59 Second Minute 
January 27, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I read this a few days ago, and have been pondering since. While you and I approach things from a slightly different angle, I do agree with your conclusions. I think each of us, achieving happiness has a beneficial effect on our world, too, and therefore is even useful…but that’s me. 🙂 Thank you for the thoughtful post.