If You Are Here on Accident, Can You Still Have a Purpose for Being Here?

[Bitter Creek]

Philosophical Question.

If you are in the camp that believes that the world, solar system, (everything) is basically the result of a huge cosmic accident. Then does it also follow that you and your children are here on accident? And, if you are here and your children are here on accident, is there anyway for you and your children to have purpose?

It seems like if the foundation is an accident then everything built upon it would be as well.

 

[Cowpoke]

I guess you could believe that whatever thing that guides fate was also created by that big cosmic accident.

Or that fate dealer was picking his nose when the petri dish feel over and saw the cool mess it made and has been playing with it ever since.

 

[Ostatedchi]

I think your initial construct is incorrect. It doesn't follow that any subsequent action post-accident would then also be accidental and meaningless.

 

[HighStickHarry]

The beauty of the simplistic hsh philosophy is that it needs no foundation.

If you believe in god's plan or not, the idea is more of an outline or a general rule.

Your "purpose" is to make the best out of every situation and to make the lives that you touch as pleasant as you possibly can. It doesn't matter what specific plan you think is out there for you, because this "everything happens for a reason" nonsense justifies every barbaric act that led up to your existence. If it wasn't for hitler there would be no baby boom or war heroes etc etc. The free will of other people resets the "plan" an infinite amount of times per second. It is our sole job to make things as wholesome and mutually beneficial as logic will allow.

All of us have millions or billions of syblings that ended up in a napkin or a sock somewhere. The fact that we exist, especially in this country in this time is the equivalent of winning the lottery 100 times in a row. Is that random or an accident or destiny? I don't know and I presume no one outside of Edgar Cayce does either.

The secret to life is one thing.

- curly "city slickers"

To me the one thing is the golden rule.

If the golden rule doesn't work then you can use the platinum rule I made up and treat people the way they are treating you but that can create headaches. You have to know what you are doing with that one.

 

[HighStickHarry]

Btw I use my special purpose as much as possible and have ever since I figured out what it was used for.

See one navin r Johnson

 

[Bitter Creek]

I think your initial construct is incorrect. It doesn't follow that any subsequent action post-accident would then also be accidental and meaningless.

This is kind of what I am mentally trying to hash out. You certainly understand my question it sounds like.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

From a Christian/"religious" perspective, I;d highly recommend this book relative to the subject:

Amazon product ASIN B002RLBKEA

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

ps -- it doesn't say what you probably think it says...

 

[Rulz]

I was an accident. My dad told me so.

 

[Ostatedchi]

Let's take your macro question to the micro and see if it still holds?

You are in a traffic accident and die. Yet your organs are donated and save 6 other people. Did your life have meaning? I'd say it did to those people who are alive now because of you. Does it have to have any greater meaning than that? I say it doesn't.

We are all just ripples on a pond. Some make a bigger splash than others. But we all eventually level out over time.

 

[squeak]

Philosophical Question.

If you are in the camp that believes that the world, solar system, (everything) is basically the result of a huge cosmic accident. Then does it also follow that you and your children are here on accident? And, if you are here and your children are here on accident, is there anyway for you and your children to have purpose?

It seems like if the foundation is an accident then everything built upon it would be as well.

Agree.

 

[MegaPoke]

Philosophical Question.

If you are in the camp that believes that the world, solar system, (everything) is basically the result of a huge cosmic accident. Then does it also follow that you and your children are here on accident? And, if you are here and your children are here on accident, is there anyway for you and your children to have purpose?

It seems like if the foundation is an accident then everything built upon it would be as well.

After losing be best friend in 2013, I gave a lot of thought to this. Full on existential crisis kind of thought. Spiritually I feel solid with Christianity but I needed purpose and reasons for this life on this rock.

At one time I believed simply that everything does happen for a reason. But so many things that happen are shitty and so many reasons seem random, that my philosophy evolved.

I have come to believe strongly in the power of attraction. If you aren't familiar with it, google it. Basically it is the idea that like attracts like. You focus on worry and fear and you attract worrisome and fearful things and people. You expect success and things and people come into your life that facilitate that purpose.

Is it some universal energy thing or simply the idea that expecting success or a certain path leads you to make decisions that attract people and opportunities to follow that path and that you are open to recognizing them? Fate or simply a complex series of choices, consequences and sensitivity to options?

Don't know. But if not EVERY THING happens for reasons over which we have no free will, it seems to be the next best explanation for things that truly seem purpose driven.

Coincidences which seem too unlikely to be possible in personal relationships or business opportunities that seem to fall into your lap, how to explain them? I think these things happen (more) when you are purpose driven and don't (as much) when you aren't. Some of it may have a spiritual basis (or not) but I do think a lot of it comes from the personal conviction that you'll attract the right person or succeed in your field simply because you deserve to and your choices and actions will lead to it.

It helps to have a high tolerance for ambiguity in my opinion.

 

[Alpha Poke]

What if the Greeks would've had Viagra? Would existence ever be pondered if there was no lag time between columns?

 

[Orange Jennyslipper]

And, if you are here and your children are here on accident, is there anyway for you and your children to have purpose?

It seems like if the foundation is an accident then everything built upon it would be as well.

I can agree if you replace "accident" with "random." The word "accident" implies that one action was intended but another happened instead. I may be wrong, but I think "random" is closer to what you meant.

The "purpose" in peoples' lives is determined by those people themselves.

They are free to believe that that purpose comes from whereever they please, but it comes from within. They may choose to believe that some higher power has laid out a path for them to follow, but the choice to follow that path, indeed, the very existence of that higher power, came from within.

We make our own choices, we choose our own paths, we invent ourselves and our purposes as we go.

 

[Bitter Creek]

I can agree if you replace "accident" with "random." The word "accident" implies that one action was intended but another happened instead. I may be wrong, but I think "random" is closer to what you meant.

The "purpose" in peoples' lives is determined by those people themselves.

They are free to believe that that purpose comes from whereever they please, but it comes from within. They may choose to believe that some higher power has laid out a path for them to follow, but the choice to follow that path, indeed, the very existence of that higher power, came from within.

We make our own choices, we choose our own paths, we invent ourselves and our purposes as we go.

Kind of like the saying, "we choose our destiny and call it fate". True?

 

[Bitter Creek]

I have come to believe strongly in the power of attraction. If you aren't familiar with it, google it. Basically it is the idea that like attracts like. You focus on worry and fear and you attract worrisome and fearful things and people. You expect success and things and people come into your life that facilitate that purpose.

This reminded me of this phrase from "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen:

The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires - and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own"

 

[Orange Jennyslipper]

Kind of like the saying, "we choose our destiny and call it fate". True?

Mmm. Kinda. I agree with the general sentiment. We do tend to blame forces beyond our control for our own missteps.

"Destiny," to me, implies some power outside ourselves that has chosen what will eventually become of us -- something beyond our understanding or control. "Fate" is a tough word, too. It, again, implies an event controlled by some force outside ourselves.

I don't believe any power has outlined my life or purpose. Those are up to me. Good and bad things happen to us every day. But there's no man behind the curtain pulling levers and ropes that determine every minute of my day and night.

Instead, we chose a path that will lead us to our chosen purpose. Our purpose might be to be a great father, a philanthropist, a teacher who influences hundreds or whatever. How, or if, we achieve that purpose is determined by our chosen path.

We could be "destined" to a life of misery and no purpose if our choices are bad enough. A lifetime of booze, hard drugs and thuggy friends fulfill no purpose, but they are all our choices, not destiny, not fate and certainly not imposed by a supernatural power.