Purpose of Life
Let us assume that the purpose of our existence is X, and we don’t know anything about X at the time of birth. We are also given a time frame T (time until death) to accomplish X. T is also unknown at the time of birth.
While pursuing the path to accomplish X, we need to survive. Survival includes both physical and mental well-being. Considering the state of the world that we live in, our survival requires owning good amount of money and miscellaneous resources.
There are two ways for us to go about owning this money (or resources) -- inheriting it from our previous generation or earning it ourselves. For most people, inheritance is not explicitly stated and we are directed to choose the second option.
Earning this money requires us to run a business or work at someone else’s business, over a long period of time. This work consumes a good part of our time (T1) and additionally, it also has its toll on our health -- both mental and physical. The type and extent of effect depends on the nature of our work. Regardless, we need to consistently focus on staying healthy in order to sustain this survival phase.
While pursuing the path to accomplish X, we need to survive. Survival includes both physical and mental well-being. Considering the state of the world that we live in, our survival requires owning good amount of money and miscellaneous resources.
There are two ways for us to go about owning this money (or resources) -- inheriting it from our previous generation or earning it ourselves. For most people, inheritance is not explicitly stated and we are directed to choose the second option.
Earning this money requires us to run a business or work at someone else’s business, over a long period of time. This work consumes a good part of our time (T1) and additionally, it also has its toll on our health -- both mental and physical. The type and extent of effect depends on the nature of our work. Regardless, we need to consistently focus on staying healthy in order to sustain this survival phase.
Staying healthy (both physically and mentally) requires living a healthy lifestyle -- diet, hygiene, exercise, social circle, activities, vacation, leisure, etc. This again requires owning a decent amount of money and resources. Given that we now own the required money and resources from working, we additionally need to spend sufficient time (T2) required by these lifestyle activities.
For most of us, the total time spent in survival (T1 + T2 + time-spent-towards-mandatory-societal-duties (eg: school, college, marriage)) equals the total allotted time (T). The need to discover and achieve X is unknown, and hence, survival itself translates into X for those of us.
I believe this is primarily because our world has a well laid out plan for survival, but no mention of X. Right from birth, we are taught only to survive. The existence of X is unacknowledged and unknown, and is hence skipped during knowledge-transfers and thought-transfers to all generations.
The intent must be to actively pursue the bigger objective X, right?
Purpose of life is a loaded and difficult question to answer. Biologically speaking, each person's purpose in life is just reproduction.
ReplyDeleteBut having said that, I completely agree with you. That's why we should spend our youth looking for ideas and gathering resources to fulfil what we believe is our calling. I hope to find my calling soon!