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My comment was being reviewed, I figured sharing my thoughtful response to a 1/10th section of one of the most intriguing post I have by far read on novni:
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In the course of my life, I have been asked some mighty strange questions. Which is the best language? Are clams and oysters conscious? When will I be able to upload my mind to the internet? Is obesity a form of violence?
But the most arresting question I have ever fielded to follow a talk: "Why should I live?"
This ingenious tone makes it clear that you are neither suicidal nor sarcastic but genuinely curious about how to find meaning and purpose if traditional religious beliefs about an immortal soul are undermined by our best experience.
You are seeking reasons for your convictions, and so you are committed to reason as the means to discover and justify what is important to you. And there are so many reasons to live!
As a sentient being, you have the potential to flourish. You can refine your faculty by reason itself by learning and debating. You can seek explanations of the natural world through science, and insight into the human condition through the arts and humanities. You can make the most of your capacity for pleasure and satisfaction, which allowed you to exist. You can appreciate the beauty and richness of the natural and cultural world. As the heir to billions of years of life perpetuating itself, you can perpetuate life in turn. You have been endowed with a sense of sympathy--the ability to like, love, respect, help, and show kindness--and you can enjoy the gift of mutual benevolence with friends, family, and colleagues.
And because reason tells you that none of this is particular to YOU, you have the responsibility to provide to others what you expect for yourself. You can foster the welfare of other sentient beings by enhancing life, health, knowledge, freedom, abundance, safety, beauty, and peace. History shows that when we sympathize with others and apply our ingenuity to improving the human condition, we can make progress in doing so, and you can help to continue that progress.
I will say no more as it is your duty to explore and continue more, to add on to what I introduced to you. There is no single purpose, but multiple. I have held many conversations with young teens, and among those I have came through some similar responses from younger folks such as:
"Our one purpose in life is to gain so much wisdom and education that we become God-like since our soul never dies and we still learn when we reach the peace stage"
"Our existence as humans is to witness nature which the wildlife can not"
"We must focus on the improvision of our well being"
"We must help to run the world selflessly"
Your journey in life is all about answering this question yourself.
As for the rest of the statements you have made on life, wonderful job! Keep exploring 👏
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