In what way are human minds "feeble"? Do you think insects and other species understand the world better than us? By all means, I'm anti-speciesism, but I believe that humans became more self-aware as a result of evolution and are thus "fitter" as a result. It's just that other species are more superior than us in other ways. I really don't think animals understand the world better than us, because they don't need to for them to survive and evolve.
Other species have a set meaning of life because their routine is their life. Humans have that as well. Only when and if they realize the irrelevance and meaninglessness of their routine do they start wondering what the meaning of life is. And that's exactly why religious people are happy; because they have meaningful routines. When Muslims pray five times a day, they believe that there's a god out there listening to them, so it's a meaningful routine; their routines are not a mindless waste of time; they never wake up wondering why they repeat the same thing over and over and over again, because they know exactly why. And remember that Islam is connected with everything, so whatever you do, you do it for God. It's true that Islam provides the most meaning to life, and I think that partially explains why there are many Muslim converts, especially recently, in the age of commercialism and postmodernism.
But if you stop believing in God, if you stop believing in the one thing that keeps you anchored to the meaning of life, a day comes when you're suddenly hit with the realization that you're doing everything for absolutely no purpose; your routine is meaningless and irrelevant and you might as well not be doing anything. I personally woke up many days with absolutely no motivation to get out of bed, wondering why exactly I should, why it matters whether I get up or stay in bed my entire life. I just wanted to end my life, right there, without even leaving the room.
It's like humans evolved too much for their own good. It's like our self-awareness and our questioning why is negatively affecting us as a species. Will it lead to people committing suiciding? Perhaps. But as Albert Camus says, killing yourself ends the Absurd, because the Absurd is a relationship, between human life, human questioning, and the universe, the relationship -- the paradox -- of wanting to understand, but being unable to. And beauty becomes the meaning of life. You stop trying to understand the universe, knowing very well that you never will, you stop deconstructing the universe, and instead enjoy its beauty, its oneness. The world is beautiful, the universe is beautiful, and you can only truly appreciate it when you know you can never understand it.
I've tried many times as a Muslim to look at the sky and see the majesty of God's creation, but I was never awed. I always felt that there was a block between me and the universe. Today, every time I look at the stars or the horizon, it's like a mystical experience. My relationship with the universe is my religion, my meaning, my source of happiness. And knowing that it's because I'm alive that I can experience this -- that's what keeps me alive.
Great post
I decided to focus on physics partly because at that time I thought somehow knowing how the world works would give me an insight to the meaning of life too, but as I proceeded in my course I came to realise nobody knows any better. Knowing how the world works doesn't give you a better idea on the meaning of life, but it does help you appriciate the magnificence of the universe.
There is no one ultimate answer to the meaning of life, we evolved to see purpose in things, the purpose for watering plants, for building houses, for tools, so it's a natural state of mind to want purpose for everything and when we grow up, it becomes about the purpose of life. I think we may even be able to 'answer' that question, or have a better idea if we evolve to a greater awareness level if humans survive long enough, I think we're still in primary phases of awareness.
Sometimes I like to sit still and close my eyes and imagine how the planets formed and going further back, how the big bang occured and then I think well what's beyond that, so I imagine there was some cause for it (perhaps those colliding membranes as some theorise) then beyond that...'where' would those membranes have originated from...and then it all comes back to my mind, my imagination, just me sitting here with my eyes closed, it's an exhilarting experience. Imagination is a very powerful tool.
What is the purpose? There isn't any, we don't have roles to play, we are free. And because of our awareness level we're more free than other animals and nature, which are stuck in routine and repetition, humans broke that chain, yet I believe residues remain that's why we have a tendency for routine rather than playing with new things and ideas, and that's why we feel a void and want to fill that with religion. But it shouldn't be filled with religion, create something new to fill that! Something better! Infact religion is better in the sense it's better than this role of just survival, religion fills it with morals etc for guidance, but once you realise you are free to create your own destiny (athough there's the difficulty of getting through systems and other people who try to take your choices away), you have choice in life.
I think in death you find the 'true answer' to the meaning of life - "you never know what you have until it's taken away". When your life is taken, that's when 'you'* realise what life truely was, but I think generations down the line if humans evolve to greater awareness then they may be able to see that without dying.
*I believe you don't remain a seperate conscious entity after death but merge with everything.
Poll
2 (5.6%)
Topic: The meaning of life