Ask HN: Why is life worth living?

Some might say to reproduce, reduce suffering in other beings, create, work, enjoy, and/or maximize entropy.

It's whatever reason you want it to or it simply just is. Pondering on it doesn't help live it well; in fact, usually the opposite.

It's a gift. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I count innumerable reasons for gratitude even though I:

- can't work (just got SSDI after a 10 year Byzantine odyssey)

- can't have friends

- have no money

- live in a van

- to save bullet-points: also ADHD, mild Asperger's, treatement-resistant depression (tried 14 medications), sleep apnea, insomnia, high blood pressure, tachycardia, undiagnosed connective tissue disorder, stutter, hunch-back, osteoarthritis, overweight/skinny extremities, a torn shoulder, plantar fasciitis, gradual neurological decline (I can't code or focus anymore), and failing vision (ARMD runs in my family).

- And TMJ, vestibular schwannoma, or vascular stenosis because all I can think about is the pain in my ear, neck, throat, and head while the ER CT radiologist said "it's nothing" while my ear rings, feels like a spike is in my head, and I hear my pulse constantly.

^ These aren't complaints, per se, but facts for perspective.

Life is suffering. Make the best of the available opportunities in the now with as much grace as one can muster. Fuck biology and existential uncertainty, and just squeeze the juice of life because it'll all be over in a flash anyhow. Why not have a good time for as long and as often as possible? Fuck it.

I would things, jump in the deep end, get the fuck out of your comfort-zone, and give fewest fucks short of going Jim Morrison. Don't die in retirement in front of a TV or be like a modern human staring at glowing screens waiting by the phone for outrage news or social media approval. Be a source of making or doing something, anything. Be cool with mistakes and imperfections, they give it character. Learn a new skill. Make your bed. Do something.

PS: Stay away from uppers, downers, and booze. Btw, Missing a dose of mirtazapine felt exactly like a hangover, so it seems plausible that depression is only deepened by ab/use of some substances. Instead, Maslow's hierarchy focus: exercise, sleep, diet, light, etc.

For me, life is worth living because of joyful moments with family/friends, day-to-day pleasures like eating good food, and working on interesting projects.

If you feel like you're having trouble doing it, you may be depressed or have some other issue that's causing feelings of hopelessness. Some hormone imbalances and nutrient deficiencies can cause that.

Everyone's reasons for living are different and specific. I would urge you to see a therapist who specializes in depression. I know the initial hurdle is high for some people, but if you feel like you have nothing to lose, why not try it?

Yes, sometimes we feel overwhelmed by what is happing in our life. But I can tell you that it's just temporary.

I've decided that there so much to be thankful about that it overpowers those things that I can't control and stress me. So every time I feel down I start to think about the countless items that people do to help me every day. They're just so many. And it makes me realize how thankful I am and how lucky I am.

You might want to talk to someone that can give you some better advice.

I put this here just in case. Take care!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call 1-800-273-8255

Dogs. Find a nearby shelter, volunteer there, be overwhelmed by the love you'll receive. You won't ask that question again.

This question cannot be answered intellectually, analytically. If your nervous system is functioning well, the question won't even come up in your mind. Life is enjoyable, when there is no suffering.

It's the opportunity we're given, to either create a meaningful life or not. I'm kind curious to see what happens during my lifetime. Also, drugs :)

Life is a flicker of consciousness between two great silences. In that flicker (of 60-100 years) what matters is the journey not the destination. The journey depending on how narrow or wide you gaze is made up of decades,years, quarters, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds and so on. You pick the unit that makes sense to you depending on what you are optimizing for. Diff goals - or to borrow your word point - can be tied to different units. Personally when the going gets tough widen your gaze on life to see as far back as possible for all the good things that have happened to you despite you not believing they are good. To change your belief simply imagine a life worse than yours - a life of a parent in a war torn country and how they worry about their kid being harmed , or getting abused based into their sex or may be quadrapeligic or whatever thst you think is worse than you. You can find joy and /or satisfaction in helping others if what you do for yourself dosnt interest you. Go volunteer at hospice or soup kitchen etc. Sometimes we all need a temporary diversion to get perspective and detach from the daily mundane and/or meaningless. Those kinds of activities help. We are wired to take things for granted and some distancing from what we take granted for is a excellent way to bring back the appreciation for things thst we take for granted. In the end the point of life is to make it worthwhile but that’s my perspective. The best I can say for you about the point of life is that it’s personal and thst you have to find the poor for yourself. The good thing is you get to define it. The bad thing is you get to define it. Given that, perspective matters. Hope this helps.

Please ask for help if even if you think you don’t need it. Take care.

Because you matter, and that matters. Take it one day at a time because change is easy once you start so you have to do whatever it takes to just get started on doing something positive. Keeping a streak ends up being a better way to make habits stick — ask Seinfeld.

Make it a great day.

It's worth living when you find joy or purpose. One big thing is not to base your self worth on others' opinion. This includes ideas you may have that are formed on societal expectations. What are some things you genuinely enjoy or think you may enjoy?

Life is a gift. We can appreciate it or not. But it's the only one we get.

> How do you all do it?

One day at a time, without thinking too much about the future or the past, where most of the problems usually are.

> What's the point

Some find the point of life in the physical world, through their job, travel or some other activities, other need more spiritual food, whether it's philosophy or religion. Personally, I need both or after a while I feel out of balance.

Those questions are old as the world, so don't despair, you're not alone, and there are answers out there.

Because of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYfNvmF0Bqw

You should concentrate on the current pleasurables - you enjoy what you're eating, drinking, lurking on HN, etc... so why not continue doing these while you can?

Take a look at some volume of air near you - would you rather be that particular emptiness? (not quite empty, but you get the point - and you can also pick some block of vacuum...). So basically the choice is - continue living or become a block of vacuum.

On why questions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp4dpeJVDxs

On what is the reason to continue living: To be in harmony with nature.

It isn't worth not living

Life is worth living if you live in USA that's a gift in itself.It is also worth it for your family if you have one.

you should watch this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paterson_(film)

You can spend your time bringing happiness to yourself. Seems good.

Because it is the best option? Maybe evolution?

When talking about worth in the capitalist sense, the human body is worth over half a million dollars. That is a lot of value to society. But I suppose you mean in the philosophical sense.

I suggest reading from the great philosophers: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/life-meaning/