370,000 years after that, it cooled down enough to finally let protons bind to electrons, and the first atoms formed (99% hydrogen, 1% helium).
100M years after that, much of that hydrogen gas collapsed into stars, which underwent nuclear fusion to produce helium, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and other heavier elements up to iron. Some of those stars went supernova and released their enriched guts out into the universe.
After billions of years of that, we had enough heavier elements to form rocky planets, of which one is the planet we're on now.
Somehow on this wet rock, organic molecules formed and found ways to replicate themselves inside of membranes. A billion years after this wet rock came into existence, some of these replicating membranes bound to each other and started to act in harmony to ensure the continued replication of the whole group of membranes.
For another billion years, these groups of self-replicating membranes got larger and more complex. Eventually, one of them grew opposable thumbs, a large brain, and started to make tools. Those hairy apes, my ancestors, against all odds, for millions of years, fought against wolves, tigers, the elements, starvation, and each other to form an unbroken lineage that led to the existence of my parents.
36 years ago, my parents made love, and from half a billion sperm, I was the fastest. I was an accident, in both the unplanned pregnancy sense of the term and the truly cosmic nature of my improbable existence.
You want me to justify my existence? My amigo, after all that, I don't need to justify anything. I won the lottery of lotteries. My moral framework is OMG WTF I'M HERE. I'm just here to make the most of it and enjoy my 80+ (cross my fingers) trips around this boring run-of-the-mill hot pulsing orb of gas.
I am redundant; failed sperm.
Simply do no harm, and be as you are
At what point do you get the red pill that breaks you out of the simulation?
The trick, I've found, is to say things that are interesting, say things that embody conventional or popular thought but are not banal, reference other interesting and similar things, carefully make humor or very carefully make an occasional smart snarky remark (risky, as discouraged). I've found stating controversial views to be poison, and attacking sacred cows to be double poison, so don't rush in to criticize Elon for example. Frame anything you can't cite as your opinions/thoughts instead of as facts to avoid errant critics, and if you have anything controversial that you really want to tackle, hypothesize about it, don't just plonk it down. Make it seem like you're considering all sides so people don't feel threatened.
Also, read the new submissions page instead of the front page, as commenting on a popular well-commented article is pissing in an ocean of piss. You want people to see only your comment on a submission and think "hm, nice comment". Lastly, change your settings to show dead posts, so you can vouch for one now or then. There are some interesting ones, and some inflammatory ones, and many get robotically flagged by default. Many people choose not to see such posts, so you have an edge there.
Slightly longer version. I grew up thinking I was hot s#1t. You know smart, hard working, loving family (with its own annoying hateable quirks), destined to do great things, Yada Yada yada. You can see where this is going.
Many things didn't pan out and some things lucked out. Sadly my speciality had nothing to do with it. Heck with a lot of help and support and mentoring etc I was guided to see that the luckiest of luckiest rarely deserve their good fortune any more than the most downtrodden of the downtrodden deserved their misfortune. So much so often comes down to environment and luck.
While we are here might as well enjoy the ride, work on things you are passionate about, cherish loved ones and don't harm others (atleast transitively by X degrees).
There isn’t some cosmic ledger that keeps account of the credit you earn to exist.
Now, I exist because I’m in a very long line of the Darwinian process, but it will end with me because I won’t be procreating.
As far as I can tell, I don't need a permission to exist. As long as I can secure the criticals -- food, water and sleep -- then nobody can deny me my right to exist (except if they actively pursue and kill me).
And absolutely surely, 100%, with zero chance of being wrong, I know I'll die sometime in the future.
As far as I can tell, everything else is optional. Our intellectual and pleasure pursuits are to make the entirety of our existence more fun or fulfilling.
If you are showcasing the XY problem here and are actually asking "what's the meaning of your life?" then sure, many people can tell you theirs but it's questionable if that will help you discover yours.
If you are a rich / middle-class USA software-related engineer with a lot of money to spare who is bored... well... just go travel Brazil, Eastern Europe, South-East Asia. Maybe don't consider Bangladesh because you can get very depressed.
Point is: go grab some perspective. I've noticed many Americans on this forum who get pretty well-off in terms of money and then become passive and depressed.
That's very fixable. If that's your problem then fret not: there are literally millions of places and likely hundreds of millions of people in whose lives you can make a true positive difference. I'd suggest go out there and give it a try or two.
It's not that I disagree or anything, it is totally irrefutable, but many people have a sense of responsibility nevertheless and they feel a lot better when they've managed to justify themselves somehow. For example I know many people who refuse to go as guests to others peoples homes without bringing a gift with them.
Some people feel entitled to their space due to some contribution they've made to the collective or just simply because of their beliefs being "correct" .. there's all sorts, however, I am not expecting people to have that much self-reflection.. still it surprises me that most of the people who thought to answer would be of the "I have no need to justify myself" persuasion. I wonder what the lurkers think..
From:
The Meaning Of Life
I do not need anything more - nor less - to 'justify' my existence.
The real question here would be to whom people would 'need' to justify their existence. That may be a role more suited to imaginary cloud people - ${god} - than to real-life ones who can and certainly will abuse such power to their own advantage.
Beyond that it's not really justification so much as survival instinct. But it wouldn't be right to make others justify their existence, so you shouldn't have to justify your own.
https://www.questioningchristian.com/2006/06/metanarratives_...
a good answer though.
I’m the guy who will rescue ants from drowning in the pool (do no harm) and make life decisions that equate to increased happiness. I manage my own time and never let those take it from me.
I believe that others should be free to be happy as well. I also will go out of my way to take on bullies, legally of course. Everyone deserves to be happy and that’s what makes me happy.
The end. :-)
"They can see no reasons 'cause there are no reasons What reasons do you need? Oh oh oh whoa whoa"
Boomtown Rats
(Would it have been better if OP posted tomorrow? Since we’re asking philosophical Qs.)
In either case, I agree with everyone else here: I didn't ask to be born, so assuming it harm none, do what thou wilt.
I want to feel that I am a good citizen. I want to be respected by people whom I respect.
The only proper response to this is read a philosophy book until you find one that sticks with you +2 years after you read it.
Are you concerned with a power demanding reason for your being human? If so, What power? Why do you consider such, "higher"?
The more interesting question you pose is: What is your moral framework?
Find a church that takes the Word seriously and also joy therewith.
Other basic good-personisms like humility, trying hard, being sympathetic to the vastness & teaming chaoticness & happenstanceness of it all, encouraging others, being inquisitive & hopeful... I strive to be a good cosmic consciousness, meager though I & we be.
people live and conduct business inside of my work product, perhaps for generations.
To continue slightly less abstract, I also have made more low level rules for my current run. They are based off the rules all religions I know of have, the most important being a variation on the Golden Rule. "Treat everyone as if they were a friend or close family member." That is all most should ever need. I still made more, a work that is still in progress which I hope to never complete and probably will never publish. I wont even share them all here, since I doubt many have read this far and because of self doubt. "Always look out for #1 and always be prepared for a #2." Yes, there is a poop joke in there. There's enough ambiguity as well to allow for multiple interpretations. "Plan ahead, don't wait; take care of your needs, before it's too late." That's the other wording for the same rule. "Only desire what you require. Create more than you consume." A rule made when I quit watching the news, TV and movies and quit playing videogames. "Lift people up before taking anyone down." It helps to gather an army first but more important, if you lift enough people up, there's no one left at the bottom. Lower the bar. "Electric chairs for billionaires. They only time it is theft, is when the victim needs it more." Emphasis on "need" and if you aren't a billionaire, you are a victim. "If an opponent angers you, you've already lost. Any enemy can be defeated with unconditional love." That one probably needs more explaining. Instead, I'll try to end this existentialist madness. My first post and/or comment ever on this site.
To answer the initial question: Left, indented once if "your existence" starts the first sentence of a paragraph. Centered if it is the topic or chapter title. To anyone who read this entire thing, thank you and I hope you have a nice day.
You needn't use your real name, of course, but for HN to be a community, users need some identity for other users to relate to. Otherwise we may as well have no usernames and no community, and that would be a different kind of forum. https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme...