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How do you cope?

So there's no god. (it's okay, the word itself won't corrupt you.) There's no afterlife, there's no higher power, there's basically nothing beyond this world that you can stand up for. So what's *in* this world that we can stand up for? I've been a secular humanist for about 15 years now, and I gotta tell you...I'm not sure we're worth it.

We kill our own kind, repeatedly, in war. We're racist, sexist, speciest, culturalist, weightist, you name it...and we go to war over the stupidest of things (religion, oil, who's got the biggest penis). My question to you is: what keeps you going? What do you wake up for? When you go to work, and you earn money...why do you do it?

I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I'd really like to know. I'm starting to lose my faith (pun intended) in the human race, and as a devout atheist, I don't really see much else to live for. Give me hope, friends.

Please.

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Permalink Reply by froggystyle on July 19, 2010 at 12:01pm

Go hiking in the mountains. Learn to surf. Listen to music. Eat sushi. Make some art. Hang out with some dogs. Take every opportunity to climb on things like when you were a kid. Fly a kite. Throw a frisbee. Love somebody. Volunteer for a good cause. Buy an awesome new hat. Ride your bike. Have a cook-out. Put up the biggest rope-swing you possibly can and swing on it. Go to every museum in your town. Get some tattoos. Have sex. Find a new board/card game and get a few friends in on it. Watch a great movie...etc...etc...

Repeat.

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Permalink Reply by Louis on July 21, 2010 at 12:45am

This picture pretty much sums it up for me.

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Permalink Reply by BecaT on July 21, 2010 at 9:06pm

I mean, humans as a species do kinda suck. But, as individuals we can be amazing. I suppose thats what I look for. I went through a phase where I really just hated people, but eventually I guess I got over it because there are so many intersting people out there who you can learn from and interact with. Besides that, I live for myself, and sometimes try to be vocal about the direction I would like to see humanity go.

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Permalink Reply by Logan Grado on July 24, 2010 at 12:49am

Humans are racist because we evolved that way. Discrimination against out-groups and favoring in-groups is simply a positive survival trait, and so is being the biggest baddest guy on the block. (if anyone wants this explained, please ask). But as much as this is true, morality and alturism is also programmed into the human genome. As society changes, and puts more selective pressure on morality and alturism, and less on in-group discrimination, that will change. In fact, this pressure has only even stared changing over the last 500 years or so. So its going to be a while, but we're going to get there.

As for a reason to live, that one is simple to me. Children are the reason. Children give you immortality, because they are the better half of you, and they fulfill the most basic and strongest human desire, that of reproduction. That is where the most satisfaction will come from.

That being said, I am majoring in BioMed Engineering, and am going to do my best to figure out how to live forever. Wish me luck.

As for dying, you were in non-existence for 14.5 (+ infinity, depending weather time is cyclic or not, which it probably is) billion years before you were born. You had no problem being dead then, whats so bad about going back?

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Permalink Reply by Trey Miller on July 26, 2010 at 3:10pm

I may be a bit simplistic in my answer, but I have a lot to live for and many wonderful things/people in my life. My wife and kids to start with...I enjoy hunting, I love my job...

Seems that if we start thinking about "hope for mankind" it gets awfully BIG. Think smaller. There are many things that we cannot control, so focus on what you can. My view is pretty good from down here.

Turn off the TV...

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Permalink Reply by Skeptisma on July 26, 2010 at 10:49pm

I find solace in knowing that I am not the first human, nor will I be the last, and humans, like all other living creatures in this universe, will die. I wake up totally amazed at how there were an infinite number of ways that I could not have been here. One tiny decision in my ancestors' lives could have prevented me from ever typing this. Think of all the people instead of you that could have been here - but they aren't and you are. Make the best of it.

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Permalink Reply by Abnormal on July 28, 2010 at 6:05pm

What keeps anyone going? It's just instinct that we'll do anything to survive. We're just here to fart around don't let anyone tell you differently. You just have to laugh at it all, because if you take life too seriously it'll end up killing you.

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Permalink Reply by amer muhammad on July 30, 2010 at 4:17am

human used to kill each other when they lived in caves. They still kill each other but things are quite different from the period of cavemen. What is important, is the progress of life, passed forwed from one generation to the other. Think yourself as a part of big whole, things would not look as useless as they are now.