Plug Drugs
06-17-2013, 10:24 AM
Whether life should be thought of as meaningful or meaningless is entirely subjective - There is no objective truth or objective "right or wrong"; this is a good thing, for it allows us to choose our own values.
This act of "value creation" defeats nihilism, as we are no longer restricted by the will to live, but rather our existence becomes one of our own choosing.
Think for a second if you will that when we die, we simply cease to exist, and think of the distress and nihilism this evokes. Now think for a second that when we die, we go to heaven and experience everlasting life and happiness, and think of the comfort which that evokes. Yet, why is either emotion evoked if neither is directly related to our will to live? It is because we are value-creators; laid out before us in our future is possibility itself, and this world is our sandbox.
We create "right and wrong", and our own morals. Therefore, I can think of nothing better to use as a foundation for morality than compassion, as Schopenhauer postulated. It is better for us to choose loving others and sharing experiences with them as our prime motivating force in life rather than choosing self-interest.
This act of "value creation" defeats nihilism, as we are no longer restricted by the will to live, but rather our existence becomes one of our own choosing.
Think for a second if you will that when we die, we simply cease to exist, and think of the distress and nihilism this evokes. Now think for a second that when we die, we go to heaven and experience everlasting life and happiness, and think of the comfort which that evokes. Yet, why is either emotion evoked if neither is directly related to our will to live? It is because we are value-creators; laid out before us in our future is possibility itself, and this world is our sandbox.
We create "right and wrong", and our own morals. Therefore, I can think of nothing better to use as a foundation for morality than compassion, as Schopenhauer postulated. It is better for us to choose loving others and sharing experiences with them as our prime motivating force in life rather than choosing self-interest.