Why are we born to suffer and die?

[TomAz]

Well?

[heart cooks brain]

i could vote for each of the last four options.

[Miroir Noir]

There is no fundamental reason or meaning for human life and death, or for the attendant suffering that occurs between the two. However, out of this fundamental absurdity, we can find some small measure of meaning in rebelling against suffering and seeking solidarity and love with one another.

[getbetter]

If only William hurt/heal was here to explain this.

[heart cooks brain]

i don't think Hell is Other People is a viable option. it's a byproduct of attachment to being alone and therefore not a cause of suffering in and of itself.

[guedita]

It's a Sartre reference, dum-dum.

[bobert]

Why aren't any of the options in Latin? Stultus.

[TomAz]

I didn't realize there were so many buddhists here.

[heart cooks brain]

It's a Sartre reference, dum-dum.

sounds to me like he's the dum dum

[Justin170]

Daft Punk! Unz unz unz!

[DFH no.6]

There is no fundamental reason or meaning for human life and death, or for the attendant suffering that occurs between the two. However, out of this fundamental absurdity, we can find some small measure of meaning in rebelling against suffering and seeking solidarity and love with one another.

Being earnest here (I know, that’s awfully fucking stupid of me, isn't it?) – this is exactly how I see it, and Miroir Noir put it in words better than I could.

Existentialism in Miroir Noir’s first sentence, of course, which I would expect most people today who are educated in science (even as just laymen) would come to as their bedrock worldview, even though that’s probably not the case. Too bleak and lacking the comfort offered by most of the multifarious fairy tales we’ve told ourselves over humankind’s existence in attempts to answer TomAz’s question, I suppose.

But there is no answer to “why are we born...” – no “fundamental reason or meaning”. Highly unlikely, anyway.

The second option – the Buddhist deal regarding suffering and attachment – really only pertains to suffering, and not to any penultimate “why” regarding human existence (the purpose or meaning of being born and dying). The other options – other than the first – don’t really address this “why?” question either, and the first only does, of course, if Mark Twain’s “malignant thug” God actually exists. Sometimes I wonder…

Miroir Noir’s second sentence provide’s what I believe to be the best answer to the question engendered by “well, if there is no fundamental reason or meaning for human existence, then what?”. I try to follow that proscription every day, though mostly fail pretty miserably. Probably because Sartre was on to something there.

I found this an excellent Poll question, TomAz, even if fairly tongue-in-cheek. One of my favorites, really – well done. Sorry, truly, that we got off on such a bad foot with each other around here. My fault, mostly.

[TomAz]

Well gee, DFH. Apology accepted. The quality of mercy is not strnen.

[shoegazer76]

Emotional mental suffering is primarily attributed to a loss or a void that cannot easily or at all be replaced. It is also born out of frustration of a need that is also not easily or able to be fulfilled.

[SoulDischarge]

[JustSteve]

As someone intimately involved with suffering and dealing with end stage disease I can verify that the correct answer is Daft Punk.

[canexplain]

With science progressing geometrically and not arithmetically there is a good chance our children will never die and perhaps even ourselves. Also I am not suffering and life for me has been great. Therefore the premise has no basis for me in general..... cr****

[SoulDischarge]

So. The answer is. To support the underage sex industry?

[TomAz]

With science progressing geometrically and not arithmetically there is a good chance our children will never die and perhaps even ourselves. Also I am not suffering and life for me has been great. Therefore the premise has no basis for me in general..... cr****

Did you not suffer when your wife left you?

[BROKENDOLL]

Emotional mental suffering is primarily attributed to a loss or a void that cannot easily or at all be replaced. It is also born out of frustration of a need that is also not easily or able to be fulfilled.

I swear, my therapist just said almost the exact same words to me recently... after thinking back over the last 30 years I'm still am not sure if it has made me feel better or worse...

[canexplain]

Did you not suffer when your wife left you?

I was sad but I looked at how now I could do what I wanted to do , yada , and how there was more positive than negative but ya, it did suck. Some would say we are going to suffer on the fields of Coachella in a few days but I wouldn't quite call it that .... cr****

[Larry Farnsworth]

With science progressing geometrically and not arithmetically there is a good chance our children will never die and perhaps even ourselves. Also I am not suffering and life for me has been great. Therefore the premise has no basis for me in general..... cr****

I'm glad you're not suffering, Ron. Now maybe explain to us why the child prostitutes you fucked in Mexico were born to suffer being thrusted upon by a decomposing acid casualty?

[Miroir Noir]

Some would say we are going to suffer on the fields of Coachella in a few days but I wouldn't quite call it that .... cr****

No one is saying this.

[TomAz]

colorado ron: insufferable.