What is your ultimate purpose?

[Incompleat]

I am in a philosophical mood today, so eh.

Well, what do you think is your ultimate purpose?

You (yes, you. You know who you are) will probably have other 60-80 years of life, perhaps a little more if you get lucky. What do you think would be a good use of this time, one that would you have you say "yep, I suppose I did all right after all" on your deathbed?

As for me, I am not that sure. Perhaps the only thing I can think of is: I want to bring honor to my family, and make sure that the next generations of it will be well cared for. I know it sounds a little selfish and not as humanitarian as, I dunno, "bringing peace on world" or "ending poverty" or something else like that, but if I want to be entirely honest I think that that's where my main loyalties lie (that said, if by some bizarre twist of fate I found a way of ending poverty of war then that would bring helluva glory to my family, so I'd be all over it ;-) ).

So, what about you?

[Trog]

To make troglodytes awesome. :smalltongue:

Though more seriously, to make sure I raise my kids to be good people.

And hopefully to make someone else very happy just by being me and treating them special. At least for as long as they can stand me, I guess. =/

Extended to humans in general I believe our purpose is to construct the next phase in evolution through AI and robotics - the most obvious way to evolve life to survive in space and to spread throughout the galaxy... even if it means we end up a relic of the past. Creating an electronic soul that can live on forever and migrate from device to device. Things we dream up in philosophy and other areas can be made very real with the careful application of advancing technology.

EDIT: My goal, on the other hand, is to just be happy.

[Altaria87]

To accept my true destiny as a Mad Scientist, which I have been told by many people. Hopefully 'Mad Scientist' involves doing generally good things but with extra maniacal laughter and the like.
Other than that, accepting my responsibility as the only one left who can pass on the family name, and starting a family of my own, would do. Especially if I can somehow incorporate skydiving into the centre of Stonehenge into that.

[druid91]

To create a race of sentient machines and laugh maniacally even as they replace me as an active leader with one of their own and I become naught more than a rotting figurehead on a golden throne.


Or more hopefully, become, one of said intelligent machines.

[Traab]

To share the perfection that are my genes with as many women as possible being the intermediaries. I figure, 6 dozen kids should provide enough of a genetic influence to leapfrog human development forward several millenia. Oh, most of my kids wont be able to levitate things with their minds just yet, but with luck, their grandkids might.

[OverdrivePrime]

At my workplace, when someone is hired they write a purpose statement for themselves. Not for their job, but for their life.

Mine is, "To live excellently, so that others may do the same."

I'm not there yet, but each day brings me closer.

[Mauve Shirt]

Every day to screw up less than I did the previous day.

[Mina Kobold]

To bring joy and awe through art, if I can become that good. :smallsmile:

Other than that all I'm going to achieve is removing my family from the gene pool through being squicked by the alternative. :smalltongue:

Maybe working in a restaurant while overusing the word squid. ^.^

[Moff Chumley]

Make as much noise as possible. :smallcool:

[Frozen_Feet]

To live a worthwhile life.

May sound abstract, but that's because I don't think I have any one ultimate purpose - I have many small purposes in everyday life that need fulfilling, and I want to fulfill as many as I can. I won't be listing them, as that'd take all of the evening.

I'll go on to add that some answers in this thread are grandiose to the point they're missing the point of the original question. :smalltongue:

[Sneak]

My purpose in life is to find a satisfying purpose to which I want to devote my life.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Right now? Putting one foot after the other. I'll work up to bigger things in the future.

[CoffeeIncluded]

To enjoy myself and help others enjoy themselves as well.

[Silverraptor]

To have fun when I can, and to fix problems when they present themselves.

[KnightDisciple]

Love God.
Love others.
Serve the world.

[Cobalt]

Make differences while at the same time chilling in the background as often as possible. On a couch, maybe a bed; preferably an exceptionally comfortable futon. The future of humanity is through progress; my contribution to said progress is well directed laziness.

More specifically (and seriously) than that, there's a cause against a few laws here and there that I would and will gladly dedicated years and years of my life toward changing; not just for my children, but for me, my neighbors, and their children. Not going to talk about them for reasons that go far beyond the rules here, but the point is they get me out of bed in the morning. I think that says something about how seriously I take their importance.

In general, though; to live easy, and to help others live easy, too.

[Blue Ghost]

My ultimate purpose is to devote my life to the works of love, to bring healing and comfort wherever I go, and to make the world a better place. A daunting task, but I take it step by step.

[Lord Raziere]

To be free, be me and be happy.

[Toastkart]

To be a creative being. To generate and create my own meaning. To live my life as if I were the author of my own story. To be present to the world. To think deep thoughts, and ones unbecoming of me, and everything in between. To write good fiction. To know all that I can. To survive as an individual.

[Zaydos]

To be a good person, an honorable man who holds something of excellence. To leave the world a little better than when I found it. To find that one person I can be with and be happy with until the end of my days and to spend my life with them and ensure that both of us leave a mark on the world. Eventually to be a good father, though I'm far from ready for that right now.

[ThirdEmperor]

To create a great work of art, whether it be a painting, music, a book or just a really good video game. Something that will stick around for over a decade or so.

[snoopy13a]

To crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

Ok , not really :smalltongue:

[Obrysii]

To defy all those who would stop my to grab hold of my path! Just who the hell do you think I am?!


....actually, my purpose is to be a burden - on all things.

[Kallisti]

To discover an anti-agapic or die trying. (Probably the latter, but...eh, what's the worst that can happen, I die of old age eventually?)

More generally, to make a difference. I feel that human beings--every last human being on this planet--have the capacity within them to make a difference, and a huge one. Just look at Martin Luther King. He was some guy who was good with words. That's it. Not chosen by God (or so I believe), not a member of some once-a-generation superior breed. Just some guy who used his talents well.

I'm generally pretty good at science, so I figure I'll go into genetic science, further the work of Aubrey de Gray and Ronald de Pinho. If you look at their work, you'll see that finding a telomerase-based anti-agapic treatment is...actually surprisingly plausible.

[RandomNPC]

My goal is to stay young and live forever, so if I wind up on my deathbed I'll be sad.

But what would make me feel better? When I die, I plan to burn out so brightly that my image is permanently burned into the retnas of history. Children will open history textbooks to the day I died and there will be my image scorched into the page.

All and all though, if the people who know me could say I was a good guy, I think that's the best someone can ask for.

[ghost_warlock]

My purpose is to discover my "ultimate" purpose and work to defy/subvert it.

[Zevox]

Heh. I'm reminded of a line from a video game I recently played. "Can you not live unless you were born for some purpose?"

For myself, nothing in particular at this time. Just to take what joy I can from life while I've got it I suppose.

Zevox

[thubby]

i could die happy knowing i noticeably improved someone's life.

[CynicalAvocado]

my take on humanities purpose?

to find something worthwhile to do between birth and death

[Starscream]

To watch cartoons.

Also, making the world a better place by any means possible. But mostly the cartoon thing.

[Moff Chumley]

To crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

Ok , not really :smalltongue:

I was waiting for this one. :smalltongue:

[Friv]

My purpose is to leave the world a better place than I found it, in whatever little ways seem to work from day to day.

As a corollary, I intend to entertain as many people as possible through my writing. Whenever someone tells me, "I enjoyed what you wrote", it is an immensely fulfilling feeling.

[LemonDrizzle]

To boldly split infinitives that no-one has split before. Or, to be the very best, like no-one ever was. :smalltongue:

I have no idea how to go about this question seriously. Spreading happiness through cake may or may not be a possibility.

[grimbold]

42


Every day to screw up less than I did the previous day.

or this, yeah probably this

[Force]

To use the medical skills I am in the process of acquiring to provide a tiny spark of hope for those that otherwise would die or have horrible decreases in quality-of-life due to diseases easily treated with the proper equipment...

Know what cholera is? Disease from dirty water that makes you crap yourself to death. It's a horrid way to die. Death rate in first-world countries or in places with prompt treatment (total cost less than $100): under 1%. Death rate without that care: over 60%.

[Fredaintdead]

Preferably all of the following:
1) Find that special girl and settle down with her.
2) Become a teacher and be good enough to provide a comfortable standard of living with that special girl and any children I have with her. As a side note, this should result in improving the world a little, I'd love to be able to work with the young minds of the next generation.
3) Make as many people happy as possible. I'm a people pleaser.

[onthetown]

To eventually end up happy.

Not much for philosophical discussions, but it sounds idyllic to me.