i suppose i should define something: i mean some good, i suppose to the benefit of others, or perhaps following our passions within reason to bring benefit to ourselves, which could in turn bring good to others (for instance, working to become a doctor surely would have its benefits, though admittedly following your passions can be wasteful, if not deadly, which i why i said "within reason").

I was talking about this with a friend tonight. And I don't think you have to by any means. Humans are a self serving animal, and trying to do something for the benefit of mankind on any serious level probably won't get you anywhere. But I think for self fulfillment I would try. My brain is finished at this time of night.

we aren't "supposed" to do anything though no

being self serving in practice does not mean we ought to be self serving.

What ought we be?

i am not currently claiming to know that. this is why a thread has been made. perhaps there is a middle ground of serving compassion to others, and serving happiness to ourself. many a philosopher and scientist has pointed out that our happiness may even be dependent on our compassion and care, and deep feelings, for others.

Yeah I asked because I really don't know. I think what we superstitiously believe we ought to be might just be an illusion most of the time.

i'd like to see you continue down this thought path. why do you think it is superstitious to believe in oughts? and how can it merely possibly be a illusion most of the time?

Well I dunno this will sound really emo but I'll be honest. I find myself sitting and staring out the window at the street and buildings, and feeling frustrated, trying to understand it. And I voiced this to my friend tonight and his thoughts are that everything is much more simple than we speculate it to be. He believes that we are very simply only animals. And that those instincts and aspects are all we have to offer essentially, whereas I try to factor in the value of what we have more so. But I do struggle to explain the rational in what I am wondering when I'm staring at cars going by. Maybe it's that I'm frustrated with society and know that the roots of life are in my animals instincts and that that is the right place for me. I think this relates but it is maybe more the other half of our conversation. I don't know if this will help you understand where I'm coming from.

you should throw your hands in the air and tell him how you always put your dishes away.

on a more serious note, i feel that our actions and their results are significant in our own lives, but it is what we do that influences/helps/encourages/etc others that matters the most. we have a lot of control over what WE do, but causing positive change in others is a lot more complicated.

We don't have to, but I think we should.

i think we are here to keep it going. keep producing in hopes someone/something lives long enough to figure out what this all is/was about. we shouldn't fuck up the process so much as to end them. since the beginning of time billions upon billions of processes and chains created the beings we all are. kill a bug and you just ended 15 billion years of connecting the dots. were here to bridge the past and the future. the in between is ours but not individually. collectively.

be faithful and i will be too.

everything has a universal will to become and pass on its genes

build satellites, so we can spread our libraries across the universe. that way when the sun burns up earth years from now its not all in vain

that's actually a pretty neat idea

I think people have the right to do with their life what they want to do with it. Even waste it. But it would be better if we would all use it in a positive way.

groetjes,
Mirella

it just makes sense we're not going to be here forever, but we sure can make stuff that'll last a long time. so why not?

these pretty much sum it up: