I think I have a serviceable answer -- not good, but serviceable. I want to start by saying that I don't think the purpose of life can be neatly summed up by a cute one-liner or witty aphorism, although those things are certainly valuable. Life is, first and foremost, tremendously complicated, with countless parts, no assembly instructions, constant interference, and that one guy who won't get off his damn cell phone even though he's speaking at a volume you previously thought unattainable by human lungs.
1.) Kindness and compassion. When we realize that, ultimately, all our peers, friends, and enemies are experiencing the same inseparable humanness we experience, we owe it to them to live compassionately. I am not unique in my capacity to think, to feel, or to act; quite the opposite. I share my humanness with the most brilliant scientist and the most vile murderer. We all need to eat, drink, sleep. We were all born. We will all die. We are all united at some fundamental level. I've said all this before.
Consider a great teacher, whose students always learn more than they expect from her. Consider a quirky movie director, whose film deeply resonates with a select few. Consider an anarchist graffiti artist, whose work satirizes the corruption and irony of our corporate, racist, bureaucratic culture. Consider a car mechanic, who ensures the safety and reliability of her customers' vehicles. Is it reasonable to say one's life is worth more than another? I'm not sure it does.
If my life positively impacts someone else's, then I transcend my own mortality. I've made the world a better place. Making others happy adds meaning to life. It gives us purpose and direction. Best of all, it makes us happy, too.
2.) Pursuing your passions. To me, nothing is more beautifully human than the struggle to find personal resonance and accomplishment. It's an enormous world out there, yet each of us has something that speaks to us in a way nothing else does. Part of the purpose of life is to do what you love, to let it challenge you and push you to new heights, to lose yourself in it. Also, when you truly care about something, it greatly extends your ability and willingness to make a positive impact on the world.
3.) Human connection. In general, I feel like the people I know make me better, smarter, stronger, and more of an all-around frood. Our friendships, our family, our romances, our bitter rivalries -- these add enormous meaning and value to life. Part of being human is knowing that there are billions of humans around you, sharing your experience. Connect with them. Learn from them. Laugh with them. Cook them tasty food.
People are awesome.
-Me
Here is something funny.
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