So now that the contest is over the real blogging can begin. First off let me give a shout out to all those reading this, you stayed past the contest!!! And I’m glad you did b/c that means you are someone who enjoys blogging, commenting, reading and writing for more than just monetary reasons. If you continue to stick around you’ll probably notice a decrease in the number of random, pointless blogs, which is definitely a good thing. Now this blog isn’t about you staying after the contest, it’s about the most important question of all, the meaning of life.
Let me start by saying that I am going to try and disregard theories or hypothetical points and try to stay in the realm of reality. There are numerous theories, religions, cults that pertain to the meaning of life but this is simply my conclusion based on my experiences and limited time here on planet earth.
Now let’s try and agree on something b/c it is important to my theory. Atoms make up the majority of matter which we humans understand. I don’t know what makes up dark matter or theoretical elements but I, and humans, know that atoms are the building blocks of just about everything. Let’s keep this debate and hopefully pursuing comments in what I will dub the “Relative Universe.” The RU will simply be defined as the universe relative to our daily lives. Theoretical physics and theories are not relative to our daily lives, yet, but how a car works and why you can walk on the ground instead of stepping through it are.
As I was journeying through life, placing one foot after another on a leisurely stroll through downtown I began to wonder why my foot stops on the ground, why doesn’t it go through the ground, what is keeping me walking? Atoms are the ultra-simplified answer. B/c electrons swirl on the outside of atoms and two negatives do not attract the atoms from my shoes reflect off the ground meaning I do not fall through…yay for me.
Now on to my riddle of life. Atoms make up everything in RU; however atoms are mainly empty space. There is more emptiness in an atom than actual stuff. I believe the analogy I got in science class was…if the nucleus was the size of an ant the atom would be as big as the football field, with electrons zipping around at a never-ending pace. So that is an enormous amount of nothingness inside each and every atom.
And if each atom is mainly space then the pattern simply transcends upward. Atoms are mainly space, elements are mainly space, DNA is mainly space, and humans are mainly space. That is right; we are built from atoms just like everything else, which means we are empty space like everything else.
Furthermore, atoms are constantly in motion. Even in the most solid of objects the atoms are moving. Well humans aren’t mainly solid; we are mainly liquids, in which atoms move even faster and more rapidly. Therefore human beings, you and me, are a big ball of swirling atoms mainly comprised of absolutely nothing.
Now you should no I don’t think there is ONE meaning of life. So don’t expect me to turn this observation into the secret answer the world has been looking for. However I find it fascinating, the most sophisticated beings on the planet are no different than a rabbit. Certainly not at all different from each other. All just a swirling ball of nothingness. Amazing right?
My Buddhist teachings are starting to kick in b/c this is where I tie it all together. We are all so similar to each other and yet we nit-pick the differences, I know b/c I do it too. Structurally, we are built of the same stuff as a rabbit, or monkey, or rock. And yet we find every difference in one another and put that under the microscope.
Our lives are relatively short on this planet; our chances to make a difference are slim. Together we can accomplish great things, all we need to do is take the first step and realize the similarities between us all.
And Ron Paul can take us there, vote Ron Paul 2008.
Have a Nice Day
T
P.S.-Totally just going for laughs with the Ron Paul thing. Hope it made you smile, or giggle, or chuckle, or laugh, or laugh out loud, or roll on the floor laughing, or laugh so hard milk shot out of your nose, or if you weren’t drinking milk then some other liquid that isn’t milk…but hopefully not soda b/c that stings like a bitch…you know what I’m talking about.
P.S.S. - Sorry I’m so weird.
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Really, if you want to get deep down and into it, Quarks are responsible for everything.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Lol to be honest I knew someone was going to mention quarks or leptons. However for the purpose of my ideas-atoms will do. Beside what kind of nerd knows about quarks and leptons....oh right, me.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
Heh, the randomness of the Ron Paul thing made me laugh (even before reading your PS).
Good entry, though. I like the point that we nitpick about differences, yet we're all basically the same.
-- quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Ron Paul=Amazing....too bad he won't get the nomination
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
I say we vote for him anyway, do a write-in.
It'd be cool if he managed to win that way.
-- quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
We could all vote for the number seven. I think that the number seven has a good chance of winning.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
Better chance than 8, 8 is soooo out of touch with the average voter.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
But seven, Seven ate Nine! And the people love that. They basically worship the number seven. I mean, it's amazing.
The way that seven is able to connect people, you just have to stand in amazement. And, think about it, seven already has a good rep. What do we associate with luck? Seven. Who will fix this shit? Seven. Seven for President Oh Eight.
Nicholas Aden
Self-Promotion
i just wanted to tell you.. i actually took the liberty of looking up who the hell ron paul is.. that deserves 2 kudo's.. at least. (jk). anyway yes, i agree with your belated point. we should all just work together.
-velvet
Lol kudos to you then. Hey if random comments about me being stupid made you look up a presidential nominee, then maybe it wasn't a waste of time.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
Actually, I think that your whole argument using atoms is kind of beside the point. Our physical bodies aren't what make us who we are. If a person lost all of their limbs or some such thing, wouldn't they still be themselves?
And that's the difference between us and the rabbit. The rabbit is only interested in the next meal, mating, and staying alive, but humans are different. Even if on the surface we appear to be the same, we all think about something more than staying alive and procreating- such as the meaning of life, what makes the universe tick, even whether or not Luke Skywalker ever really became a Jedi. The very fact that we ask the question separates us from everything else that we know of.
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything you have." - Barry Goldwater
"... the ostensible means [diversity] of acheiving a desired end had become the end itself." - Clarence Thomas
I see it as the reverse. Although the appearances we may give off our of high intellect and thought. At the bottom of our existence is the will to live, will to eat, will to procreate. We've evolved to do more, and think of more, but what is it that truly defines us?
That's a pretty good question.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
I propose that it is our ability and propensity to create and implement technology that distinguishes humans from every other form of life on this planet.
/jkh
What is meant by technology? Monkeys strip thin branches of their leaves and use the sticks to dig into termite holes making a rather tasty termite-ca-bob. Is this not but an early form of technology? Our own megar beginnings started with sticks and clubs, so why not the monkeys.
Pack animals use a form of democracy in almost every decesion the herd makes. So our tools and social forms are practiced among animals, and yet we claim to be superior. Three links of DNA, that is what makes us different than chimps, and after that we are only a few more links from every other animal on the planet.
So what makes us superior?
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
Yes yes, 'tis true that life forms other than humans implement forms of material and/or socio-cultural technology here on Earth (and quite likely elsewhere in the universe as well). However, no other life form on this planet has made use of technology to the extent that we have, nor has any other life form been so successful in their use of technology as have humans.
That is why I say that it is humanity's propensity to make and use technology that sets apart - and distinguishes - humanity from every other form of life we have yet encountered.
That is not to say that we are inherently *superior* for doing so...
/jkh
Ok then if you say we are not superior, then aren't the motivations of humans and the motivations of other animals the same, and only our ways of carrying out the motivations which differ.
All things wish to be happy, and humans have simply developed different ways to reach this happiness than say a monkey has.
If that is what your impling then I would push forward that humans and animals aren't that different, and only our methods highlight our differences.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
However I find it fascinating, the most sophisticated beings on the planet are no different than a rabbit.
I doubt we're most sophisticated, or that something like interspecies sophistication can even be measured. We just think we're at the top because we are humans and can only think as such. I'm sure bats thing they're better than us because they aren't dependent on sight, or cheetahs because they can run faster, or a poisonous snake because it can kill us with one little nip. We can't actually measure our intelligence against another species because we can't truly understand why another species does what it does. Just like a monkey can't fully know why a human does what it does.
Everyone wants to feel special.
Life and Death are facts. Who cares about the rest?
There are maybe a few animals that THINK they are the best....lion, tiger, various sharks, various whales, nile croc. Anyways the only way that an animal would think it is the best is if it knew of no natural enemy, like us humans do. When a animal believes nothing hunts/can hunt it then it has nothing to fear and therefore probably thinks it is the best. Any animal that is hunted will never think it is the best b/c it can not stop the hunter.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
True. I guess whales think they're the shit.
Life and Death are facts. Who cares about the rest?
Why wouldn't they? Who messes with a blue whale? Nothing they are too damn huge! AKA the shit.
Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted
