What is the meaning of life? This is perhaps the oldest existential question of all time that most people consider it at least at one point in their lives. Perhaps it is better for the world to come to an end; either by the hands of God, or by science. Every living being’s existence can end, and all the pain and suffering can end along with it.
Many turns to religion when this thought crosses our minds and believe this specific existence is a test, until we return to God in the afterlife. Others turn away from religion and believe there is no greater power and this life is all you get. Despite the various theories, nobody knows for certain what the purpose of life is.
People live, love one another, have families, travel, experience a certain level of happiness. But they also kill each other, hurt each other, hate others and themselves, and cause mass destruction. While there is immense joy and happiness, there is an equal amount of suffering all over the world. There are loved ones dying, heartbreak, war, injustice, children getting cancer, innocent animals dying at the hands of sinful humans, and plenty more fighting and cruelty to go around.
Moral philosopher Kim Ngyun states that, “There is no real answer to why we exist and why we’re here. Unless we all commit suicide, we don’t really have a choice but to exist and make a life for ourselves.
“We don’t really know what’s next for us until we experience it after we die. Maybe it’s better, or maybe it’s worse. Or maybe it’s different for every individual. We will just have to wait and find out”
The humans have possibly ruined everything by destroying the environment beyond repair, or angered God through our sins so that there is perhaps no hope but to force us all go to the next phase of existence. It may be less dreaded to end all the unnecessary suffering amongst the humans and animals, and experience either heaven/ hell, or just blackness after we die. Rather than dragging out the pain and agony this life comes with.
A new comedy called ‘The Good Place’ is all about what happens in the afterlife and one of the main characters say:
“Birth is a curse, and existence is a prison.”
Speaking from a religious stand point, the Bible, the Quran, and the Torah all claim that there is a heaven and hell. Every religion also states all the sins and good deeds and what rules we should follow in this life.
Perhaps this life is a test of how we use our free will. Many even blame the choices they make themselves and say “The Devil made me do it!”. However, if this life is all a test of our free will, the Devil doesn’t make anyone do anything and every bad action is stemmed from humans, and the sins they commit themselves.
Younger generations are realizing that there is no hope for the state of the world, and also no hope for humanity. Millennials and Gen Z’s often joke about a sweet embrace of their own deaths. Anxiety and depression rates are rising in North America, the economic state has delayed milestones such as marriage, kids, and home ownership. Climate change is also an issue than young generations have to deal with that many older generations seem to not care about.
Those that believe in a higher power believe that heaven is much suited over earth, where there is no pain and no sadness and it’s the eternal happiness that we can only imagine during this life.
For atheists, or those that believe there is no such thing as an afterlife, it is still better to put an end to all the suffering that comes with living.
Either way, perhaps not existing at all is a more suitable situation. Rather than every being continuing to suffer until their inevitable deaths.
The world coming to an end by a big earthquake or a meteor that would destroy the world may not be such a scary thought if humanity realizes that everyone’s death may be the best option for what this world has come to.
No human will ever truly know the meaning of life. But all the hardship that is in this one cannot be the answer. Perhaps the meaning of life is just to find out what is waiting for us in the next life.