Do other athiests despair

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At the futility of their lives? I sometimes find myself in my darker moods to become rather apathetic towards my goals. As an atheist, I sometimes lack drive to achieve because of the sheer massiveness of the things that happen around me. Even the number of people in my town is enough to make me wonder what my impact on the world is. So I ask if anyone else goes through a similar thought pattern, or one more akin to my good moods; since I only have a finite time on the earth, I need to strive to achieve the best that I can, and to leave a mark for better.

Well...... get discussin'!

btw I'm not making the answers 'yes' and 'no' into a poll because that's simplifying, and I can't think of enough groups to break it down into a decent poll.

I have, in no way, any extraordinary capabilities, nor do I have access to any social power leverage and most of the world seems very ignorant and highly deluded and life for me is very satisfactory if I have enough to eat and a place to work and sleep. This is much more than a great many unfortunate people. I find merely being alive and able to observe the life around me is a great privilege and to expect more and become frustrated about it is both silly and pointless. Life is very short under the best of circumstances. I take what I can get and am delighted with the privilege of being alive.

Life is inherently meaningless. That is our blessing. You have by random chance been given a blank canvas. Do not despair at its blankness. Paint something meaningful on it. Then your life will have meaning. The meaning you give it.
We do not need religion to tell us what our lives mean. Our lives are completely meaningless. Until we give them meaning. Anything else would rob us of a wonderful opportunity to be creative, and that would be a terrible waste.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yXPDdaUuvI[/youtube]

I agree with Sand, though I consider my life to be a journey taken rather than a privilege given.

Non-believers such as myself probably believe the journey, if it is to be considered as such is from nowhere to nowhere. Religious people seem to feel they have a real destination but all the destinations I have seen on offer are so ridiculously idiotic that I question the sanity of the concept.

If there is no god or afterlife then why don't we choose to be psychopathic gangsters?

"Eat drink and be merry because you are certainly going to die so why not grab all the goodies you can while you can"?

I see "nice" people as a flock of sheep between two packs of wolves.

"Above" you are heartless businessmen, kings and noblemen who will exploit you and kill you.

"Below" you are thieves, muggers, rapists and serial killers.

So why should you be honest and nice? They certainly aren't and they (top and bottom) are the ones with money, fast cars and "bling".

Because most people aren't capable of that. Not to mention the construct of society basically discourages it. Also, don't forget that it benefits an individual more to not act in such a way as a "psychopathic gangster".

If your inclinations are towards psychopathic gangster-hood the silly BS about punishment in an afterlife would have no effect. I personally am very happy being nice to people and living in a sensible society and constructing a system of values that works out nicely for everybody. Screwing idiotic women and numbing my sensibilities with stimulants and dope and hurting people has no appeal to me at all. Obviously the executives at BP have a different viewpoint but an afterlife does not deter them either. Religion is totally fabricated from poorly thought out fantasy and wishful thinking and that, frankly, is too immature for me to swallow.

No, it doesn't benefit the individual. It benefits the tribe as a whole.

As an individual I can have 10 kids and live on welfare. The sheep will give me a house, money, medical care and educate my children.

As an individual I can rob, rape and loot counting on the sheep to keep the roads in good repair and the electricity grid up and running.

As an individual it is in my best interest to cheat knowing that most people will be honest.

You really lack an understanding of things.

Also, if you rob or rape, you're going to jail and will most likely never be able to get a decent legit job again.

If I stick up a corner store I might go to jail.

But if I am the chairman of Goldman Sachs I get millions of dollars a year and you can't touch me.

The jails are full of petty drug pushers but when do they ever catch "Mr Big" or "The Godfather"?

If I am a petty thief then I might go to jail but if I am a REALLY BIG crook then I probably own congressmen and judges.

Considering your present state of mind and general comprehension one thing you can totally escape from worrying about is becoming an executive for Goldman-Sachs.

My comprehension is just fine. I personally will never be a high executive. But then I won't be a King or Duke either.

That doesn't mean that they don't have a free pass to get away with things that you or I could never dream about.

I don't dream about getting away with anything. I am perfectly happy to have good relationships with the people i know and to live within my income. I have plenty to do and think about without abusing anybody. If you get pleasure from cruelty you're a pretty sick guy and I'm sorry for you.

Until such time as your victims hire some muscle to break your knee caps. It is not in your long term interest to get people so annoyed with what you do that that retaliate with violence.

That is one of the reason why we hire police forces or hire body and property guards.

It is in your interest to live at peace with you neighbors as you get around to doing your rightful business.

ruveyn

No. This life right here is my heaven, this is my chanse. When i die, its gone. No fluffy clouds with angels on them will be there.

Its one of the reasons why i hate selfish people who ruin this world - my heaven - for other people. Imagine if i came to their heaven and started killing people and stole all the food and money.