A) Purpose

Chapter.3 [W:1233]

Purpose

Across the road from me is a pub in which a man is singing and
playing the guitar. He had left his home and made the journey
there, by whatever means he had available, in order to sing his
songs one after another. Afterwards, in all probability, he will
return to his dwelling again, wherever that may be. But did
anything actually happen in between time, between leaving his
home and returning there again after the completion of so much
concentrated activity? Did he perhaps make some other kind of
journey and arrive at some higher destination, invisible to me
and
all others, whilst perhaps having laid another section of pathway
for escaping his life predicament. . ? I have to admit that I
hardly
think it likely.

He began each song and went through it to the end and in
doing so might have expected to be achieving something. But
what? What did he actually accomplish aside from exercising and
acknowledging his existence and that of his audience? Surely,
nothing of intrinsic value or substance.

Then, leaving aside conversion of energy into movement, what
did really happen? Apart from any satisfaction or disappointment,
pleasure or pain or other insubstantial thing, what did he in
reality
accomplish? Nothing everlasting you can be sure. If so, then what
was the purpose, the point, the meaning of it? Can there be any
point to such efforts on our part or is this all just part of the
inescapable and everlasting process of matter changing its
position
in space, there being no alternative to existence or avoidance of
it,
our only possible achievement or meaning to be gained through
the pursuit of transitory things of no substance such as
pleasure,
the only escape through distractions of one sort or another, the
indulgence of illusion?

If this is so then it must be that everything is moving without
meaning other than the need to exist and no avoidance of it, the
universe a giant engine and we just the moving parts, many in
hopeless search of a comfortable meaning for being here yet
unable to find any because none as such exists.

We could suppose that the engine is driving something of which
we are not a part, some better and more meaningful type of
existence some-where else. Well this is undoubtedly a possibility
among others that might be considered for the sake of wishful
thinking. Unfortunately, even if it were the case, why should we
assume that such a place would make any difference to us, to
necessarily be there for our benefit or salvation?

Yet even if we were in the supposedly undesirable predicament
depicted above, why should we describe it as such and why
should we wish it otherwise? How else could it possibly be? If we
wish to exist then what more could we ask for to enable that
existence? What more could be provided that we don't already
have? Leaving to one side our personal troubles and the mess that
we usually make of things, could any of us design something
better
for the use of humankind? Could any of us do better? Has any
architect ever designed a building that everyone found totally
agreeable? Do we not already have the best that we could possibly
hope for? Of course, the things that we choose to do with it
might
not always please us, but who is to blame for that! Oh yes, it
would be wonderful to be able to fly; but that would require very
large wings and a good strong perch rather than a nice armchair.
Bedtime might pose quite a problem as well!

And so, returning to our guitar player and the question of
whether or not he actually achieved anything, whether or not
there was any point to all his effort, or even if there is any point
to
this writing! Well, yes, there was . . . he got paid!

Freedom

My wife was listening to the radio, to a question and answer
program wherein some learned person was asked if there was a
reason for the universe. He admitted to be ignorant of any, if
such
reason existed, but hoped that there was one.

Well, I have to ask, why..? Why should he hope so?

Look at the surrounding space. Within reason we can move in
any direction we choose. We can get up from our chair and walk
across to the window, whenever we choose, then sit down again
should we have tired after such an exertion, all in perfect
freedom.
If we feel like laughing, we laugh; crying, we cry; within reason
there is little that we cannot do, it is all up to us and the list
is
endless; why should we wish it to be otherwise? Would it be so if
there were a grand purpose for everything?

There would seem to be no special purpose for us to exist,
more than for anything else. Just like everything else, we simply
evolved. In our case, our parents had sex and we were the result.
Such an absence of any particular underlying purpose for life is
why, when finding ourselves lacking some worthwhile distraction,
such meaninglessness becomes all too apparent. Aside from the
things we do, life has no special purpose or meaning . . .which
is
precisely the very best arrangement for us.

Why should we search for such an absolute purpose when it
would be a most undesirable arrangement? Should we really wish
to be hobbled in that way? If we should ever find such a special
purpose for life then we should no longer be free but here only
to
serve that purpose and, therefore, hardly better than slaves.

Would we really wish to be subjects to such an unreasonable
dictatorship, or does that idea conjure up visions of hell, yokes
of
subjugation, and the dragging of chains?

A key exists to fit a lock and that is its only purpose and reason for
existing. Should we really wish to be like that when to be free of
initial purpose enabled us to pursue our own? This is the best possible
way for us: to be free to go our own way and pursue our
own purposes in life and thus develop ourselves in the direction
that we choose; which is surely the best possible arrangement
that
any but the most pathetic of individuals could wish to choose, or
that any of us would want to attach to our existence.

And, of course, we do have the choice of staying or leaving,
something that we might otherwise not have had.

The fact that our parents had sex and nature followed its
natural
course, does not eliminate the possibility of life after death,
or
even God; nor even such as a grand plan without such boundaries,
provided that plan had not been devised by other than reason.
Just to stop and think that the universe has no special purpose
should surely give a sense of release and freedom.

But if we really do feel an overwhelming need to attach a grand
purpose to everything, then why not let it be that the universe
is
here solely to provide us with a place to exist and the ability
to
know of that existence; our purpose here just to understand and
enjoy that incredible existence.

---oooOooo---

Comprehending Existence