'Caring for others and educating others to do likewise' is the greatest purpose.

It's up to me to give my life purpose. I don't think I do too bad a job of it.

I always wanted to work with dolphins...then my life would have some porpoise.......

Listen, don't belittle yourself ever. You are not an acident, it is very fortunate that you live on this little insignificant planet we call Earth. Out of the billions and billions of planets and suns, you are here in this beautiful world. Think if you were somehow living on Saturn, Mars, Venus and so on. Your purpose should, we should all have the same purpose, and that is to leave this little planet a better place for humanity, so cheer up, move ahead, and make a difference.

I'm with you. It's all pretty amazing just with that.

We are all driven by our DNA. Fundamentally, I agree with your assessment. We are all part of, not separate from this amazing system called Mother Earth. You might enjoy reading Ismael by Daniel Quinn. It nicely lines up with your ideas and you might find it a comfort.

It seems kind of arrogant to suppose that your own life is some big deal in the universe with a great cosmic meaning. I'm as egotistical as the next man but, come on.

The impact you have on the lives of others determines the significance of the life you lead. Nelson Mandela

We create our own meaning, and we create our own purpose.

Meaning is what you make of it. Nihilism is comfortably terrifying. We tell ourselves nothing matters, but really we have deep seated attachment to certain people and ideas. You get to choose what gives you meaning. That’s the beauty of ultimate freedom. Select appropriately.

I always felt after doing the math for epidemiology, that its amazing we actually exist at all. If we were a stock on the stock exchange, no one would invest in the human species. And everything about the human mind seems so oblivious to its actual situation. I think the more I hear about sentient compassion, like caring and education, the more I realize its the best part of being human. I personally prefer empathy and working to help people live better as a sort of purpose to being in human. Oddly enough society does not seem to based on that. But whatever.

Free free free freeeee

I think we can learn a lot about this from observing the birds and animals. They don't spand a lot of time looking at the sunsets and discussing how their offspring are progressing. Mostly it's just survive and find food for another day. That's really basic to everything.

I think you have nailed it

You're closer to a sane self-estimation than most people.

You are not really an accident of nature, that would imply agency on the part of nature (as well as ineptitude). You're just at the end of a causal chain acted upon by natural laws and your own choices and the choices of others. You have no externally bestowed purpose, but can determine for yourself all the intrinsic purpose anyone would ever need. Particularly if you have realistic, as opposed to the more typical grandiose, goals. People feel inadquate mainly because they don't live within their true scope as a mortal being of limited attributes. They try to pretend they're immortal and in god's back pocket, and that's where the hilarity ensues.

Just riding this rock around the sun as many times as I can before I die. Life is short, enjoy it.

No one was ever asked by their parents if they wanted to be born, but here we are.

You know, I believe pretty much as you do.
But, while I can admit that for myself, it bothers me a bit to hear someone say it about themselves.
I guess it my empathy for those lacking self confidence. Although I know that not what you mean. You know?

We definitely don’t have a divinely dictated purpose. Aside from that I always thought there were three options:

1.) You’re so aloof you never thought to have a purpose.
2.) You’re aware enough to have a purpose.
3.) You’re wise enough to know you don’t need one.

2 and 3 are not mutually exclusive.

I actually disagree with you on “having no more value than other living things.” I think humans actually do have more objective value as they exhibit cultural transmission in a way that is immensely powerful unlike any other species. It’s an admittedly biased view, but I think it’s still true. Additionally, we are the only species that could defend the rest of life from cosmic existential threats. And of course some of what we could do seems dissmissable in light of what we actually do (wreak havoc on ecosystems and cause extinction) but that doesn’t make us less special.

I agree.
I mean nothing to the universe.
I only matter to the people I'm in contact with (momentarily or longterm).
The only purpose(s) I might ever have are the ones I give myself.

I find it very freeing.
I pick and choose what matters to me and live my life accordingly.
I do my best not to make life sucky for anyone else, and I try to ease other's pain when I can.
I don't want to be miserable, so I try not to make others miserable.
But I do it all knowing that in the end, it won't matter.

In truth our life has no purpose or meaning. There is definitely an amount of freedom in that. That's why we should not worry about the opinions of others. A hundred years from now all of us including our detractors will be pushing up daisies. Just sit back and enjoy life. Have that scotch or other drink. Love and laugh as much as possible.

I agree.

Purpose is everything. Your pupose gives your life meaning. Everyday you decide how to respond to fate.

Biologically we have but one function: reproduction. (Thank goodness its fun).
Spiritually our function is to attain knowledge and become one with the source of all things. Attainment of Total Consciousness.
Seems strange that our everyday lives are spent doing everything else but our true purpose.
Just something I saw on a bumper sticker.