The search for purpose

Why do we have to live and then die? Is there a purpose for the time spent living, in the greater scale of humanity? Is there a purpose to continuously live our lives, lifetime after lifetime?

In all, historical records showed 5000 years of civilisation. I could assume that there is no purpose to go through whatever has made the world become what it is today, but that will also mean that the continuity of lives for 5000 years is merely a series of random and unrelated events. There are pockets of mysteries around how superhuman abilities derived, such as the construction of the pyramids and the healing powers of Jesus Christ. However, most daily life observations (earth is round, solar eclipse, medicine, etc.) had been fully explained with science theories and these science theories are also consistent amongst each other.

Assuming that there is a purpose which I am unaware of, and there is a reason why I am born in Singapore and not somewhere else on earth, I try to find a purpose in my current lifetime. Perhaps I am a messenger to spread the wisdom of life, or I am a medium used by a grand master of the universe to spy on human creatures on earth, or I am an explorer sent to earth, lost my memory and cannot find my way home, ... ?

Another way I tried to define purpose is to imagine that I am at my deathbed, watching a fast forward flash of my life and thinking about what I had and had not done. Perhaps write a message to my family and friends who will have to miss me?

Do people know what their purpose in life is? Many people do and their purpose in life is as real as they know it. Many have contributed towards research and development of medicine, agriculture, machines, teaching, etc., which had evidently improved the quality of lives. What could have motivated them to dedicate their lives to these purposes?

At the other extreme end of our society, why do we have equally unmotivated people who do not see any purpose in their lives?

What happens after our purpose is met?

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