If you don't believe in an afterlife, what is your motivation?

[A2_Sauce]

i had to write an essay on this. i'm curious what other people thought. chat away.

[tsugomaru]

I want to see myself at the top one day. Life for me is a game. We are just walking through it gaining what we can. And even if there is no afterlife, I personally think that people do not truly die until they are forgotten.

~Tsugomaru

[Grandiagod]

Probably my biggest motivation for living. This is the only chance I got. Better make it good.

[BluE_MeaniE]

This question seems to imply that there's no real point to life if there isn't an afterlife. That's backwards to me. I'd imagine there's not much purpose to life if it's only a staging area for the afterlife.

I'm motivated by wanting to do good in the world and for myself. I want to learn and spread information. I hope to get 80 years here doing that.

[FoJaR]

Originally Posted by BluE_MeaniE

This question seems to imply that there's no real point to life if there isn't an afterlife. That's backwards to me. I'd imagine there's not much purpose to life if it's only a staging area for the afterlife.

regardless of your point of view, saying that there isnt much purpose to this life if there is an afterlife is just silly....

i mean heaven/hell.... duhhh

[TheRapingDragon]

I don't know what to believe in, if there IS an afterlife then you won't have your memories or anything to go by so you might as well be starting all over again.

Doesn't give me much motivation.

So why do I continue to persist with this phobia even though I technically don't believe in "my" afterlife, probably just because I can, I might as well live while I can, that and my fiancee, apart from that I don't have too much motivation.

So, in short: because I can.

[Kekiz]

If you don't believe in an afterlife, what is your motivation?

That is motivation in itself. Have fun while you can. If there was an afterlife it give you less reason to do everything you can now.

[Sf。Yami]

I beleive in an Afterlife, but still, my motivation is having as much fun in life as I can.

[Jamaican Jew]

Knowledge, food, sleep, sex-- anything to keep up my general happiness.
The stress that comes from worrying about an afterlife is overrated, we should be enjoying what time we have.

[RandomPscho]

Being happy

Motivation is knowing that it will all be over one day.

[cC@Zz]

I can't believe in an afterlife without proof. Thats my mindset. There so many theories out there I just don't know what to believe.

[MixMasterLar]

My motivation for living is to gain a afterlife worth living. I believe you only have one chance, and if you mess that up then it's afterlife with Satan forever. Otherwise, Im with Random Pycso: it'll all be over soon. My point is to make sure that when it's over to BE ON THE GOOD END OF THE DEAL.

[Maid]

We are but strangers in this world, once you die. You cease to exist and self awareness of being self aware will come anew it wont be you but self awareness of your new self. Chances are very low that new consciousness will be born on earth. Expect to sort of wander around the whole universe every time you die.

This is my theory, it may not be true but it sure as heck more plausible than heaven or hell.

[A2_Sauce]

Originally Posted by Jamaican Jew

Knowledge, food, sleep, sex-- anything to keep up my general happiness.
The stress that comes from worrying about an afterlife is overrated, we should be enjoying what time we have.

instant gratification

[Cavernio]

Ah, the elusive 'meaning of life' question.

Life's meaningless, and that's definitely been a catalyst for elucidating gripping despair in me. That plus the fact that in order to get the most out of life, I have to put myself through comparable misery, can certainly tear away any motivation I have. I don't have much motivation now to be honest, so I'm not sure 'motivation' is the right term for it, but in a very general sense, I want enjoyment. I enjoy many things on many different levels, from eating, to the the dozy feeling I get when I sleep, to being angry at people.
I realize though that I need to share this with someone else in some way, shape, or form. Not necessarily 1 person, but others. I need to share the wonders of life with others. That's why I frequent this message board. I want to discuss and learn about others, about my very existence. That's my motivation; learning about existence and knowing that it rocks, and taking pleasure out of every single painful, joyous moment.

[Shadowlessheart]

Well I was talking with my friend about that last night...but we decided that this world is to creepy for something like that not to exist.

But in short (great grammer ability eh ^_^) I just feel like I need to make people as happy as I can while I'm still here...I mean seriously there has to be a couple good people in this world to back people up, who give up everything to put a smile on someone elses face when they clearly need it as much, and I'm the person to do that...but I'm not saying I'm the only one hahahaha. I just want everyone in the world to be as happy as possible no matter what...so I other happiness is what my motivation for what I do .

[MagicCarpetRide]

So.... this will sound retarded to most of you and you will probably find a way to prove it wrong but what if....
When you die your brain kind of goes off on its own like, Whatever you beleive will happen your brain kind of simulates for you... Like this whole life isn't real it is all simulated in your brain... And you can kind of trigger your brain and decide what will happen yourself and your brain with sort of create an artificial environment that you beleive to be heaven or something....................... I don't know it just makes me think sometimes, Why are we here? And that's one of the few almost logical explanations i can think of.

[cC@Zz]

Originally Posted by MagicCarpetRide

So.... this will sound retarded to most of you and you will probably find a way to prove it wrong but what if....
When you die your brain kind of goes off on its own like, Whatever you beleive will happen your brain kind of simulates for you... Like this whole life isn't real it is all simulated in your brain... And you can kind of trigger your brain and decide what will happen yourself and your brain with sort of create an artificial environment that you beleive to be heaven or something....................... I don't know it just makes me think sometimes, Why are we here? And that's one of the few almost logical explanations i can think of.

I don't believe thats the case but it could be possible I guess.

[Kekiz]

I hope i get to party with satan.

[slipstrike0159]

The bad things in life only make the good things that much better.

I think the question posed is, if you are an athiest and/or you believe nothing happens after you die and its just the end then whats the reason for living life. Not necessarily what is the reason to continue with life altogether.

In any case, if you dont believe there is an afterlife then i think you should follow the idea someone else has said being that you live as long as you are remembered. In that case your motivation would be to be happy and make others happy as well. If you want to be remembered, what better way than to be remembered for your ability to make other peoples hard times better and reminding them that life is worth living to be optomistic. If you were a truly good person then your purpose would be to make other people happier and overall help a very small portion of the population at the very least. It has been proven that if you make someone else happy you yourself will become more joyful in the heart, so in basic terms- happiness comes from service whether it is received or given.