As for what our purpose is in this life- that’s a hard one, and something that I have been thinking a lot about recently.
Biologically, I’d agree with Dr. B. As an animal species on this planet, our only ‘purpose’ is to grow, reproduce and die (thereby spreading our genes). Creating healthy offspring that will go on to reproduce further is life’s only goal. Dying and returning our bodies to the ground completes the cycle.
However, the fact that we are conscious, and are able to think rationally has pushed our species out of these natural cycles, whilst still chasing the genetic goals mentioned above. Because we are so smart, and are literally the most successful species in the history of this planet; we have moved out of our natural role into that of a virus.
The definition of a virus, as proposed by Agent Smith in The Matrix is “something that moves into an area, multiplies and uses up all the natural resources, then moves on…”
It has now got to the point where there is no longer anywhere to move, humankind has succeeded in spreading itself into every corner of the globe, and yet we still continue to multiply.
We are living in the Sixth great extinction, and it is all our doing:
http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update35.htm
Gaian theory sees the planet as one super organism. Each individual species has a niche that it occupies in balance with all the others in its area. Just like the individual cells in your body have their own roles in creating you.
We have out-grown our niche.;- we are a virus. When your body gets a virus, either the immune system get rid of said virus, or the host dies once all resources are used up.
Either way it’s not good for us.
So what is our purpose? Personally I believe that we do have a purpose in this life. We have been given a purpose by the simple fact that we have been born into this time. We have inherited the greatest single problem that our species has ever had to face, and we have unknowingly been given by every single human that has come before.
Our purpose now is to break the conditioning that our genes force us into. That is- not to blindly go forth and multiply, using up all available resources and then having a war with someone when we start to run out.
What we need to do is learn to survive within the limits of the natural world around us. We need to re-learn the lessons we have lost, how to clothe and feed ourselves with local produce. How to use the sunlight, wind, tides and rain to power and water ourselves. How to support ourselves without needing to rely on the slave work force of developing countries, or suckle at the teat of the oil producing nations.
And when we have done all this, then we need to take the lessons we have learnt and use them to educate the developing countries. Enabling them to leapfrog the industrial revolution they are starting on, and create successful, comfortable lifestyles without costing the earth.
The crazy thing is, we can actually do it. At this point in time it is not too late. We have the knowledge, we have the skills; all we need is the ambition.
So if anyone is looking for a purpose (as I have been), why not pick this?
In fact- and this is the crux of the matter- it can only be achieved if every single person decides to make the change. Climate change and its associated problems are going to affect every single person on this planet, and the only way to prevent it is if every single person decides to make a change in their lifestyles.
You may say- if I change it won’t affect anything, why should I bother? But this is my point. A movement is simply a collection of individuals who decide to look at things in a different way. A mass decision of individuals to make a change in their lives. If such things did not happen, then we would still have slavery, racism and women without the ability to vote as commonly accepted parts of our society.
This is my purpose- and if anyone’s looking for a purpose, let this be it. Some good places to start are:
http://www.earthlysins.org/
http://www.antiapathy.org/
