If I were dictator

[Brian Peacock]

I would blow the world up. Save all the hassle.

Bit of a death wish there eh Scot? Perhaps you should talk to somebody about that.

[Scot Dutchy]

Why? Would it make any difference if we did not exist?
Just one reason. We have no reason to exist unless of course you believe in some greater power. Would the universe look any different? Would the earth stop orbiting our crappy third rate star? Of course not. We are not required. Just as is the universe required?

Makes me really laugh at those who think we have the right to exist. What an idea.

So so stupid.

[Sean Hayden]

We are creators. We have the right to what we create. --so so simple really

[Rum]

9edit- response to Scott)
We have no right and there is no meaning.

Except that perhaps we are a truly rare event - a tiny bit of the universe that has somehow against all the odds learnt how to gaze at itself and ponder.

It doesn’t mean there’s any more meaning but it just might be worth hanging on to for a bit to see what happens..

[Sean Hayden]

There is a lot of meaning. What else would it look like if it didn't start in your own head? More importantly, why should it being inside your head make it worthless?

[Rum]

There is a lot of meaning. What else would it look like if it didn't start in your own head? More importantly, why should it being inside your head make it worthless?

Ultimately, I suppose, playing devil’s advocate fir a moment, because everything is ephemeral.

[JimC]

Us hominems got to be where we are by being exceptionally good at making models of external reality in our heads, usually in the process assuming the model is the reality. Of course it is not, but natural selection has ensured our ability to make the model a damn good approximation. Since this ability is built in to us, it makes sense that using it well gives us pleasure. Science is perhaps just a systematic version of this natural ability. So, the process of steadily achieving a better and better model of reality is a natural activity for Homo sapiens, one that can be pursued as a group task (scientists are tribal at heart) and one that can give the pleasure centres of the brain a decent tickle. What's not to like?

[Sean Hayden]

There is a lot of meaning. What else would it look like if it didn't start in your own head? More importantly, why should it being inside your head make it worthless?

Ultimately, I suppose, playing devil’s advocate fir a moment, because everything is ephemeral.

This seems to me to be a different discussion. Or has meaning got the property of duration built-in? Those with more duration being more meaningful? Strange then that we should chase the orgasm like we do.

I don't think I've ever heard a good definition of meaning outside ourselves, and yet many are convinced both that it can't be found, and that therefore "meaning" doesn't exist ,or what meaning there is ain't worth much.

But isn't it trivially true that meaning as such doesn't exists? Why should such a trivial tautology bother us so much?

[NineBerry]

Oh yeah, packaging. When a company sells you a product, they would be responsible for the packaging. They would need to take it back and recycle it sensibly. You can just unpack things that are not food at the check out and dump the package in a barrel. Their problem from then on.

That has been the law in Germany for nearly 30 years.

You can do both:

There's bins collecting packaging materials at supermarkets. You can leave the packaging there.
Additionally every household has a separate trash can for packaging material. Everyone selling stuff has to pay money into a fund according to the amount and types of packaging they use, and this fund is then used to pay for the collection and deposal or recycling of the packaging waste.

[Tero]

Yeah, I know. I want to give incentives to the makers to package with limited materials. We have unlimited cellulose. It recycles to some extent.

[Scot Dutchy]

There is a lot of meaning. What else would it look like if it didn't start in your own head? More importantly, why should it being inside your head make it worthless?

We are just parasites living on and destroying this rock of a planet. There is absolutely no reason for our existence which was the main reason why belief systems evolved just to give a reason. If the Earth did blow up tomorrow who would miss us?

[Sean Hayden]

No one. But why should I care about that? Must I be missed, is that the question?

[pErvinalia]

Galaxian and the inter-galactic aliens would miss us.

[Scot Dutchy]

No one. But why should I care about that? Must I be missed, is that the question?

What is the point of your existence? There is none.

[Sean Hayden]

You mean a point from without? Sure, I think at this stage that seems obvious. But trivially so.

Would you object to me giving myself a point, or several for existing?