comment: >
  
  What would convince you that life matters? Certainly life matters while you are living it. Have you ever heard the phrase the journey is more important than the destination? But even if you are talking about the destination, your life will affect the lives of others who in turn will affect more. So your legacy will live on. Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect?
context: What you are describing is called "existential dread". It is very common. Many people go through an existential crisis at one point in their life. 
  Ultimately you got the right answer already. You need mental health assistance. 
  What worked for me was getting married and having a child. Now that I have others to worry about I don't think that much about my own death. There may be a different solution for you. Usually there is a solution for everyone. It's an extremely common malady. >
  
  Thank you ..I hope I will find ways but worrying about my child and husband will be also stressful no ?:))) >
  
  It removes the existential dread though. It doesn't completely remove all worries. I still worry all the time about all sorts of things. I'm not sure anything can remove that. You just gotta learn how to manage it. >
  
  Hmmm... I would argue that since nothing matters, then you decide what is important to you. 
  Hear me out. Death comes to everyone. We don't know what lies beyond death. It literally could be nothing. It could be an afterlife. It could be us waking up as a slug or somewhere rich person. Or even more insane, you wake up to the matrix. 
  Regardless of what happens after death or if death is the final stop, at this time you decide what is important to you. 
  Society often dictates the important things. In America, it is the notion of the American dream. A wife with children and a good job. But is that important to you? 
  I'm assuming not. So at this point, you decide. Is it music? Poetry? Trolling people on the internet?!
  I don't know. What I know is that life will always be meaningless. All we can do is enjoy what we have here. The world is at our fingertips. Nothing is stopping you from going out and traveling. Trying new foods, listening to new music, or writing poetry that no one will read but you. Maybe you learn that you hate the pacific ocean but like the Atlantic. 
  So go out and explore. Find yourself. Find what you enjoy. You have this time. Go and live it to the fullest. Ask. Explore. Be a dangerous person in a world of trends. 
  Still be safe though. >
  
  thank you :) >
  
  A good movie I just watched about this is:
  Everything everywhere all at once.
  Exactly the same sense of existential dread where if nothing matters, then you decide to place value in what you want. >
  
  I will look it up .thanks :)) >
  
  There may be no objective, empirical 'purpose' to our lives, that's not something any of us can prove or disprove, and I'm inclined to agree that we don't have one. But I do think there's a sort of ontological assumption baked into the way you're framing life that suggests that through a divine (so to speak) purpose we derive meaning, and to be purposeless is to be meaningless. I contest that assumption about life
  I like to be kind and meet new people, learn as much as I can, and have conversations and do work that helps shape the world into what I want it to be. I will have made the people in my life happy, their lives better, and the world a brighter place no matter how temporary. 
  There's a book I'm very fond of called the road. I don't think you should read it until you're in a better way though. It's beautiful and heart breaking and both crushes and inspires me
  The world has ended in nuclear hellfire. Yet even still people remain and they live and they make choices. A boy and his dad are trying to survive. There are horrible horrible things that happen to them, but there's a few things that keep them going. 
  First and foremost, they have each other. They are both each other's world's entirety, the connection they have and that all of us have to the peoples in our lives is important. They love each other and that's important
  Second, they do so because they are carrying the flame. It's not literal, it's a metaphorical flame and I think it represents kindness, decency, vulnerability, and a faith in humanities ability to embody all of those things. It's a stoic assertion that despite the material conditions they exist in, they do in fact matter. One day they will die, but others will be there to carry the flame just as they had.
  And lastly, the alternative is just making that ending come sooner, to snuff the flame and to make the world a more dim place. It's painful and grim and it will hurt the ones that are left
  I guess to me, it's not the ending that matters, it's the doing. It's the connections we share, and the flames we carry >
  
  I have heard of that book  and know it is amazing :) Thank you >
  
  What does what happens "in the end" matter? We're not living "in the end", we're living in the here and now >
  
  I can explain it this way .,,when I read a really good book and it has sad end I feel like i wasted my time since the end was sad .I know people are different ... >
  
  Why do you continue to read books then? All books end whether they were happy or sad! >
  
  books with happpy end make me happy :)) >
  
  But you close that last page and it's still the end. So if you spend your final moments in life happy, you'll be content with that? >
  
  ofc .if I die old and happy I will be happy ..
  but i know the world is full of suffering and not all people die old and happy ... >
  
  Why would there not be suffering? Without suffering how would we know happiness? >
  
  I've been struggling with the same thoughts for the past few years, so I certainly understand the feeling! 
  For me, it's been helpful to reframe what it means for something to "matter". Something does not need to be permanent to having meaning: experiencing a delicious meal, feeling moved by a beautiful song, sharing a moment with a loved one, feeling a sharp stab of pain... all moments are temporary, but they're still meaningful. 
  I hope that there is something after death. But if there isn't, and my candle is extinguished forever, the fact that I've lived means everything to me while I'm alive. And if I live my life well, I hope to positively impact the people around me, who will impact the people around them, carrying a ripple of my life far beyond my time on earth. >
  
  Thank you 
  for sharing your experiences >
  
  Full disclosure: I agree that things are meaningless, as in things don't have inherent meaning; we give them meaning. 
  
  I was christian as long as i remember myself ,I lost my faith in religion and god several years ago and since then I deal with depressing thoughts time after time .I deal with existential crisis and nihilism time after time 
  
  I can imagine that's rough. 
  Christianity comes with a lot of perks pre-installed: meaning, purpose, value. 
  Giving that up is not easy. Such things form part of our identity. 
  But I can assure you this is just a phase. And you didn't lose "everything". 
  Obviously you still care: you're emotional, you reach out by making this post. You're looking for solutions. That's very admirable. 
  It's important to remember that nihilism doesn't mean "nothing matters at all". It just means that meaning isn't handed to you with a bowtie on it. 
  If nothing we do matters, then the only thing that matters is what we do. 
  
  I am reminded often that ,,in the end everyone dies and nothing matters . no matter how successful and happy you are death is final stop
  
  Well, everyone does die. No reason to lie about that. Death is the most certain thing in life. 
  It's not fair, of course. Also no reason to lie about that.
  "fair" has nothing to do with death. You live your life, no matter what life, and at some point you die, regardless of anything. Many people who deserve to live, die, and vice versa. You don't know when. You don't know how, or why. You don't know what happens after, or whether anything happens. 
  It's true, but it's certainly not fair. And that's a hard pill to swallow. 
  It's easy to think things don't matter if you focus on how they end. Because in between then and now, they exist for a rather long time. 
  Plus, the fact that our existence is finite, makes every moment valuable. 
  
  It is my goal to change my negative thinking pattern and would love to get your different ideas 
  
  Personally I'm into existentialism and absurdism. 
  Existentialism is pretty straightforward: you have a self, you exist. Everything beyond that, is open to interpretation. How your self relates to the your body, the world, other people, etc. (Edit: some existentialists believe the self is like the immortal soul in christian theology, some believe it's a product of the brain, some believe all kinds of different things.)
  Absurdism helps me deal with the absurdities in life. Like death. Makes absolutely no sense. I could spend years breaking my head apart over it. But I can also recognize it is absurd, and move on to better things. 
  Hope this helps :) best of luck on your journey, fellow traveler >
  
  Thank you :)))) >
  
  You're very welcome :) >
  
  You're not alone in feeling that way. When you are raised into a system of belief that offers clearly-defined problems and spiritual, esoteric solutions, you find yourself with a view of the world that is contingent on having a firm foundation from which to build knowledge. What you're describing, and experiencing, is having that foundation pulled out from under you.
  My sympathies. I've been in this boat.
  We humans have spent thousands of years trying to identify a single, unifying "purpose" to everything, and haven't been able to do so. It hasn't been for lack of trying. As uncomfortable as it is to think about, that means you are never going to have firm answers to the big questions you have about the nature of existence. At least not to your satisfaction.
  But accepting this doesn't have to be a negative experience. It's an inevitable one nonetheless. Life may not have an objectively identifiable point, but that realization can be very liberating when you subsequently realize this means you are entirely free to experience your existence without the threat of punishment for doing it wrong. There is no wrong way to exist. You are doing just fine, and always have been.
  You can't overtly avoid existential discomfort, but you can rest assured that you're not alone. Life is its own reward, and you are among a privileged few human beings who have ever existed or will ever exist. You're seeing something happen that hardly anyone will ever get to see, in a universe that is bigger than comprehension allows you to fully conceive of.
  And you are *free* to do with that what you wish. >
  
  Why do things that end not matter?
  Movies end, relationships end, parties end.
  Things end, that doesn't make them worthless. >
  
  Sounds like you could use some philosophical study.  So many ways you can go from stoicism to Nietzsche, systems thinking.  You didn't stumble on something that people haven't been dealing with for centuries - it's just new to you. >
  
  thanks any suggestion.which is simple and basic but makes sense ? >
  
  I think it's good to have a broad base, but systems thinking is pretty simple and easy to understand, and integrates well with Buddhism, if you want to have something more spiritual about it.
  Basic idea is to understand reality in terms of nested systems.  Systems have "emergent properties" which cannot be attributed to any one of the system's parts.  In humans, one of these properties is consciousness.  Systems seek equilibrium using reinforcing (positive) and balancing (negative) feedback loops.
  I can view myself as part of the system of my family, company, community, etc. and can identify what I should give and take from each based on what is needed or what is offered.
  You can take this as far as you want, but you can find purpose here, and if nothing else, you are a link in the chain of life's evolution as so many multitudes have been before leading to you. >
  
  Why do you elevate "the end" as the only time when the events, accomplishments, experiences, etc of one's life can be evaluated?
  What does "the end" matter if you insist nothing matters? >
  
  The only thing left is our reputation and legacy.
  If at my funeral one person says that I made a difference in their life then I did good! >
  
  You’re right nothing matters. But that’s not as depressing as it sounds.. it lets you ascribe meaning to anything you like. >
  
  thanks >
  
  Whatever you do, please don't return to religion for a solution. All it does is cover that void, it doesn't fill it >
  
  I agree..I want to become spiritual though but never religious >
  
  As one atheist to another, I would say… yes, you’re right that there’s no objective purpose or meaning to life. No god or higher power telling you what you’re supposed to do with the limited time you have on earth. But why would that be a bad thing? 
  This is an invitation to make your own meaning. Decide your own purpose. Choose to live life how and for what you want. If nothing matters, then you can decide what matters. 
  To me, life has meaning when I’m happy and I help others. Life has meaning when I have people to love, a loving animal to cuddle with, and creative pursuits to enjoy. I fulfill my life’s purpose by playing with my dog, or calling my mom, or donating to charity. I get to decide that, and thank the universe that I have the freedom to decide how my life is best lived. >
  
  Thank you !!!!! >
  
  Why does it matter that things should matter? Once you abandon the presupposition that things need to matter, then you realize that it is okay for things not to matter. >
  
  I hope I get to that point >
  
  
  I am reminded often that ,,in the end everyone dies and nothing matters .no matter how successful and happy you are death is final stop '
  
  Everyone dying and nothing matters can be mutually exclusive.  
  Everyone will die, nothing changes that. But your experiences with them right now can matter right now. >
  
  That's the basis. Now what do you do with it ? 
  There's some school of though that tried to answer this. Hedonism, existentialism, absurdism... Make your pick.
  If you are forced into life and have nothing special you have to do within it, you might as well have some fun don't you think ? >
  
  yes but I want( ed ) life to have some special meaning ..I am very lost bc all these years religion gave me some comfort of being secure and special..and now seems like everything is gone >
  
  Then make up some. That's the beauty of it. It's much more a blank page than a dark void. >
  
  thanks ..I always view it as dark void so I definitely need different perspective .blank page idea seems much more interesting :)) >
  
  You’re depressed. >
  
  maybe ...like i mentioned I plan to get mental help for it ! I am sure I have severe anxiety though :)) >
  
  Hi! What’s wrong with having a finite amount of happiness? If one lived forever your happiness could be infinite! In my opinion, that’s asking a little too much considering all the great things we already have in this life. I put to you that, in fact, if you lived forever then (with no motivation to do anything before you expire) that’s the case where nothing really matters. >
  
  Thanks ...:)))finite life is also scary but around 200 years maybe would be better >
  
  This life is temporary, the next one is eternal. >
  
  hope so >
  
  You should try to find pleasurable things in life and go for them. >
  
  Why must something not be temporary to matter?
  If someone was going to torture me, but the torture would be temporary, only lasting several months, this would still matter a lot to me.
  Similarly, the Holocaust was temporary, but it seems difficult, to me at least, to follow why it wouldn’t matter because of that. >
  
  I agree even one second torture matters ...trust me holocaust stories make me feel so sad as well ...i wish I had the same feeling about happy stories :))) >
  
  But if people can use their lives to do things like prevent torture and genocide, would this make their lives matter? Given that things like torture matter? >
  
  makes sense :)) >
  
  Nihilism isn't the position that life is meaningless: it's the position that life is without intrinsic meaning.  This is an important distinction.
  Ultimately, this means thst "meaning" is whatever you want/need it to be.  Maybe it's your SO. Your kids.  Your career.  Your music...whatever. 
  And it isn't a static, stagnant thing. It can change along with you. >
  
  thanks :)) >
  
  Just because nothing matters in the long term (as in beyond your death) doesn’t mean there is no meaning to existence in the short term (while you’re alive). If existence is just a short period of consciousness, we might as well do what we wish during it. 
  One way to think about is that the only thing that truly matters is what we do while we are alive. Beyond that we, obviously, can’t do anything. >
  
  OP i pretty much agree in the end we all go to 1 of 2 places also I wanted to say that I really like how this post isn’t aggressive a lot of the posts in here are really aggressively trying to get their point across and it’s annoying it is refreshing to see this kind of post >
  
  haha nope my goal here is to realize that I am wrong and people are right ... >
  
  3 things that helped me...
  1. Reframe - everything matters. Breathe, smell, listen, be present
  2. Understanding values - www.motivationalinterviewing.org/sites/default/files/valuescardsort_0.pdf
  3. Ownership - I decide how I feel and how I choose to live my life >
  
  The purpose of life is to pursue whatever it is that gives your life meaning. And in that pursuit, you will struggle and feel like nothing matters. But if you're persistent and sufficiently lucky, you will find that meaning.
  If that doesn't help, just think of it this way "Well, it's better to just keep going than to just go die. At least something good could happen if I keep going. That's better than literally nothing." >
  
  I struggled with the same thing for years. I went to therapy and read this book Nothing and Everything and it helped me see things differently. 
  Growing up Christian instilled in me a deep belief that everyone's life has a purpose, and that purpose is to worship God. I later became an agnostic athiest, but the deep belief that my life should have a particular purpose that I need to find never left. I fell into existential crises every few months when I would panic that I didn't know what my purpose was and that life really didn't seem to have one on a grand scale. 
  Reading that book gave me a framework for accepting that the universe has no single purpose, and, because of that, I can choose my own personal purpose. The author calls it "creative nihilism" as opposed to the "depressive nihilism". Depressive says that there is no purpose so everything is meaningless. Creative nihilism says there is no purpose so go create your own. 
  Focus on developing a set of core values that resonate with your own gut feelings about life, and then build a life that serves those values for no other reason than YOU want that for yourself. I found this way of thinking opened a door to my inner self expression that I had not experienced before. I let go of my need for a larger purpose for my life (most days), and accept and enjoy the life I have. 
  So, I don't aim to change your view, that "life is temporary, everyone dies, so nothing really matters in the end", but I do believe based on my experience that you can hold these beliefs AND find joy and meaning in the small and big moments in your own life for no other reason than they matter to you. >
  
  Thanks will definitely check the book :)) >
  
  Everything changes (that's one of the only universal truths) and so nothing can be relied upon forever. Any attachment to anything will result in pain when that attachment is broken. 
  At the time of death you certainly do lose anything in your life you were attached to. But so what? Do you remember how torn up you were the last time you died, before your current life? How about the one before that? And before that? And before that? No? Then I guess those things truly never did matter then. Almost like it was silly to get attached to them in the first place. 
  Why do you see everything being temporary and passing as a negative thing? It's the most freeing thing I can think of personally. Is it because you want something you can hold onto forever? If you let go of everything I think you'll realize there was never any reason to hold on in the first place. 
  If you seek grounding in anything passing, you will not be grounded. If you let go of passing temporary phenomenon, you have nothing but ground. In truth, because everything is passing, you have nothing to gain and nothing to lose. You've arrived! 
  This doesn't mean that "good" and "bad" don't exist. Relying on passing phenomenon will only cause pain as those attachments will be broken, and thus this lifestyle leads away from grounding and towards inevitable pain. That's bad. A lifestyle of non attachment leads to less suffering (potentially even the elimination of all unnecessary suffering one day, for not just yourself but every living being) and so is Good. 
  Try Buddhism! I recommend strictly things the Buddha himself taught (Theravada) but there are many Mahayana "Sutras" that teach stuff well too. >
  
  thanks .any book for beginners ? which is easy and makes sense? >
  
  Look I don’t read know a lot about philosophy (I really like it tho) but from what I gather Nietzche also tried to tell people we can find our own purpose and be happy with it. Absurdism is just accepting that everything is meaningless and doing whatever the hell you want. Stoicism says that we shouldn’t be worried about death, we can’t control it therefore it’s useless to agonize over it and we don’t even really know what happens when we die for them the present moment  is the only thing that matters. 
  Probably butchered a lot. But I hope some of those thoughts resonate with you, I strongly recommend studying different philosophies just for fun :)
  My favorite one at the moment is Buddhism but I find it quite similar with stoicism as well. I hope my superficial knowledge will be of some use >
  
  I am so sorry to see any person feels this way about life.  All life is precious.  At risk of sounding “peachy”, regardless of the way you feel about yourself, God loves you whether you believe in him or not.  At the very least talk to a strong Christian friend.  Christians are filled with joy and live life with purpose.  That is not to say many are without some MAJOR FLAWS.  Hypocrisy is one of the mainstays of Christian communities.  It is very hard for many people to get past.  I understand because I have been there and experienced it firsthand.  Christianity however is not flawed.  A true relationship with God and yourself will never steer you wrong.  I truly wish you the best and will say a prayer for you. >
  
  Don't tell this to Stalin/Hitler/Putin >
  
  OK so we are made of energy right? Energy cannot be destroyed right? So where do you think we go when we die? Our energy has to go somewhere so there has to be something after this life .period. That's why it matters what we do here >
  
  When you listen to music, do you do it only for the sake of reaching the end, or do you enjoy the process itself? You need to enjoy the journey, not the destination.
  Thinking in terms of utility is not good, it comes from a place of necessity and not natural desire, but if you must think in terms of utility, do so on a proper scale.
  Considering just 1 second of your life is not helpful, neither is asking "what will this matter in a million years?". It's also not good to compare yourself to large groups of people. The larger your scope, the less significant you will seem yourself.
  The best confidence comes from within yourself, and the same goes for things like faith. If you need something external to spice up your life, though, I suggest philosophy or spirituality. A lot of highly intelligent people went through atheism and back to faith, so faith isn't just for stupid people.
  But this would be the best: To believe in yourself with no logical reasons or arguments required. To have just your existence be enough, and to do things just because you want to. If you rely on nothing, you're invulnerable, as you stand on your own with nothing to lose. >
  
  "Nothing we do matters in the end, and that is precisely why we are not shackled by the burden of expectations, the fear of eternal judgment, or the failure to meet up to an arbitrary definition of what makes our limited time "not wasted". Time cannot be wasted, for there is no greater purpose to life than simply living it. Because we have no greater purpose, we are free to set our own. To create self-defined goals for which to strive. For some it may be nothing. For some it may be pleasure. For some it may be creation. For some it may be improving the lives of others. It is because we have no greater purpose, that time spent on goals set by one's self cannot be time wasted. In the end, nothing matters, and therefore you have no reason not to do what you want rather than whatever illusion or greater purpose is forced on you by others or even your own misguided thoughts."
  -V1, ultrakill >
  
  This kind of sounds like an existential crisis, where there just doesn’t seem to be any meaning in life anymore. Although it’s so ubiquitous that it seems to be a normal process of life, I agree with your realization to seek mental help! Whether it be a therapist, a friend, family, or even the internet like right now, it’s always nice to express.
  I understand your take on the significance of life. Sometimes it feels as if death takes away the significance of life. Many times, it feels as if life is meaningless because the society is constantly searching for purpose, yet we find none in the face of death.
  Nonetheless, life is still worth living. Rather than thinking about the death that will ultimately come, we should cherish the short time we have for life and make our impact in the world. When facing others’ death, I would always remind myself to not be sad over the fact that they died, but be sad over the fact that they once lived. Death is inevitable, and since it’s so inevitable, we might as well as make something of the short time we have, whether it is making an impact on the others around us, or making an impact on yourself by simply enjoying your own passions. Eleanor Roosevelt’s book You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life literally said “the purpose of life is to live it”. That’s how arbitrary life is.
  It’s hard to find purpose. Sometimes living the same days over and over again is scary as living starts to lose its purpose. How you give it meaning is up to you, whether you want to create a purpose to fulfill or find significance in your current life. It’s hard, but I hope you place value in the things you do. <3 >
  
  Life matters because you make an impact on the world that won't be forgotten by the people you knew. >
  
  Life is temporary, there is no afterlife, you only get one shot - which means every action you take is critically important. There is no higher being righting your wrongs. You are the one who has to make the world and moral, good place. You have to give your life meaning. >
  
  Is your premise that a thing only matters if it is permanent?  And not permanent like a bridge or a building, but really permanent-permanent, outliving the heat-death of the universe?
  I gotta say, that is not a sensible premise.  You would never say that about something unpleasant. If you had an terrible migraine, you would not say, “Well, doesn’t matter.  After a few days of agony, it will go away.”  If you were hungry, you would not say, “Well, at some point, either some food will go down my gullet, or I will starve to death and the hunger will end.”
  If you are willing to take unpleasant things, not matter how evanescent, seriously and avoid them, then on the flip side you have to cherish pleasant things.  If you regard stubbing your toe, a few seconds of excruciating pain, as a bad thing, then you logically you must regard your life, almost century of largely pleasant experiences, as a good thing, even if it — like everything, everything, exists only temporarily. >
  
  I’m here reading what everyone has to say about that matter, and I know I’m probably too young to be sharing the same thoughts with you (23yo). And I see what you guys saying that life is about sharing experiences with your loved ones and travelling the world and trying new things etc. and I embrace it but still, to do things like these you need money, money comes with working and working. Working is what got me started on feeling that everything’s meaningless etc. I don’t know what is there for me to do to get out of this loop >
  
  Why do things have to matter ‘in the end?’. Why can’t it just matter now? >
  
  You're not wrong , check r/escapingprisonplanet r/reincarnationtruth , r/soultrapmovies, r/nonduality 
  I think the takeaway is still try to enjoy your time on this planet don't take yourself or others too seriously and cause minimum possible direct/indirect damage. Cheers take care friend >
  
  The best counsel I can give you is to pull a C.S. Lewis and re-find your faith in God.  Try a different church.  I'm LDS myself. >
  
  no I do not want religion back in my life .I would like to be spiritual though.working on it >
  
  definitely ..but i wish i did not >
  
  It is interesting to hear it   from a physicist since all my physicist friends are hardcore atheists :))) >
  
  The assumption implicit in your view is that temporary things do not matter. To explore that, what does “mattering” mean, in your own words? >
  
  I WILL try to explain ..people are different so I hate when I read a good book and it ends badly .it ruins whole experience to me ..the end really matters to me .
  I hate that things are temporary and not lasting forever ..:(( like my great great  grandmother had an awesome life ( probably ) but now she is dead and all her experiences memories are gone .things she worried about  does not matter now ...you get my point >
  
  If things were not temporary how would you ever appreciate them? No song lasts for ever. You move forward. The only constant is change. It would be worse if things did not change. >
  
  I have 2 jobs ...I agree I feel better when I am busy and thanlfully I am not like this al the time but I want to be free from this worry completely >
  
  Everything ends. Things can matter in the present. Things can matter in the present, and in the future between now and the end. >
  
  Have a Donut >
  
  very cute :) thanks for cheering me up a bit :))) >
  
  Some would argue that live is temporary, so you have finite time, which gives meaning to time. You can only do a certain amount of things, spend so much time with people, etc. You should spend your time wisely. 
  That something ends doesn’t mean it’s meaningless. Most people have relationships, pets, friends, vacations, etc. These all end, but still are meaningful to people. It’s often about how it feels, or what we want or the experience that’s meaningful. >
  
  The problem with Nihilism is that it conflates the future with the present.  But in truth, the future only really matters when it actually becomes the present.  But in this moment, things DO matter: the fact that you are hungry, or well-fed, right now, matters.  Whether you are in pain right now or not, matters. Whether you are happy or sad, right now, matters.
  I'm NOT saying we shouldn't care about the future, as it will, inevitably BECOME the present, but even if we face the inevitable death of ourselves or even the heat death of the universe, that does not mean the present moment doesn't matter.
  Carpe Diem! >
  
  Don't think of others as individuals, think of us all as an ecosystem, a community.   The community itself matters.  We're part of a community that's bigger than us and will outlive us.  And humans have been living for their tribe since the beginning. >
  
  Life is temporary; everyone dies, so things really matter a lot. >
  
  I don't see anything pessimistic in your title. Of course nothing matters in the end. But why would you care what happens in the end, anyway? You will not be there in the end. You are present here, in the here and now. So why not focus on what matters in the here and now? >
  
  Your life is temporary. But what you do and who you are can have far reaching consequences.  Either on a small scale or a grand scale that can impact people thousands of miles away and decades or centuries after you are gone. 
  There are many examples of this everywhere throughout history. The only thing you can do is try to affect positive change around you and enjoy what time you have. 
  And if everything you do is truly fleeting and unimportant wouldn't you rather do things that make you and people around you happy even if it's only temporary ? Rather than just lurch from one life milestone to the next until then end in a  malaise that just saps the energy and will out of you and the people closest to you. >
  
  I used to deal with existential crisis, until I realized that life is temporary, but all I do or will ever do is exist.  I cannot experience anything else.  I will die and the universe will collapse on itself and explode outwards over and over again until I am here again, existing, and to me no time has passed even though I don’t have the memories of previous me.  People like to think everything has a start and a end, and we use religion to push that idea, but that doesn’t make sense, the universe couldn’t have come from nothing and “nothing” doesn’t exist anyways.  The universe is infinite and our existence is infinite in our own understanding.  So do what you want. >
  
  What you leave behind for the people that are still alive matters, atleast to me. >
  
  IMO - Thinking negative thoughts affects you physiologically: both mentally and physically.  So, if your internal  mantra is constantly gloomy it is theoretically possible your life will be   less healthy and or shortened. Also, having such a dark attitude definitely spills over into relationships. Think of what you do to your loved ones. FYI - No one has actual proof of what happens after death. Being pessimistic puts a heavy load on one's psyche. >
  
  I agree..this is why I posted here.if I was happy with my pesimism i would not post in ,,change my view'' sub right ?:) >
  
  Would immortality make life automatically more meaningful?  Or would it just make us less scared of wasting our precious time (still good, but not the same thing). I ask because while I sometimes feel the way you’re describing, I can’t find any logical reason that death should make life not meaningful, just reasons to be scared of losing my existence in the world. >
  
  Why does it matter that I'll cease to exist at the end of my life? I'm experiencing my life now, as are the others around me. Why would I not work to make my own life and the lives of others better? >
  
  Maybe organized religion just doesn't work for you. I have my own beliefs that I have come to based on many different religious ideologies working together. I believe all of creation is an extension of the same soul, and we are individual vessels put here to learn and bring that knowledge back to the whole. After you have your time with your other passed loved ones, you review how you acted in life and your next outing will be based on that review. >
  
  I disagree that nothing matters, But for me I find solace in knowing my success can positively impact many generations of my family way after I’m gone. Aka “gone but not forgotten” >
  
  Absurdism helped me deal with this crisis, well it’s still there at the back of my head at all times. I struggled with this idea that life is meaningless and after reading about absurdism I came to the conclusion that life is still meaningless, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun if we ignore that. Will probably come back to haunt me at the end of my life but that doesn’t matter, because life is meaningless and nothing matters. It’s better to accept not knowing and have fun than try and figure it all out until you frustrate yourself into a crisis on the fundamental nature of existence >
  
  If you were raised in a Christian home (making an assumption here) you probably heard a lot about life and death and eternity, etc. Once those kinds of questions are brought to the forefront of your mind, it's almost impossible to shake them I think. That's what I found anyway. I was raised like that, and then I didn't have faith for a few years and I was pretty much paralysed with existential dread. Life felt so unbelievably pointless. To be honest with you, I went to different therapists and did a lot of soul-searching,  and made an absolute mess of my life; the therapy actually drove me close the the edge, realising that no-one could sufficiently answer my question "what's the point". I know this'll be super unpopular on here, but from my own pretty dark journey, the conclusion I've drawn is that we can't find an answer to that question within ourselves, because only God can answer it. >
  
  But if Christianity teaches that "we are all God" then doesn't what you're saying effectively mean that WE can answer that? As in, we can ascribe meaning or a point to anything that we like? >
  
  Hm... how do you mean "we are all God"? I don't think Christianity teaches that >
  
  Genesis 1:26-27 says that God made humankind in his “image” and “likeness." I'm not religious but I just remember learning that in school lol. >
  
  Perhaps you could explore Buddhism, where impermanence is a core tenet. >
  
  I think it's so hard to stomach for a lot of people, even me, this idea of purpose and "why are we here?" We desperately need an answer. We want ONE definitive answer we can trust to be the answer so we can conduct our daily movements specifically to achieve this one, fix-it-all, key-to-the-city answer but like... there isn't one answer. How can there be,  when every human is different? There's multiple answers, multiple ways to feel purpose, it can be grandiose or just super simple, things you do in everyday life you don't even realise bring you joy and fulfillment. That's why many different philosophies and religions exist with their own ideas and theories... Which to me, a fellow existential dread struggler lol, made me realise that there isn't one explicit meaning because we all create that for ourselves, so it looks different on everyone.
  I think someone else on here said "only god knows our purpose" but like... if Christianity preaches that "we are God" that humans are the very embodiment of God.. doesn't that just mean that we hold the power to assign purpose to whatever? It can be a bunch of temporary purposes that come and go, all the time. Even something as simple as watching a funny movie - joy and happiness are aligned with purpose and fulfillment, aren't they? Those things make us feel good about being alive and make us want to be alive some more. So ... You keep finding and doing things that will give you those feelings. Yeah sure, it's just a movie, and that movie is going to end, but then.... you move onto the next thing! The next movie! The next travel destination! The next delicious meal! The next time you spend time with your loved ones... my friend, you are so in charge... not a man in the sky... YOU. You surely have interests and things and people that make you feel nice. Just.. more of that. Don't over think it. Just enjoy.
  I know for me... While I don't have an amazing career or raking in the dough.. I'm not saving lives daily or doing anything remotely THAT amazing, at least, what we're inclined to believe as such... I realised that whenever I feel emotionally secure, comfortable and peaceful is when I feel happiest. So.. I surround myself with people, activities, a lifestyle that will give me MORE of those feelings... in turn that happiness/contentment feels fulfilling and in turn that fulfilment equals MY version of purpose and meaning. Like, instead of needing to fulfil this grandiose idea of purpose, it's just a bunch of everyday things that I reflect on at the end of the day and I'm like... yeah... that felt good for my soul. More of that please.
  When you remove this pressure to "find a purpose" you'll find that when it comes down to it... it's about love. Enjoyment. A sense of belonging. A sense of hey, these are my people or this my happy place, and you're just gonna keep wanting to be among that, and you're gonna just hopefully find that that is enough. That is what life is about. It's about how you feel and how you make others feel. It's truly okay to be just as simple as that. >
  
  Yeah, everyone dies and nothing matters in the end, that is true. But there is one more that we have to aware of is who created all of these and why? What's his intention with us to do? Is he still exist? All that matters we have to find out before death approaches. We have to find out what the universe is for. 
  Cause in the end nothing will matter except our research. So, find out why we are made for and what is our final destination. >
  
  One thing never do is adhere to Nihilism. One has to bring meaning and purpose into their life. Never give up. >
  
  wouldn't that mean the only thing that matters is making sure as many people as possible attempt to try and make it so we all can last forever or w/e as that'd make everything else matter >
  
  So I have these kids. They basically walk around me all the time. They are curious about everything, enjoy most things. They love learning, love exploring. They have a look of amazement in their eyes when they look at something for the first time. As for me, I can't say i get excited as they do. And while I agree with you that life is most likely pointless, I will say that it is fun if you view through another lens. I love exploring, learning, trolling, talking about everything, talking about nothing. I love drama and gossip and getting into things that benefit me in absolutely no way. I love testing theories and learning about history and conspiracies, making my own conspiracies. And yes. All of it is pointless. Humans will all most likely be phased out. It may legitimately be the end of times. Who knows, who cares. But something that makes life worth living in it anyway.. connection. Devote your life connecting with others and learning to connect with others and all the fear and "negative" thinking that you seem to have will slowly start disappearing. It's funny I am surrounded by loving people and even the most toxic people. But I enjoy them nonetheless. If I'm able i even explore their past and try to learn about what made them who they are. I use a lot of those lessons to reflect internally. 
  Anyways you already knew the answer before you posted anyway, that's why you unintentionally reached out to others. You need connection my dude. It's pointless, but dam it makes you feel like life is worth it. >
  
  Right :) sharing is caring ! thanks >
  
  In the end, everyone dies. So you have to find a way to find significance in the here-and-now. If you truly believe that this here is all that there is, then you should be living every day to it’s fullest and trying to do as much good as you can do. >
  
  One crucial factor that sets us human beings apart from other species is our self-consciousness. We know we're biological organisms that can't escape death, and we often question ourselves: Everyone dies, so nothing really matters in the end. So how should we approach our lives? I completely understand what you're going through right now. I've had these questions too and it greatly damaged my mental and social well-being. For me, the answer was God. I personally experienced him and he saved me from this consuming quicksand. Please don't stop reading as I'm saying this, but please try praying to him. Just a few words is enough. You may not have faith in him anymore, but he still has faith in you. He will leave behind the 99 sheep to go out and search for the one lost sheep. I know with no doubt he hasn't given up on you yet. Depressions in life are often the time when people experience God. I don't know what you've been through that pulled you into this abyss. But now, I understand that losing this faith caused the collapse of your worldview and it will take time to rebuild. In my opinion, even though everyone dies in the end, there are still meaningful purposes to our lives. We should be dedicated to one word: "love". In the movie Interstellar, there's a quote that goes: "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space."  Love isn't limited by death. Sometimes, people's lives can be changed by small acts of kindness by others. Research shows that children who receive more hugs grow up to be happier and more loving people. As a result, they're more likely to pass on this love and positivity to more people, who will spread them even more. To ourselves, being able to love both others and ourselves will greatly improve physical and mental well-being. So not only does love benefit us in our temporary life, its transcendence doesn't end because of death. However, let's be honest, most of the time, it's never easy to love. We're not all Saint Marys. There's no way we can love everyone. But that's not the purpose; simply loving someone and knowing that it'll benefit them is enough. I hope this will slowly shift your attitude toward life. If you still feel lost, go enjoy some food. Go try new things. Go out and bike in the rain(I found this very helpful). I know a speech from some random stranger who never used Reddit before probably won't be too helpful, but if it does, it'd be beyond meaningful to me as well. >
  
  Life before death, strength before weakness.
  We are part of an explosion, but have the power to draw a picture over the canvas of time. A small and tiny, beautiful drawing.
  Many of these drawings look vaguely like a penis. >
  
  It's simply acceptance of this fact that you must learn.
  One day after your death, there will be someone that will think about you or talk about you for the last time.