> That all suddenly felt silly when my first was born. (...) I think one of the greatest boons of parenthood, for me at least, is the complete and total conviction and faith that I'm doing something meaningful with my life.
As a soon-to-be parent, I really worry that I start thinking like this. I mean, there must be something more to life than just growing to adulthood and having children, who'll then grow to adulthood and have children, ad infinitum.
Why? I'm not claiming there isn't, or that there is, but it does seem plausible to me that we're just part of a recursive function in the universe that came about due to chance and will last as long as the boundary conditions allow us to.
Perhaps what makes people think they are special or that there "must" be a greater reason for their existence is the portion of their brain which is programmed (by chance) to tell them so, in order to facilitate the aforementioned recursion by securing resources, attracting a mate, and furthering the recursion. Some call it ego.
> Why? I'm not claiming there isn't, or that there is, but it does seem plausible to me that we're just part of a recursive function in the universe that came about due to chance and will last as long as the boundary conditions allow us to.
I didn't mean it in religious sense, that there is a deeper meaning that's prescribed to us. Right now I do believe we're this "part of the recursive function", but we're also that part that recognizes concepts like "meaningful" and can strive to achieve it.
I meant that merely continuing the "grow, reproduce, die" cycle like every other living organism on the planet feels deeply unsatisfying to me. What I find satisfying is learning things, building things, and contributing to the society and the world in a way that makes other people - now and in the future - ever so slightly happier and less in pain.
Everyone struggles with the "deeper meaning" of life. We all want to feel like we're contributing on a global scale, but I think it's helpful to readjust the way you approach things.
Nothing happens on a global scale without starting on an individual scale. We're surrounded by fiction that posits an apocalyptic end of the world, by an number of methods.
Take a few minutes to meditate on what that would really mean to you. If huge global events happen, but don't touch you personally, would it cause a huge disruption to you? How about small local events? I think you'll find they would be much more likely to affect you and much more devastating.
I like to think, "The world doesn't have to end, for your world to end." It helps me grasp the importance of the day to day things I do, and appreciate them.
Enjoy the life you have, help the people around you, and do what you can to make the world just a little bit better. Maybe you'll get lucky and make the world a whole lot better, but making things a bit better is good enough.
As a parent myself, I think you'll get out of it what you bring to it. If you see computers and programming as just a job, or if your desire is to be regarded by others as famous and respected in the field, having children will make all that seem shallow and pointless. And this is good: your children will have brought perspective. But if you turn to computing the way an iron filing turns to a magnet, if you take fathomless delight in contemplation, then having children will focus and purify that force. You'll learn to keep a problem turning round in the back of your head. You'll bring it out in the dark, in the dead of night when you're rocking a baby to sleep. You'll bring it out when you're folding laundry (so much laundry). You'll bring it out when you're driving the family somewhere, and the car is silent because you're hoping the children will nap. You'll compute without computers.
So eloquent. Yes! This weekend I designed a ROS library during all those moments. Then Monday morning I wrote it all down once at my work computer. There's something so satisfying about learning how to design all in my head.
> I mean, there must be something more to life than just growing to adulthood and having children, who'll then grow to adulthood and have children, ad infinitum.
Of course. Don't worry. You can do meaningful things and become a good parent.
As a kid, I thought the point of life was to make the world a better place. To create a future Jetsons-like society -- where everyone enjoyed an easy life, zooming around in flying cars, with no pain or poverty.
I truly thought it was possible. How naïve was that?
I guess I'm still a kid then. I refuse to believe this is not possible. Even if it wont happen in our lifetimes, it's up to us to get next generations closer to it.
As a soon-to-be parent, I really worry that I start thinking like this. I mean, there must be something more to life than just growing to adulthood and having children, who'll then grow to adulthood and have children, ad infinitum.