Finalist, 2003 Kids Philosophy Slam
Joe Corallo, Age 17
Bethpage, New York
What is the meaning of life?
There is not meaning in life. It is
naive to think that we have been given any meaning for living. Life
simply happened on this earth billions of years ago when certain
gases and chemicals were mixed together. There was no rhyme or reason
for it, it simply happened.
We as humans, simply by our nature,
want to expand our knowledge. We want to keep prying into things
and solving the big mysteries in the world, or at least ponder them
in our free time. Yet, at times, we ask questions to ourselves that
in reality may not even be viable questions. Maybe instead of asking
what the meaning of life is, we should ask is there a meaning to
life first.
I believe that we as people have pried
too heavily and to deep into the matter of what the meaning of life
is while simply skipping the questions of if there even is one.
Now one want to accept that there might not be a meaning or that
it is even an option.
Meaning is, in itself, a human concept.
Like chivalry, meaning is not a universal concept and is simply
human by nature. By having meaning, we humans feel complete. We
feel as if we have something to fulfill, but in reality there is
nothing that we truly need to fulfill for any higher purpose.
In my life, I have not experienced
anything that would lead me to believe that there is any meaning
to life. I try to be a good person and improve myself because I
feel it is right. I don't feel is it necessary for me, but this
is how I choose to live. I see how other people live, and they do
not show me there is any meaning to life. They simply show me they
have their won objectives. I've seen people who yearn to feel fulfilled,
and I believe that they are able to fill this void by believing
in a meaning to life.
However, we can create meaning to
our lives. That is by doing what we as humans do all the time. We
constantly come up with reasons for why we are here. To protect,
to gain knowledge, or for some, to destroy. May be there is a God,
but I honestly cannot believe in that. I believe that we are in
charge, that we call the shots. It is up to us to decide our meaning,
and if we as a society could see that, then I believe we would be
able to reach a new golden age of enlightenment.
