NationStates Jolt Archive

In the Matrix trilogy, one of the themes was purpose. As it can be seen when Neo fights the Smith's in Reloaded. Here is Smith's speech.

I killed you, Mr. Anderson. I watched you die... with a certain satisfaction, I might add. Then something happened. something that I knew was impossible, but it happened anyway. You destroyed me, Mr. Anderson. After that, I understood the rules, I knew what I was supposed to do, but I didn't. I couldn't. I was compelled to stay, compelled to disobey. And now, here I stand because of you, Mr. Anderson. Because of you, I'm no longer an Agent of this system. Because of you, I've changed. I'm unplugged. A new man, so to speak. Like you, apparently, free...But, as you well know, appearances can be deceiving, which brings me back to the reason why we're here. We're not here because we're free. We're here because we're not free. There is no escaping reason; no denying purpose. Because as we both know, without purpose, we would not exist. It is purpose that created us, Purpose that connects us, Purpose that pulls us, That guides us, That drives us, It is purpose that defines us, Purpose that binds us. We are here because of you, Mr Anderson. We're here to take from you what you tried to take from us, purpose.

Now looking at the bolded part of Smith's speech, he points out that without purpose, life has no meaning, there's no reason to exist without purpose, so what do yall think, is Smith right? Must everything have a purpose in order for it to exist?

I actually happen to think so, because if something has no purpose, then it has no real reason to exist, and thus must be destoryed. What do yall think?

How far would you take the idea of purpose though? Purpose in your lifetime to help society? or Purpose on a much grander scale?

No, purpose is not required. Aimlessness is fine by me.

How far would you take the idea of purpose though? Purpose in your lifetime to help society? or Purpose on a much grander scale?

I would have to say as long as the object in question is serving it's original purpose than it can exist, when it stop serving that purpose, then it's over.

I would have to say as long as the object in question is serving it's original purpose than it can exist, when it stop serving that purpose, then it's over.

I'm still quite unclear about what you call "purpose". I feel like I did when I watched the film..................very confused

Bad script.

There is no purpose. You must understand. Life has no point other than that which you manufacture. Be happy, you shits.

I'm still quite unclear about what you call "purpose". I feel like I did when I watched the film..................very confused

What I call purpose, is what an object was designed to do. Like a car was designed to get me from point A to point B faster than it would take to do it on foot. When a car stops fullfilling that purpose then it must either be fixed, or destroyed. I guess purpose to me would be what the original intent of the object was, purpose is why something was created.

Random wanderings works just fine. Even if it does make us resemble cattle. People who rant on about purpose are often fanatics who are CRAZY!

Purpose is vital to mental health.

What I call purpose, is what an object was designed to do. Like a car was designed to get me from point A to point B faster than it would take to do it on foot. When a car stops fullfilling that purpose then it must either be fixed, or destroyed. I guess purpose to me would be what the original intent of the object was, purpose is why something was created.

Requires spiritual belief then.

Requires spiritual belief then.

according to Oprah you can make up your own purpose, you just make a list of things you like to do and pick one and do that, sure you might end up with a crappy purpose like "scrapbooking" but hey, you can do that without any religious belief right?

according to Oprah you can make up your own purpose, you just make a list of things you like to do and pick one and do that, sure you might end up with a crappy purpose like "scrapbooking" but hey, you can do that without any religious belief right?

Yeah i know. Thats why i said purpose was necessary for mental health. The post you quoted was in reference to someone elses definition of purpose

Life has no point other than that which you manufacture.

Indeed. But the deep-felt need to feel special, man's inability to accept that he is a mere accident, a minuscule quirk of entropy, is the reason why man created God. To confer a sense of purpose upon himself via a mythical external agent.

I tend to think that everything has a purpose, but it doesn't make any of it more meaningful.

I tend to think that everything has a purpose, but it doesn't make any of it more meaningful.

How so?

Indeed. But the deep-felt need to feel special, man's inability to accept that he is a mere accident, a minuscule quirk of entropy, is the reason why man created God. To confer a sense of purpose upon himself via a mythical external agent.

Ain't disputin'

What I call purpose, is what an object was designed to do. Like a car was designed to get me from point A to point B faster than it would take to do it on foot. When a car stops fullfilling that purpose then it must either be fixed, or destroyed. I guess purpose to me would be what the original intent of the object was, purpose is why something was created.

What if you find a new use for the car? What if you don't destroy it, and just leave it be?

Even if you aren't using it, the car exists. It doesn't poof in a burst of logic if the engine stops working. =)

What if you find a new use for the car? What if you don't destroy it, and just leave it be?

Even if you aren't using it, the car exists. It doesn't poof in a burst of logic if the engine stops working. =)

Yeah but by Wilgroves definition the stopping of the car, and it just sitting there, would have a purpose. Maybe for giants to trip over in the future

I would have to say as long as the object in question is serving it's original purpose than it can exist, when it stop serving that purpose, then it's over.

The origional purpose of my pencil was to write with ... it now props up a corner of my computer desk ...

It stoped serving its origional purpose

The origional purpose of my pencil was to write with ... it now props up a corner of my computer desk ...

It stoped serving its origional purpose

Maybe in the grand plan of the universe that was its original purpose. This thread is going to end up breaking my mind at some point. I can just feel it

Maybe in the grand plan of the universe that was its original purpose. This thread is going to end up breaking my mind at some point. I can just feel it

Then lets keep the thread going! :D

No, purpose is not required. Aimlessness is fine by me.

But what if your purpose is to be aimless? Are you being aimless on purpose? Is it not your aim to be aimless?

Trilby63;11760037']But what if your purpose is to be aimless? Are you being aimless on purpose? Is it not your aim to be aimless?

Good point.

Maybe in the grand plan of the universe that was its original purpose. This thread is going to end up breaking my mind at some point. I can just feel it

But in the end like a non falsifiable deity it ends up having to exist outside of the universe … therefore is pointless. And when you are appealing to a purpose that can not be verified it is rather pointless to argue it

How so?

Everything in existence has a niche to fulfill, a purpose, if you wish, to uphold its own little portion of the universe. The method for imbuing this purpose is entirely natural and quite arbitrary, however, and our lives are largely meaningless.

I find Purpose a little too harsh for everyday use, I like something alittle milder like Dove or Palmolive or maybe Lever 2000.