Not OP, but for anyone who’s curious I believe they may be referencing George Bernard Shaw’s infamous quote [0] (which FWIW I think expresses a morally abhorrent way of going about things)
Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
21–30 of 71 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#22It’s just a gift from the gods(don’t waste your time reach them it’s impossible).
You can just do whatever you can/wan’t but remember you always face the consequences and thats it.
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#23(Warning: Semi-religious response) We are, as Lutheran theologian Philip Hefner once put it, "created co-creators" doing our infinitesimal bit in advancing The Great Project of the last 13.8 billion years (that we know of), helping to build a universe.
https://www.questioningchristian.com/2006/06/metanarratives_...
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#24What you're referring to as existence is better referred to GNU/existence, or GNU stop of existential dread
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#25It sounds like people are getting thrown off by the headline where you ask them to justify their existence, which kind of derails the discussion.
The more interesting question you pose is: What is your moral framework?
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#26[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#27What framework are you operating under? Every single "moral framework" is valid. Its dense to think otherwise, even "proof of money+taxes".
The only proper response to this is read a philosophy book until you find one that sticks with you +2 years after you read it.
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#28I think the OP is suggesting obligation to the 'collective' which is a common perspective in other countries, but not North America (in particular). Or maybe to 'God', whoever or whatever that may be.
In either case, I agree with everyone else here: I didn't ask to be born, so assuming it harm none, do what thou wilt.
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#29(Warning: Semi-religious response) We are, as Lutheran theologian Philip Hefner once put it, "created co-creators" doing our infinitesimal bit in advancing The Great Project of the last 13.8 billion years (that we know of), helping to build a universe. https://www.questioningchristian.com/2006/06/metanarratives_...
*Participation is optional
Re: Ask HN: How do you justify your existence?
#3013.8 Billion years ago, the universe was created in a magical moment that we have yet to understand.
370,000 years after that, it cooled down enough to finally let protons bind to electrons, and the first atoms formed (99% hydrogen, 1% helium).
100M years after that, much of that hydrogen gas collapsed into stars, which underwent nuclear fusion to produce helium, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and other heavier elements up to iron. Some of those stars went supernova and released their enriched guts out into the universe.
After billions of years of that, we had enough heavier elements to form rocky planets, of which one is the planet we're on now.
Somehow on this wet rock, organic molecules formed and found ways to replicate themselves inside of membranes. A billion years after this wet rock came into existence, some of these replicating membranes bound to each other and started to act in harmony to ensure the continued replication of the whole group of membranes.
For another billion years, these groups of self-replicating membranes got larger and more complex. Eventually, one of them grew opposable thumbs, a large brain, and started to make tools. Those hairy apes, my ancestors, against all odds, for millions of years, fought against wolves, tigers, the elements, starvation, and each other to form an unbroken lineage that led to the existence of my parents.
36 years ago, my parents made love, and from half a billion sperm, I was the fastest. I was an accident, in both the unplanned pregnancy sense of the term and the truly cosmic nature of my improbable existence.
You want me to justify my existence? My amigo, after all that, I don't need to justify anything. I won the lottery of lotteries. My moral framework is OMG WTF I'M HERE. I'm just here to make the most of it and enjoy my 80+ (cross my fingers) trips around this boring run-of-the-mill hot pulsing orb of gas.