honestly...

[afghooey]

I agree and disagree with you, Shadow Stoner Wolf.

The known universe is more immense than most people can wrap their minds around, but I don't think that makes us insignificant. You said, "Every individual component is meaningless without the rest". I don't think we're excluded from that. We're expressions of the universe, just like everything else on this planet. The difference is, most people don't realize it, and so we feel that we've become something seperate from nature. I think it's this feeling of alienation that creates such an incredible hostility and/or indifference in people.

In the grand scheme of things, I don't think we do nothing. We react to the energy around us, just like everything does. I don't see why we need a purpose beyond that, though.

[Matt the Funk]

You live to do what you want.

[delusionsofNORMALity]

....we serve no purpose! nature has balance, and all creatures, chemicals, and elements serve to uphold this balance, whereas humans do not serve any such purpose. without us, the world is a beautiful place, i can see it having purpose, to be a work of art, natural beauty, but throw humanity into the mix, and it loses all meaning.

purpose

beauty

balance

nature

all these are fictional, they are just IDEAS
if you wish to follow the classical definitions of these terms and place them on pedestals as ideals then you are doomed to a life of abject depression.
instead try redefining them to fit in with your lifestyle. find the beauty in the mundane, see that even the most caustic acts of mankind are perfectly natural, keep yourself balanced and on the road of your choice.
that should be enough purpose for anyone.

[Coelho]

well... nobody of us knows when will die. it can be tomorrow... or today... who knows? so... instead searching for a meaning of life, try to realize the thing youre doing right now can be your last act on this earth. So, there is not much time left for thoughts... if this were your last act on the earth, would you like waste it? or would you run to do some thing worth of the effort?

"Death is our eternal companion. Its always to our left, at an arm's length."
Don Juan Matus - Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda.

If anyone could read this book, do it! its great! have many good points about nature of life, death, reality and this things.