More Existential Thoughts

I will begin with a thought I had recently for no particular reason that helps to explain some things and certain peoples' behavior:

Metal-heads care more about their music than normal people.  Metal is not categorically better than all other kinds of music (though it does beat rap and country hands-down).  Metal-heads know this, but they also care so much more about music, and especially metal, than most people can even fathom, so their behavior may seem odd at times to the untrained eye.  Metal-heads are a small and passionate enough group that when they see each other, they instantly connect - even if they don't know each other (hence wearing metal t-shirts all the time).  It's like a beacon to other followers.  That's all I have to say about that \m/

Now a more philosophical point (and a counter-point to a number of people).  Nature does not give a damn about you.  The universe is indifferent to your successes and failures, to your ecstasy and suffering.  The sun will burn and the planets will orbit and the roaches will crawl long after you I or the human race is gone, as they did before we existed.  I don't think some great invisible entity is waiting to transport you to heaven after you die, and even if they were, how would that add meaning to your life?

Bear with me...

I think this is good news.  I, for one, find it comforting to think that my life is significant only to the people with whom I choose to surround myself.  That my life has meaning and value only because I ascribe those to it.  I am not wasting my life doing what I think is right only to be judged by some great power in the sky upon my death.  Instead, I think of my life as only being what I make of it.  It would not comfort me to believe that the same fate (or perhaps one of two fates) awaits all souls in the afterlife - if that's the case, my 75 (hopefully) years of life as I know it seems like kind of an unnecessary middle step.  I am accountable to myself and I owe it, not to the gods or the saints or whoever, but to myself, to make the most out of it.

In that sense, I am my own judge.  I am accountable only to myself, and must ask myself if the things I am doing - the actions I take on a daily basis - are things that I can be proud to have done when my turn is up.  But, as I am accountable only to myself, you need not take it upon yourself to judge me.  I will hold myself to my own standards, of which truthfulness and integrity are paramount.  You hold yourself to your standards.  If I live up to your standards, and you mine, then good; we can be friends.  If not, there are billions of other people to play with.  It's not a big deal not to like or be liked by everybody.  Perhaps if nobody likes you, then you might consider re-evaluating your life and relationships.  But if everyone likes you, then do you really have a personality of your own?  I think you are either betraying your true self, or worse, concealing your true self if your goal is to make everyone like you.

Re-cap:
Nature is too big to care about you
Therefore, it's up to you to care about you
Don't worry about other people caring about you