What's the difference between living and just existing?

Question

BeenThereLovedIt · Accepted Answer

Living can be about finding your passion, and in some cases, you can actually live off that, but in a capitalist world we are expected to be worker bees and "earn" our right to live. Living, in the capitalists' eyes, means settling down, racking up massive debt throughout your life, which ensures that you stay rooted, employed, producing, and consuming. You are a consumer. When you realize that 99% of us are just a financial instrument, worker bee, and livestock and act accordingly, you realize what an ugly word consumer really is.

I agree with the quote, most people simply seem to exist and do what society expects of them, nothing more, nothing less. Only "some" people seem to think deep enough to realize that life is about more than that and actually alter their lifestyles in any meaningful way. Taking up a new hobby is a distraction, not a fix. The constant questions here on G@G are nearly all about societal expectations and the positive and negative consequences of our bad decisions.. and of course, sex.

Iron_Man · Accepted Answer

Making things happen fulfill your dreams, get out there and be active accomplish things enjoy your life do exciting fun things instead of just sitting around watching television

aWes0MeNeSs · Accepted Answer

To me, it's the difference between making your life happen (being in control and making decisions to better your life) and letting it happen (making no effort and having a "whatever happens, happens" attitude). People often don't realize the level of control they really have over their lives, or just think it's easier to let things happen than it is to control their own destiny.

PonyCarGirl98 · Accepted Answer

I think when you "live", you find your true purpose in life, your passion, what makes you tick, and many people even find a way to use it and help the world. Some people don't find this purpose or meaning, so they just exist. But that purpose or meaning can be anything from family, to work/job, volunteer, military service, etc.

Kaneki05 · Answer

Exactly the same thing. Just humans try to make life more meaningful by saying this, people don't seem to like the idea it's okay just to exist when that's legit all life is. So they try to create everything into one big meaningful thing. Or maybe it's the otherway around people who truley live accept the fact life has no meaning. Ethier way's it's just some Bs human thing.

To live and exist is the exact same thing but then again if we go by sience mass cannot destoryed therefore we can never truley not exist since all are mass still will exist even after are death... Just will rerange it's self. Which then live would be the thing we do longs if we have the 3 things needed to be treated as alive. And exist would just be what we shall forever be and do.

Weasly · Answer

For me, existing is what I have done all my adult life. It is eating, sleeping, working and doi g what you need to get by.

To me living is when you have found your way to a place that allows more. Having a family/SO (better developed personality is lacking for me) being able to visit places, go on holidays and fill your free time with doing things instead of Netflix and other such time sinks. Also the ability to invest in your hobbies, devoting your time to them & sharing them with people who also appreciate what you enjoy.

Prof_Don · Answer

Progressing towards goals you set for yourself, and having a purpose in life, is the difference.

Most people who go through an existential crisis (not knowing why they exist and feeling “lost” in day to day life)... have no short term or long terms goals, and haven’t found their life purpose.

For me, I know I have a natural skill of working with and influencing the youth. My entire life, kids and teens younger than me have always feel emotionally comfortable around me & open up to me about their lives and such. That is why I’m going into teaching high school, and my credential will be finished by the end of the next school year. My purpose is to guide, counsel and influence the next generation.

So I have purpose, and I have short term goals (finishing school to start teaching) and long term goals (buying a home in the next 3 years).

So every singe day of my life, I am focused on forward progress towards all of the above. THAT is living!

Kkaos · Answer

I guess it's the same as thriving vs surviving. Someone who's truly alive is full of emotion, making the best out of everyday, living with no regrets etc. Someone who is just existing is most likely not very happy, just repeating the same monotonous routine over and over again as the days go by. Think most people fall into the latter unfortunately.

CashMoneyElias · Answer

They're are the same thing. Someone here said to live is fulfilling one's dreams and desires but does anyone at the time of death take possessions or success with them? No. We just exist and experience things happening. All the names, professional, class, religion, ethnicity, colour etc are just labels. Without them are just a point of awareness in an infinite river of consciousness. One day you and I will die and go experience a new reality.

Desconhecida · Answer

That's a beautiful question which once in a while I like to mention. Sometimes we put ourselves in autopilot, forgetting to value what really matters, taking life for granted. That's just the act of existing. Waiting the death to come without opening our eyes and finally see your surroundings with bright colors.

BEasy007 · Answer

Living is you look forward to life. You look forward to waking up the next day, being around the people you love, or meeting new people for that matter just all-around enjoying what you're doing and looking forward to doing it. Existing is when you don't have anything to look forward to. You don't enjoy being alive. You don't want to be around people. You don't have any hopes and dreams. So don't exist just for the sake of existing, living juice to be a better person than you were the day before cuz everyday you progress and get better the more happiness you get from life and the better you will be!

gaygod_19 · Answer

Living is enjoying your life and possibly planning to make something meaningful out of it, existing is breathing eating working, repeat while finding no joy in it and doing it for no purpose rather than to sustain your existence

simplelikeme · Answer

I guess I would have to say living is enjoying life and doing the things you want to in life. Existing? Well...
I would say that's a person that has no ambition in life. Works here and there to get by, but doesn't care enough to better him/her self in life. I don't fukin know 🤣🤣🤣

DarthMeow · Answer

Living is like having ambition and knowing what you want to do and having a goal and working for it and things like that.
Just existing is... Just existing. Like me.
I'm here because I'm not dead yet. I don't even know what to do with my life.

I-am-a-nobody · Answer

A relationship with God the Father through His only begotten Son, Lord Jesus Christ. "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

bodukem · Answer

Living is enjoyable and fun everyday you wake up happy and go to sleep happy,

Existing is waking up everyday and not being dead but feeling dead or a daily basis you are literally only living to survive there is no enjoyment no fun just another day

Nik1hil · Answer

Living = Making memories and enjoying every moment..  Existing = Invisible person with no shadow or history, alive in the shadow with no social contact.

ClearSea · Answer

Existing is when you only do just enough to continue living for the next day. Truly living is when you appreciate your life and the people in it, are able to chase your dreams, have found good friends and take the time to help other people in their lives. Of course, the latter is pretty rare.

StarryCrossing · Answer

You make the most out of each day, while existing is just... making it through each day and wasting energy.

Lost_Spark · Answer

Physically I am one thing Mentally I am another... Getting better but still not through the woods yet, just take it day by day.

askmewhy66 · Answer

One is actually enjoying your life taking time to smell the roses so to speak. Not being in such a damn hurry to get ahead of someone by 2 seconds and traffic. and the other is just with the keeping up with the Joneses mentality. Man just blending in and trying to be just like everybody else. Why not be unique and enjoy what you have while you have it why work yourself to death.

Agape93 · Answer

Existing is just merely going through life physically alive  Living is existing with purpose and enjoyment

mrgspoter · Answer

Well for me it's about freedom to do most things that you want to do, live how you want to further your own knowledge and understanding of the world, nature and all things real. It is my best idea. If it don't cause no harm to the people or nature/environment, I can't see why not.

RandallM · Answer

Guess that depends on your personal definition of what living is.

Shomcmxcviii · Answer

Its exactly like being a girl in a muslim country, its just being alive not by a choice. U wake up, clean up and have breakfast and then clean up again and have lunch and clean up again and have dinner and then go to bed and do the same again besides studying things u hate and having to do things u hate, never go out freely, and never dress up like normal girls

_no_one_ · Answer

living will be like enjoying life but just existing is like u don't really want to live but u can't even die for some reasons.

angeliquedevereux2 · Answer

Living: breathing, eating, speaking and having a working system Existing: Just being there

cute_short_nerd · Answer

One of them lives in a dilution, the other lives in the truth.

sonsan11 · Answer

Living is having a purpose while existing makes us no different than animals

Jjpayne · Answer

Living is to embrace and use your life productively. To exist, is simply to sleep, eat, work and repeat.. You are merely just existing...

Maria_1090 · Answer

Existing just being their living is going out having fun , doing what you want.

Unit1 · Answer

Living - you're not starving, not sick, not disabled, not depressed, have a roof existing - you are making very significant efforts just to not die.

Anonymous · Answer

Existing, you just get by and nobody cares about your life. Living is when you enjoy life and you have someone to share your experiences with.

BuckWild · Answer

This question does not meet my standards of obnoxiousness. I am putting you on notice!

Steve37 · Answer

Living means actively seeking out things you enjoy. Existing is letting life happen to you.

not329446 · Answer

Living is a process that will take you to only being able to exist.

moreno8120 · Answer

That's up to you? Some days are good some days not so good..

asshole_ · Answer

"just existing" is just getting up, going to work, coming home, eating, and going to bed

gabrial97 · Answer

Its all the same, just different words to confuse us..🐽

MDollarBill · Answer

IMHO, it all has to do with PURPOSE. Do you have a MISSION in life, or are you just making it up as you go? DRIVEN or DRIFTING? QUESTING or WANDERING? Do you know where THERE is? Will you know if/when you ever get THERE?

Oric50 · Answer

Living is living out your purpose. Existing is upholding someone elses limitations on your life.

Hepy82 · Answer

Living is to enjoy life, existing is just to endure life.

dnickb · Answer

Living is doing what you want and existing is just trying to get by

Aaron_Stone · Answer

Just Existing means living without Purpose. The most shitty 💩 way to live life.

COMMODOREII · Answer

Living your life is actually doing things and learning and bettering yourself to the most you can.

OpenNudist · Answer

To be honest "Existing" is just Eaking your way Out Of Life, Existing is Owning Your Own Life

Easycrew · Answer

Living is doing what you do while still alive but your actions and reputation will be existing after u die.

brAdfitz2020 · Answer

Living is what peaple are doing when others are making plans xoxo Bob Dillon

Machiavellio · Answer

It's the same as having a purpose and just going with the flow

leonidas69 · Answer

Maslows hierarchy of needs.

Brainsbeforebeauty · Answer

My life 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

hellacray · Answer

There is no difference.

Blueeyes81 · Answer

Enjoying ones life vs just surviving.

Freddy78361 · Answer

The desire to get out of bed in the morning.

jimmy2 · Answer

Living is enjoyable existing sucks

phatdrummer650 · Answer

The size of the paycheck

reptocarl2 · Answer

Being happy and not being happy

Browneye57 · Answer

Attitude. That is all.

The_Other · Answer

Death.

msc545 · Answer

Joy and love, of course.

mrcleanmagiceraser · Answer

Whoever said this shouldn't do either

genericname85 · Answer

awareness, i guess.

BronzedAdonis · Answer

chinese fried rice

alance99 · Answer

That quote is true

What's the difference between living and just existing?

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