You may find that you’ve got a little extra time on your hands these days for some contemplation. If so, next time you're on one of your Zoom calls, ask your friends or family a few deep questions and see what kind of rabbit hole that takes you down.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Philosophical Questions About Life and Existence
- Deep Questions About Death and Accepting Mortality
- Silly Questions That’ll Make You Think
- Questions to Help You Think About Your Life and Its Meaning
Or, just give yourself some quiet moments and an opportunity to expand your own mind. No matter what you discover about yourself, it’s really just an opportunity to think outside the box and explore new ideas.
To get you started, we’ve come up with some questions about life and its meaning to help you develop some new perspectives or have a good laugh. Check them out below.
Philosophical Questions About Life and Existence
Morality, justice, right and wrong, science and economic inclinations are all offshoots of how you've been raised, the life you've lived, and what makes you tick inside. See how you jive with your friends on the following questions.
1. “If no one was watching, how many people do you think would perform good deeds?”
Perceptions of good humanity can be blurry. And maybe this will lead to a long discussion about the value of a good deed when others aren’t watching or why some people require accolades to be a better human being.
2. “Is justice even possible?”
The idea of justice itself has many perspectives and considerations, making it prime for subjective responses. Remember, they also call it a law "practice."
3. “How certain are you that your morals are correct considering that your viewpoint is merely one perspective among billions?”
Personal perspective uses only one person’s senses, insight, life, and experiences.
4. “Where do aliens exist?”
This may be my favorite question as there are so many people with fascinating recollections of strange happenings.
5. “How much do you value technological progress if the result is an increasingly inadequate distribution of wealth?”
A good follow-up is to consider how much time you watch television (live or streaming), and whether or not you have a new phone.
6. “Upon release from quarantine in your home after ten years, in what order would you fight to close down zoos, release prisoners, end human trafficking, or the end illegal animal trade, and why?”
Questioning imprisonment in different spheres has more meaning when you experience it yourself. Even how you see human choices versus that of innocent victims has new levels and perspectives.
7. “Can humans reach their maximum potential using finite fossil fuels?”
Questions that make you relate the finite with the infinite are fun little mental exercises, like asking if something imperfect can ever make something perfect. You should have fun with these types of queries.
8. “How many kinds of humans have lived on Earth? And are their ancestors known today?”
If you engage this question as a hot religious debate, then the results may not be fun. However, if you treat it as a question that blends science with perception, you might view life more interestingly.
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Deep Questions About Death and Accepting Mortality
The fear of the unknown is debilitating. But, having the right community and an elder’s insight can advocate for positivity in any light.
9. “What is a good death? Or, a bad death?”
Questions like this make you think of places and circumstances for death but may also surprise you.
10. “Do you want to die in a hospital or at home?”
Death positivity is a tough hurdle for most people, as many cultures separate people from knowing it personally. In contrast, others embrace it even within their own homes.
11. “Upon this pending demise, what do you think others would need to focus on to live a better life?”
Achieved or unmet goals are very different for everyone.
12. “Are you afraid of death?”
This question opens up into a person’s life’s history, one’s religion, and also whether one has a partner or children to consider.
13. “If you adhere to a religion, then has your faith helped you accept death? If not, then how have you come to terms with it on your own?”
Some people cling to their religion or not in the face of death. For those who do, this is an extremely calming factor, but what about those who don’t?
14. “Has the freedom to be yourself, or the opportunity to be part of a family or community been more important to you in life?”
There’s a lot to be learned when asking questions to older adults. Take the time and enjoy the answers.
15. “Has the knowledge of your own mortality affected you?”
The answers that you’ll find here are very age-dependent.
16. “Do you have the right to determine how someone else chooses to live their life? If not or if so, then why do we determine how others choose to die?”
Underlying truths, universal meanings, and perception are all in play here.
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Silly Questions That’ll Make You Think
Knowing the value of your own eccentricities may help you understand others’ a bit better, especially when you see the world from their perspective and not just your own.
17. “What is the one idea/need you wish your animal could communicate? What do you think they would have chosen?”
Some humans have trouble removing themselves from control over another, even with whomever they love most.
18. “How do you know that you’re sane? Does someone have to tell you?”
The adage goes that if you can ask yourself this question, then you’re still sane.
19. "Does the idea that law sometimes changes from one plot of earth to the next make you see it any differently?"
Our perception of law is as an institution, almost like it's a concrete building or something.
20. “What Superpower do you want?”
What people wish for tells a lot about their personality, morals, and innermost desires.
21. “Would you choose to be free and poor or confined and wealthy?”
This question is about the perception of money when you have room to roam or if you have no place to go.
22. “If you could clone yourself to replace parts of your body that fail, would you?”
When you consider that you're developing another human for selfish needs, you may also start to consider all ways where we do this as a general social construct and without thought.
23. “What was the most important document ever written, and who agrees/disagrees? Are they wrong?”
Some might say the Bible or the Constitution, while others would contend something prophetic, but making sure everyone is on the same page is another hot debate.
24. "If there was one last sip from the fountain of youth left in the world, would you savor it or pour it into the ocean?"
When comparing your life with something much more significant, the answer could be really provocative, spinning off into other areas of discussion.
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Questions to Help You Think About Your Life and Its Meaning
Introspection is the opportunity you have to make sure you are on the right path and is always time well spent. So, check out the questions below and have an internal dialogue about how things are going.
25. "Bouncing off of Question 24, If you drank that last gulp from the fountain of youth, would you, in turn, become an ocean advocate?
Guilt and regret can both be powerful forces.
26. "Bouncing off of Question 22, if you would or wouldn't clone yourself for replacement parts, would you take the heart of a pig to survive?"
Questions of morality, killing for one's survival, or determining the value of others in the face of a severe illness are all in play for this question.
27. “Has living in isolation or quarantine changed how you see natural life? How?”
The frailty of humanity has been exposed raw for today's generations but transferring this to the natural world is yet another step.
28. "Do you have friends on both sides of the political spectrum? How does this challenge your voting structure?"
Here's a substantial political question for you. All people are positively or negatively (or somewhere in between) impacted by one's government and laws but having connections in both spheres opens conversations.
29. "Does one human deserve more food than another?"
Variables in families or one's society are implied here, including whether or not you think the community has a role in what you deserve based on the probability of one's birth.
30. "What is the difference between consciousness and being self-aware?"
Short and broad concepts are to be discovered. Just try to avoid the dictionary until you've chewed on this one.
31. “If you only have one pet, will you now get another after being quarantined alone? Why?”
Isolation is best understood through experience. With that, you are now able to see how that affects your pets.
32. "When do people stop learning?"
This question may offer a unique perspective for those who like to judge others too much.
33. “Does that Superpower you answered for Question 20 match how others envision your general morality?”
Some people may think you are a saint, while you’ve got other plots and plans—or vice versa.
34. “What is the one thing that brings you peace or calm above all else? Is it achievable?”
Creating what is necessary to be happy isn’t always visible or available, but it’s attainable.
35. “About which dead relative’s life would you like to know more? And why?”
If you collect family stories, how do you select questions for older adults? How would they be different for someone who is much younger?
36. “When you become the person you want to be, is that the end?”
Future self-journaling is a great way to keep yourself on track of goals and accomplishments, but one thing that will come up here is whether or not your goals are ever complete.
37. “Would you trade your best, healthiest habit for a more prosperous life?”
Money questions are always fun, especially when posed against ones where you have to consider losing something good for something with potential consequences.
38. “What is your dream life (without winning the lottery)? Where is it? Who’s there with you? And what does your Saturday look like versus a Monday?”
Envisioning the life that you want to lead may help you work towards achieving it. Then you can return to Questions 34 and 36 to compare.
Perspective Changes the Game
The more difficult lesson to learn is how little we know about life no matter what age we are. However, it does seem more common that with more experience also comes a better understanding.