Meaning. It’s probably the buzzword of the century. Everyone is talking about it, and it seems that everyone wants it.
When I think of meaning, I think of something that gets me out of bed in the morning; something to live for; something that has more significance than the usual jazz, you know, sleeping, eating, watching TV, scrolling on my phone, and exchanging my time and labor for money to pay the bills. It should be something that transcends all that and makes life worth living.
But what is ‘meaning’ exactly? What does it look like? Does it come in a package? Do you learn it at school? Can you find it in romance or friendship? Or in a book perhaps?
The overall vagueness of the concept ‘meaning’ is probably one of the reasons why people are struggling to find it. And many do struggle, so it seems to me. There’s a whole industry catering to people who want to escape their meaningless lives, be it in the form of psychologists, life coaches, authors, gurus, and, I guess, content creators like myself.
Meaninglessness is a somewhat ironic byproduct of a civilization that is richer than ever before, with unprecedented options and social mobility. You’d expect that with so many things to do, so many doors to enter, activities to choose from, finding meaning would be easy? I guess that’s not how it works, as meaninglessness and nihilism are so common nowadays.
So, how do we find meaning? Do we have to look for meaning or create it ourselves? And do we even need meaning to live happy lives?
Einzelgänger
Meaning. It’s probably the buzzword of the century. Everyone is talking about it, and it seems that everyone wants it.
When I think of meaning, I think of something that gets me out of bed in the morning; something to live for; something that has more significance than the usual jazz, you know, sleeping, eating, watching TV, scrolling on my phone, and exchanging my time and labor for money to pay the bills. It should be something that transcends all that and makes life worth living.
But what is ‘meaning’ exactly? What does it look like? Does it come in a package? Do you learn it at school? Can you find it in romance or friendship? Or in a book perhaps?
The overall vagueness of the concept ‘meaning’ is probably one of the reasons why people are struggling to find it. And many do struggle, so it seems to me. There’s a whole industry catering to people who want to escape their meaningless lives, be it in the form of psychologists, life coaches, authors, gurus, and, I guess, content creators like myself.
Meaninglessness is a somewhat ironic byproduct of a civilization that is richer than ever before, with unprecedented options and social mobility. You’d expect that with so many things to do, so many doors to enter, activities to choose from, finding meaning would be easy? I guess that’s not how it works, as meaninglessness and nihilism are so common nowadays.
So, how do we find meaning? Do we have to look for meaning or create it ourselves? And do we even need meaning to live happy lives?
The upcoming video explores ‘meaning’.
2 months ago | [YT] | 1,182