What is the meaning of life? What purpose, if any, do we serve here on Earth? Why are we here? These are the obvious questions which come into everyone’s mind. Maybe these are some of the oldest questions of humanity!
While science explains the ‘how-s’ of life, it is happy to
leave. Perceptibly, the other branches
of human knowledge – metaphysics, theology, psychology, history, sociology,
etc. attempt to answer these questions from their own perspectives, answers
which are remarkable not only for their divergence and for the infinity of
paradoxes and contradictions that they create.
For some people, life may be all about having a family and going on
living till death, while for some others, it is all about accumulating wealth.
Some live this life for an eternal afterlife without having any idea about the
purpose of such an afterlife.
The meaning of life may be diverse for different people - it could be the pursuit of either knowledge or religion, or art or love. To Aristotle, "Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence"; to Camus, it is the absurdity of the human condition that we search for meaning in a world which has none. Nietzsche believed that the question itself was meaningless, while Plato defined man as ‘A being in search of meaning.’
Chinese sage Lao Tzu—author of Tao te Ching or the Book of Change
- believed that neither goals nor accomplishments impart any meaning unto our
lives - that the value and meaning of our existence come from the universe
itself of which we are a part, and it requires no effort on our part to derive
a meaning for life.
Many people believe that even though life may be devoid of
meaning, it is nevertheless valuable because it makes us happy and brings moral
good, while others feel that we only impart meaning to our own lives by
choosing how to live. “The day was sufficient to itself, and so was the life”,
as the philosopher Richard Taylor said in his 1970 book Good and Evil.
The question of the meaning of our life is also closely associated
with the existence of life elsewhere in the Universe. Indeed, if life exists
elsewhere, then our life may not be just happenstance as it is believed; we
then become part of a larger whole.
As Earth is home to the only life known to us. Countless species
on earth have found their way into extinction through geological times, and no
star is going to blink in sorrow if humanity also meets the same fate.
Whether life has meaning or not, one thing is certain, life is
full of pain and suffering, and those who have passed through a great deal of
suffering may have a different, and perhaps more realistic, perspective on
life.
If you say a man can find meaning either through work, love or
suffering. The
question about the meaning of life is something that has bothered each one of
us at some point in time.
Harari says that man, being a storytelling animal, weaves the
meaning of life around several stories that ultimately carry no meaning.
What did Aristotle say
about the meaning of life?
According to Aristotle, the
purpose of life is to be happy every time. We can choose to be happy until
we exist. Happiness is not a pleasure, rather it is a virtue to be happy. “It
is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without
accepting it.”
Hindus, Islam and Christianity say that God created the universe
and expects all humans to conduct themselves in a certain manner, as decreed by
religion. Following God’s commands is the only meaning of an individual’s life
so that on the great Judgment Day, each is punished or rewarded according to
their deeds on earth.
The basic concept humans are not destined to live for eternity, even
if we do not know if humanity will survive another 50000 years. The linear
theory does not explain either why people have to strive in life for some
reward in the afterlife whose features are equally unknown.
Some believe the meaning of life consists in leaving something
behind as a legacy for posterity – may be an offspring, a work of art or
literature. Some find meaning in
spreading kindness and happiness, while some may find it in seeking and finding
a soulmate, who is no different from millions of other humans. Some find solace in Buddhist meditation which
he/she practices for two hours daily, which may give the clarity and focus and
can endow life with meaning.
If you can define life, the Universe is nothing but an aggregation
of molecules and atoms only, without any intrinsic beauty, bliss, purity or
meaning; it gets meaning only through us, not vice versa. So is life.
The supreme ideal is therefore to free the mind from all
limitations and assert the liberty of choice in order to realize the ‘Self’ and
express oneself.
Please remember that our thoughts cause our actions.
Ways to Add More Meaning to Your
Life
- Let your body do the thinking
- Create a life with a different view
- Take back control before you lose control
- Expect nothing and appreciate everything
- Do not wait for the perfect moment, take the moment, and make it work
- Keep letting it go until you are done
According to Maugham, “Nothing in the world is permanent, and
we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we are still more
foolish not to take delight in it while we have it.”
The pertinent question what is the real meaning of life? The real meaning of life is to give something
back to the world through creativity and self-expression, and, changing our
attitude when faced with a situation or circumstance that we cannot change.
Albert Einstein wrote: "A
calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined
with constant restlessness."
Life is a long journey, boring most of the way. Meaning perhaps lies in learning to enjoy the humdrumness of life, in pursuing simple things rather than meditating on profound ideas. In the ultimate analysis, each one, therefore, chooses his own meaning.
