The Search for Meaning

Meaning and Where to Find It

The search for meaning is a fundamental aspect of human life; the existential awareness of our species seems to not only exceed most, if not all other life forms we know, but extends well beyond our physical well-being. We can be physically well, and safe and have access to everything required for not only surviving our physical environment but also thrive in it, yet there's another dimension to most people's lives that will determine whether or not they are truly well. Even with good health, no serious problems or dangers we can still be tormented and suffer; this internal and mental anguish is something which has closely followed humanity since its dawn. This is humanity's quest for meaning.

A quest that has led us collectively down many different rabbit holes. This search for meaning to life and our existence is still heavily debated today, and each individual finds their unique meaning. Science, religion, and philosophy have all concerned themselves with this question since their conception, and to this day most of them still seem to be searching. The most common answer to cover this very broad topic in today's climate is a watered-down concoction of 19th-century philosophy and modern science; in short, life is a seemingly random string of events and something that just happens to you. It's completely absurd and it's up to you to make your meaning. A more recent development we've been seeing with our latest technological advancements is a more religious and metaphysical explanation paired with the aesthetics of the 21st century's technology - namely simulation theories or some sort of sentience behind creation either testing us or as a construction of our psyches to simply enjoy ourselves. We’re not going to delve into any of these theories in depth here, but rather just look at the physical and metaphysical meaning. These philosophies and ideas either belong to one of the two camps or contain a mix of the two. We’ll discuss the negatives and the good to both and hopefully give some idea to where you may go looking yourself for some of that good ol’ meaning to your life.

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Meaning in the Mundane

Most modern philosophy ask us to find meaning in the mundane; with a claim that we are the creators of our own happiness and purpose is just another thing we as creators have to make. There's never any given answer as to how; or even any guidelines in most people's philosophy. We approach it in a very human and self-centred way, a view that is rooted in our survival instincts, which is self-preservation. These philosophies lead us to a material and earthly pursuit of meaning. It's deeply rooted in egotism, materialism, and hedonism. Most of the modern existentialists while not completely excluding concepts beyond the material as a way to find meaning often anchor their own beliefs in the mundane. Materialist meaning is at the very core of human existence, as we've needed it to survive, and still, to this day you need to at least to some extent find meaning in continuing to survive and live in this world. However, when all the meaning you find is completely fettered to this world you will eventually run out of purpose.

You can certainly find meaning in the mundane and most people do. Their reason for existing is the comforts they enjoy in this world. It is their friends, family good food, good drink and so on and so forth. It might be social prestige and the way others perceive you. While there's nothing entirely wrong with these things and surely a lot of them are good, material things do not last. If our meaning relies entirely on these external factors of the world they are not only reliable but sure to eventually go away. People die, fall ill, or disappear from our lives in other ways. How others perceive us is a fickle thing that changes and we're always just one wrong step away from being shunned by our community. Our appetites are also never sated, we enjoy good music, good food, and good drink but what about when we don't feel the music or we overeat our favourite meals? What about the good drink that turns sour and the pleasures we've enjoyed in intoxication are but a distant memory when our tolerances are too high? Things change and we do as well, nothing ever goes back to being what it was. We might find meaning and enjoyment in the comfort of the known but our souls eventually tire of it, and we can never experience the same joy we did the first time when we discovered something which amazed us. Nostalgia is bittersweet.

The far most dangerous of these material things is the self-gratifying hedonism some of us may fall into. If we live our lives solely for ourselves and for our own pleasure and enjoyment we are soon to find that our increasing appetite can never be satisfied by what this world offers. Looking out for only ourselves we become lonely and desolate, and our hearts are hardened. Those with a conscience can't be too hedonistic for long as our actions always catch up with us. Despite this when it comes to the discussion of meaning I so often hear the biological evolutionary argument that our lives are pure chance and we exist only to procreate and to assure our own and perhaps our offspring's survival. This crude worldview doesn't take into account the complexity of human life, and it only looks at the very basics. Because for most people the material meaning isn't enough. We become dissatisfied with our lives despite fulfilling all of our material needs, and we eventually become disillusioned with life for life itself. We then start to search for meaning in the metaphysical.

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Meaning Beyond the Physical

‍Before getting lost in the vague and porous space of metaphysics, let's just keep our focus on some specifics here. When we speak of meaning in the metaphysical we should understand it as meaning beyond the material and physical. This means finding meaning in your dreams, ideas, ideals, dreams and beliefs. It's finding meaning not in your surroundings but rather inwards, and outwards to such an extent that you can no longer see it but still believe it. Perhaps the most clear example of this for most people is religion and religious beliefs. Religion acts as a strict and dogmatic set of rules and clear definitions of what is meaningful and what isn't. But this kind of meaning doesn't have to be only religious it's also political and ideological, this meaning is bound to a goal and ideally higher than oneself, a power in which one has no control or say. Ridding ourselves of the idea that this kind of thinking is delusional or dangerous we can see what an incredible source of power this is, and I believe even if most people don't think they do believe in a higher power they on some level do. That higher power doesn't have to be religious or even spiritual, it can be a belief in the governmental system they live in, or their political and ideological beliefs. The best part about this kind of meaning is that it is perpetual and immortal, but this is also its greatest danger.

This can lead to people achieving things much larger than themselves and finding comfort in something else when all material fails them. It's ideology not only for the desperate, those who have nothing to lose and all to gain but also for the everyday layman. Complete nihilism towards everything except for yourself will make you a lonely and sad person, but when your drive and meaning are derived from something larger than yourself there's nothing you can't achieve. Just be watchful and make sure that this ideal you serve is aligned with your own morals and ethics, and try to find the great Good. You will overcome every adversary and all evil should you look to and serve the Light. Different schools of thought like religions and philosophies will point you towards greater knowledge of how you interact with meaning and how you feel it in your life. There's a comfort in the perpetual nature of ideology that surpasses all material, because when everything around you fails, and the material world around you disappears the metaphysical persists.

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Conclusions

The search for meaning is something you can't escape, it's bound to find you one way or another; maybe you haven't paid it much thought because you've already had an answer for it. But sooner or later that will come to change, life isn't static and linear and neither are we as people. Our ideals, our dreams, and the meaning of our life constantly change. So don't cling too much to it, and when it inevitably comes crashing down on you, get out of the rubble of your past and look towards the future, make yourself a new path through the ruins of yesterday and find meaning once more, perhaps in a place you haven't looked before. You can find meaning in the mundane and every day and also in something greater than yourself, and more importantly it doesn't have to be one or the other, you can strike a balance between the two and they complement each other perfectly. When the physical fails you and you're hit by the hardships of the world you can rely on the metaphysical, and when the metaphysical and ideal is too flimsy and too far away you can anchor yourself through your feet on the earth instead of floating aimlessly in space. Do not dwell in the apathy of meaninglessness and do not despair.

Meaning is yours to find and to make, there's no harm in being wrong and trying to find your way around, we all do. Eventually, you may find something that sticks or you reach an age where you see no point in searching for new things, but never fear the inevitability of change, rather embrace it. There are a few ideologies and philosophies that are perpetual. There's meaning in anything you attribute it to and meaning is a powerful source of motivation. Chores aren't chores when you attribute this meaning to them. Cooking isn't a burden when you know that it means feeding yourself and your loved ones well, cleaning isn't a hindrance and waste of time when the meaning behind it is the peace of mind a clean and organised space brings. Your work may be a burden on you when the only meaning it brings is money, money itself needing additional meaning behind it, usually a means to not have to work. When your work is more meaningful than just the financial need behind it - you will be happier and more motivated to do it. I can't tell you what's the meaning of your life, that's for you to figure out, that's the great mystery. I can however share with you what I believe the meaning of my life to be.

The meaning to my life is the Work. It's in everything that I do, from painting to writing to all my creative work. I've felt it and known it for a very long while, exactly when and how it happened I couldn't tell you but I do know that one day it just hit me like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. All my questions and searching led to what I am doing now. It was only when I was painting or creating in some other form that I felt a genuine purpose to my life, and it was just as clear as day to me then. The feeling is hard to describe because of its overwhelming yet subtle nature, it's a paradoxical cross between reason and emotion. I've done a lot of searching and I still continue to search, because while my art is the meaning of my life there's still more to it. I've found the first stepping stone, developing and refining my artistic expression so that it may one day manifest its fullest potential is the true purpose behind it. It's an honour and a joy to share this journey with all of you. My Work isn't finished, far from, and neither is yours. I wish you the best on your journey and hope you can find some real meaning to it.

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche

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