- What is a sense of life
- Why do we need meaning in life?
- How to find meaning in life
- What to do if you don't see the meaning of life
- Books about the meaning of life
Maximilian of Naples, philosopher, author of academic publications and research;
Polina Lukinykh, existential-humanistic psychotherapist, specialist of the psychological platform Alter.
Philosophy Now magazine once conducted a poll among its readers and asked them to tell what the meaning of life is. The most original answer was given by Tim Bale, professor of political science at the University of London: “The meaning of life is not to die.” (1).
Humanity has been thinking about the meaning of existence since the Paleolithic era. At that time, it was directly related to survival: the main tasks were ensuring safety, obtaining food and procreation. All this determined human evolution. With the development of intelligence and the complication of social organization, the meaning and purpose of life began to change. Today, many are concerned with completely different issues related to higher matters: realization and purpose.
What is a sense of life
Still from the film “Into the Wild”
Meaning of life — this is what a person lives for, his desire to make life meaningful and fulfilling, to realize his purpose. This meaning is unique for everyone and can change depending on age or circumstances, but always corresponds to the main values.
Meaning of life — is an assessment of the time lived, the achievement of the set goals. It can also be interpreted as an understanding of one's place in the world. In search of this meaning, a person tries to answer the questions:
- What is the purpose of my life?
- Why, for what or for whom do I live?
- What are my life values?
Ideas about the meaning of life often depend on social status, lifestyle or political situation. In a favorable scenario, meaning can mean happiness and well-being for a person. Conversely, in unfavorable conditions, life loses its value.
Why do we need meaning in life?
Still from the film “The Bucket List”
The question of finding the meaning of life is considered in several aspects: philosophical, psychological, religious. It has interested scientists since ancient times. Thinkers tried to understand what is the purpose of existence of both humanity as a whole and the individual in the context of a single life.
Philosophical meanings of human life
RBC Style asked contemporary philosopher Maximilian of Naples to reflect on the philosophical meaning of life.
The psychological meaning of life
The question of the meaning of life is being studied in psychology because it is unlikely to be answered once and for all, says psychotherapist Polina Lukinykh. As life itself, its social and individual contexts change, so do its meanings.
The biological meaning of life
The question of the meaning of life has been considered by scientists and doctors. Thanks to their research, they have come to several interesting conclusions:
1. Having a meaning in life has a positive effect on health.
This conclusion was made by scientists during a study conducted in the United States in 2019. Over three years, they surveyed more than a thousand residents of San Diego. The results showed that those who found the meaning of life did not experience stress and health problems, unlike those who considered life meaningless (2). At the same time, the largest number of people satisfied with life were among 60-year-old respondents.
2. Finding meaning in life is an important component of happiness.
In 1999, Heidi Lepper and Sonja Lyubomirsky conducted a study on the basis of which they created a scale of subjective happiness (3). During the experiment, 70% of respondents who believed that their lives had meaning called themselves happy. And among those who did not see meaning in life, only 30% were happy.
How to find the meaning of life
Still from the film “Interview with God”
Before we talk about searching, we need to learn to distinguish the meaning of life from its goals.
The meaning of life and purpose — are not the same thing.
These concepts are related as general and particular: the meaning of life includes goals — that for which a person changes his behavior, develops, lives, says psychotherapist Polina Lukinykh. The common thing between the meaning of life and goals is that they are subjective and individual.
For someone, the meaning of life may be professional fulfillment, finding something to do “to their liking” that allows them to earn income, the expert explains. Then the goal in this case may be: getting an education, completing an internship, making acquaintances and useful connections in the professional community.
The realization of meaning can serve several different purposes. At the same time, both the goals and the meaning of life change over time. Personal crises are associated with this, the psychotherapist explains.
The meaning of life is formed on the basis of:
- values (they set the direction of a person’s life and development);
- worldview or life position (a system of views, beliefs, ideas of a person about himself and the world, his place in it, attitude to the surrounding reality).
How to find the meaning of life? A psychotherapist offers a step-by-step algorithm.
- Ask yourself: what was the meaning of life for me before? What was important to me, what was the meaning? This will help to get my bearings, just as a person setting off on a new journey, in order to build a route, it is important to first understand: where he was before and where he is now.
- Look to your beliefs. To do this, you can write down the key areas of your life, your experiences and concerns regarding each of them, and your wishes. Ask yourself: what is really important to me? What do I want to happen in my family and relationships, my career or my overall state, how I feel. Try to write not only logically, analyzing the situation – focus on the emotional response. The meaning is what really excites you, what takes your breath away.
- Take time to explore your interests and passions. What brings you pleasure, joy, satisfaction, a sense of significance. Look for it not only in your professional activities, but in life in general.
- Ask yourself: What gives me a sense of meaning in my life, of connection with others? Write down everything that comes to mind. This is valuable material that can be structured by dividing it into individual goals.
- Think about the place in life where you are now, describe it and your attitude towards it: What is this place, what stage of life is this? Do I like the way my life is now? What do I want to change, what do I miss? What is my main task, what do I want? From the answers to these questions, solutions or your own choices may emerge.
What to do if you don't see the meaning of life
Still from the film “I Wish I Was Here”
First of all, don't despair, advises Polina Lukina. It's normal to lose the meaning of life. Psychologists call this phenomenon a “crisis of meaning.” Throughout life, a person periodically overcomes these crises of meaning (as if planned, arising with age or with the transition from one role to another).
There are also non-normative crises of meanings – those that we did not plan, but they happened. Many today experience a non-normative crisis of meanings in emigration, when the environment, the context of life, the language environment and the environment of life as a whole have changed, the old meanings and goals are no longer suitable. The system of beliefs and values is undergoing changes, but new meanings have not yet appeared, the expert explains.
Losing the meaning of life can lead to
