On The Meaning of Life

We, as human beings, are unique in our ability to question why we exist. Yet rarely do we arrive at a definite answer. We all must die eventually, and in the grand scheme of things, an individual lifetime passes in the blink of an eye. No human being can triumph over time or nature; though we might try to leave our mark on Earth after we die, ultimately, little that we do will truly matter and nothing will impact the universe at large. Given these brutal truths, what makes life worth living? If there is a heaven, why do not more people rush to enter it? Why do we try to convince the depressed and the suicidal that their lives are meaningful and that they should continue to live if we ourselves are not sure of the meaning of life? Clearly there must be some deeper purpose to life than to toil on Earth and endure misfortunes for an average of seventy-something years before dying.

In Christian and other religions, human beings are taught to gain happiness in life through faith in a God, selflessness, and the knowledge that virtuous actions not only help others but also will be rewarded with eternal life for the soul after physical death. Such religions, therefore, seem to suggest that the afterlife is more important than that on Earth, functioning as a sort of goal to achieve or even as a bribe to ensure that people remain moral. According to such religions, the value of a person’s life is measured through his good deeds and his sins; judgment is passed by a supreme being (God) after death. A person can anticipate the judging process, however, through various rules outlined during this lifetime. For Christians, such guidelines for living a rewarding life include following the Ten Commandments, avoiding sinning--particularly the Seven Deadly Sins--and possessing various virtues*. For ancient Egyptians, a very similar system, outlined in the Book of the Dead, was used. In both religions, the soul is judged; in Christianity, the soul faces God and is either granted entrance to heaven or damned to hell, while in ancient Egyptian, the soul of the deceased is weighed on a scale and then is either sent to a pleasant afterlife or is eaten.

But while such religious beliefs base the meaning of life on Earth on life after death, they do not always provide a fulfilling answer to why we should continue to struggle through this life, especially for those who question the existence of a God and an afterlife or who simply experience a general feeling of futility and dissatisfaction with life. For these reasons, human beings struggle to find a meaning to life that is based on the present.

Often, the best way to discover the meaning of life is to consider that which one wants to possess or have accomplished or experienced before death. These values take on many different forms among different people and groups of people, yet common themes unite them and give us insight into the true meaning of life.

Before the end of my life, one thing that I personally want to experience is travel. I want to view firsthand famous human accomplishments such as the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China, but I also want to witness the beauty of nature around the world. For me, the desire to travel is based on a desire to gain understanding of people around the world and also of the world itself and my place within it. The wish to travel seems to be universal: tourists, foreign exchange students, and backpackers all journey for various reasons but the end result is hopefully a better understanding of humanity, which adds value to life through its ability to help people appreciate their time on Earth and connect to fellow human beings.

Another experience that I want (and need) in life is love. Love takes many forms, including love for family and friends, romantic love, and love of humanity as exemplified by the Greek concept of agape and the Christian teaching of charity. I have already been fortunate enough to experience love in several forms, but human beings are never finished experiencing or needing to experience love. People are not meant to be entirely isolated; the ability to connect to fellow people in the form of love is vital. For this reason, many people want to marry, raise a family, and maintain close friendships, all of which provide a different form of love and add meaning to the life of the person receiving such love. But love can also add meaning to the life of the giver, especially in the instance of love for humanity. As Charles Dickens wrote, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Many people seek a sense of fulfillment in life through their love of humankind and a desire to aid others, as humanitarian actions instill in the giver a sense that his or her deeds attribute to the greater good but also directly affect the lives of individuals.

Yet another of my desires is to learn as much as possible before I die. At times, this desire seems useless because when a person dies, all the knowledge that he has gained is lost; even if this knowledge has been recorded or passed on to others, ultimately, it will not last. But I seek knowledge because of the personal thrill and sense of accomplishment that it gives me. Though I may not become the most intelligent and knowledgeable person ever, I still feel a sense of pride upon mastering a skill or understanding a concept, and I can measure my own accomplishments relative to each other, always striving to achieve more. Similarly, other people make use of their bodies and minds while trying to break records in athletics, make new scientific discoveries, etc. These accomplishments do not need to be measured on a world scale in order for them to add a sense of achievement and meaning to the lives of the people responsible for them.

Another reason for my love of learning is my belief that an understanding of oneself is invaluable in life. Joseph Conrad commented, “Droll thing life is—that mysterious arrangement of merciless logic for a futile purpose. The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself—that comes too late—a crop of unextinguishable regrets.” Though his perception of life is rather grim, he recognizes that perhaps the most important thing is knowledge of oneself. The more I learn about others and about the world in general, the more I am able to apply what I learn toward myself and gain insight into my place in the world and how I can best make myself happy, ultimately making my life seem more worthwhile and meaningful.

As discussed in relation to Gilgamesh, the human desire to attempt to overcome mortality, even temporarily, in the form of a legacy is universal. Even with the knowledge that there is no true permanence, I, like nearly everyone, would like to establish some form of legacy to leave behind me when I die, though I am not yet sure which form I would like this legacy to take. People do not want to die knowing that they soon will be forgotten; it is a comfort to know that one will somehow be remembered, and the desire to create a legacy (in the form of children, a work of art, etc.) offers people a goal in life which grants additional meaning and reason to continue living.

A common desire, especially among slightly older people, is to “settle down.” At the moment, I do not want to settle down, yet I do not doubt that I will have the desire to do so before the end of my life. After people have experienced the activity of life and accomplished some of their goals, they often wish to slow down and establish a feeling of calmness and stability. Moving to the suburbs or countryside, retiring, or taking the time to raise a family are all forms of “settling down.” This desire for calmness suggests a search for the meaning of life on a very personal level, through reflection on and enjoyment of life.

The five experiences or desires above (travel, love, knowledge, leaving a legacy, and settling down) not only reflect my personal goals but also give insight into the values which provide human life with meaning. Three basic elements which stand out are happiness, understanding of one’s place in the world, and a connection with other human beings. The last two elements are relatively self-explanatory; both provide individuals with a larger framework in which to place their lives and see that while they may not leave a permanent mark on the universe, they do affect other human beings. Happiness, however, is a broader concept and its importance in regard to a meaningful life has been debated since the times of Ancient Greece. While some philosophers argued that happiness and pleasure-seeking are the only means of attaining a good life, others believed that they are unnecessary and that virtue is ultimately the only good. The most reasonable philosophy, however, is that of Epicurus, who saw that pleasure is not necessarily harmful in moderation and when not at the expense of others. Happiness, therefore, does play a role in living a meaningful life, provided that such happiness is not the result of actions that are detrimental to others. In this sense, the three elements of a meaningful life on Earth (regardless of whether or not an afterlife exists) do not necessarily invalidate religious teachings; in fact, the concepts of virtue taught by most religions tend to follow naturally from these elements. If one truly understands humanity, relates to others, and seeks happiness, one will have no need to resort to acts of violence or intolerance toward fellow human beings.

By basing the meaning of life on happiness, understanding of the world and one’s place in it, and connections with other human beings, we do not need to wait until the afterlife (if one exists) to judge the value of our lives. We can judge our lives in the present and can see their importance now, even in spite of their failure to last forever.



*The Ten Commandments: 1)You shall have no other gods before me 2)You shall not make for yourself an idol […] you shall not bow down to them or worship them 3)You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God 4)Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy 5)Honor your father and your mother 6)You shall not murder 7)You shall not commit adultery 8)You shall not steal 9)You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor 10)You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife […] or anything that belongs to your neighbor
The Seven Deadly Sins: pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, lust
Various Christian virtues: love, hope, faith, charity, temperance, justice