Every person, at least once in his life, has asked the question: “What is the meaning of life? Why do I live and what is my role in this universe? Indeed, the question of the meaning of life has worried humanity for many centuries and gives rise to a number of disputes and contradictions among mere mortals, ancient Greek philosophers and modern thinkers. Various opinions, ideas, assumptions are expressed, but it is impossible to give a definite answer to this question, because each individual has his own values, tries to set priorities correctly, choosing something more important for himself.
Socrates
The Athenian philosopher Socrates saw his purpose in encouraging people to search for truth. He saw the meaning of life precisely in the purification, treatment and development of his soul, because accumulated wealth cannot replace virtuous deeds. Even in the face of death, the ancient Greek thinker did not renounce his views and adhered to them until the very end.
Jacques-Louis David. "The Death of Socrates"
Aristotle
The encyclopedist scientist and philosopher Aristotle saw the meaning of life in achieving happiness, that is, in realizing the essence of man. And happiness itself consists of mental benefits, such as a desire for knowledge, mastering various skills and abilities, the opportunity to love and be loved and to have family and friends nearby. However, in the pursuit of one’s happiness, one cannot ignore the interests of others, which is why, according to Aristotle, for a decent life, justice is also necessary.
Bust of Aristotle. Roman copy of a Greek bronze original (after 330 BC). Original author: Lysippos
Plato also revealed the essence of the question that interests us. The philosopher believed that the meaning of life lies in self-improvement. It is necessary to develop yourself physically, mentally, spiritually and mentally. The ability to control your feelings and emotions, strengthen your body, and comprehend science - these are the main aspects of improvement. The thoughts of the great ancient Greek philosopher turned out to be the most important achievement of antiquity.
How to find yourself?
You need to constantly try yourself in various processes and identify among them those that will lead to the achievement of the desired states. Naturally, without any doping. Such processes usually become directly related to human activities. I will try to demonstrate this using the example of people in creative professions.
Imagine that you like to draw or take photographs. Both are a set of actions combined into a single process, thanks to which you can materialize your feelings, and thereby express yourself. As a result of these actions, your works {creations} appear, which you demonstrate to the people around you. They admire what you do.
As a result, you feel an emotional and energetic uplift. You want to do this all the time, because you like both the process of self-expression and the response you receive from people as a result of the actions taken.
Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes, a French philosopher and sociologist, believed that the main thing in life is the principle of moderation, according to which one should not rush to extremes, make hasty decisions, it is necessary to think everything over rationally and find the right path. According to his philosophy, the old is easy to destroy, but before doing this, you need to think about the consequences. The natural scientist respected the traditions and customs of various peoples, this speaks of his high moral qualities. Descartes' life rule stated the desire to change, first of all, oneself, and not the world around him. After all, man is the highest mind, and only he can control his thoughts and rule over them.
Rene Descartes. Author Franz Hals
By any means
We always subconsciously strive to find ways to satisfy unmet needs. Either in the form of personal achievements in your profession, in business, in creativity. Or through fictitious illnesses, suffering, complaints, so that you receive attention from the outside. To always be comforted and pitied. When choosing your path, remember that frequently repeated actions are transformed into a dynamic stereotype in the terminology of Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, or in simple words into a habit. Start taking actions that will be more beneficial for you in the future.
Arthur Schopenhauer
The 19th century German philosopher, misanthrope Arthur Schopenhauer wrote that people are driven by someone else’s will, and a person cannot independently control his destiny, his will is determined. Life for him is hell, in which a fool follows universal pleasures, committing sins, and ultimately comes to disappointment, and a wise man limits his pleasures and sets a limit to his desires, thereby avoiding troubles. Human life, according to Schopenhauer, consists of a constant struggle with death and suffering, from which it is impossible to get rid of.
Arthur Schopenhauer
Why does a person need a meaning in life?
So that there are no more depressive thoughts about the meaninglessness of existence.
Read also: What is the sun for?
So that the chance to be realized in life radically increases, so that you don’t hang around in life like “shit in an ice hole,”
as most of our compatriots do. Their lives and thoughts are occupied with politics, and discussions of other people who, as a rule, play “their own game,” implement their own path and use “people” for their own purposes.
Aren't you offended that you are used to fulfill other people's goals, other people's desires? Why is the motivation of a business owner 10 times higher than that of employees?
Jean-Paul Sartre
The representative of atheistic existentialism, Jean-Paul Sartre, viewed human existence as a meaningful, free activity. However, in the sphere of labor economic participation, a person does not belong to himself, he does not lead an authentic existence. Life itself, according to Sartre, is a consistent chain of self-denials in which freedom is realized, and it is precisely this that is the only basis for the value and non-value of human actions. Freedom places unconditional responsibility on society, as a result of which it is expressed in a critical attitude towards the world and people.
Jean-Paul Sartre. By Moshe Milner.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Ludwig Wittgenstein is an Austrian philosopher and logician of the 20th century, perhaps one of the most incomprehensible and mysterious thinkers. He considered the main task of philosophy to be the clarification of language. He also wrote that everything that happens in personal life can be important, but life itself has no meaning different from these things. Indeed, personal life has meaning in the form of events, actions and results that occur throughout a person's journey. Everything that happens to us is important to our loved ones, the people who love us, it is thanks to them that we feel needed.
Ludwig Wittgenstein. By Moritz Nähr. Austrian National Library
The question of the meaning of life worried not only ancient Greek philosophers, French and German thinkers, but also the sages of China and India.
How to find the meaning of life
There are several ways to find meaning in life. And they are all related to working on yourself.
Lead an active lifestyle
The frantic pace of life is so tiring that sometimes even on your legal day off you don’t want to do anything. The only desire is to lie in silence at home on the couch. But this is not a solution. So you definitely can’t find the meaning of life. So get up from the couch or chair and start moving.
To begin with, try responding to suggestions from friends and relatives to take a walk, go out into nature, or just walk through the park. Buy a pool or gym membership.
It can be done simpler. Go outside when it's raining. Listen to your feelings. Take a deep breath of fresh air and feel life. Realize that it is everywhere around you, you just need to learn to notice it.
Do something you've never done before
Another step you can take in your search for the answer to the question “how to find the meaning of life” is to leave your comfort zone from time to time. Let's say you suddenly realized that you want to draw. Don't hesitate, go to the store and buy all the necessary supplies. Or at least borrow from your child, if you have children, an album and pencils. Or suddenly the thought of swimming with dolphins struck you. Bring this idea to life, otherwise it will remain at the level of reflection.
There is another option - just get up early and admire the sunrise. This is the easiest thing you can do. But at the same time, this is a big step towards understanding why you live in this world.
Do not be afraid
To be afraid or not to be afraid - it all depends on you. In any case, life will end the same. And it’s up to you how you live it. Are you ready to live it in an embrace with your fears or do you want to experience incomparable emotions and pleasure from living the way you want?
Get to know yourself
It's not that difficult to do. You can try to look inside yourself, listen to the emotions and sensations at one time or another. Or you can use hundreds of psychological tests that you will find on the Internet. Whichever option you choose, this is an excellent opportunity to get to know yourself better as a person, find your strengths and weaknesses, and your personal meaning in life.
Feel needed
Another way to find the meaning of life if you don’t want anything. Try devoting part of your life to other people or, for example, animals. This is exactly what psychologists advise. Become a volunteer, visit an orphanage or a department where cancer patients are treated. Help others feel joy again and make them smile. This will not only help them, but also you. You will feel how life acquires its lost meaning, how it is filled with new emotions, desires and goals.
Remember that happiness is in the little things
Look for the good in everything around you. Only in this case will you learn to let life pass through you, to truly see and feel it.
Confucius
The ancient thinker and philosopher of China, Confucius, tried to understand the hidden nature of man. He was convinced that material well-being should fade into the background, and the meaning of human life lies in achieving the Tao, and an ethically complete society will arise only in the case of self-sacrifice. Confucius believed that it was necessary to take care of relatives and elders, to respect and love everyone around. Then a society whose attribute is knowledge will be united and capable of rapid and effective development. Moral values and education are an integral part of the formation of the inner world and views of every person.
Confucius
What is a sense of life? Eternal question
— The eternal question: not how to live, but for what? What is the meaning of human life here on earth?
Father Boris: Seventy years ago I heard a story on French radio.
There lived one man, he had great spiritual needs, he strived for spiritual life, culture, aesthetics. And he was forced to live in extremely philistine conditions. At work - he knew in advance - all his colleagues would never forget to wear satin arm ruffles, so as not to spoil the sleeves of their jacket when you sit and write all day. They will not forget to put a pillow on the seat of the chair so as not to give themselves hemorrhoids. He knew in advance that they would talk about how they spent Sunday, what easy victories they had, how they had low-class fun - who would get drunk, who would be with the girls... He knew that he would come home in the evening, and at home his wife would open the door and say : “It’s good that you came. Take off your shoes - our floors have just been polished. Take off your shirt quickly - the laundress will come to take away the dirty linen. And at the same time, look - I put veal in the oven. You know, your mother-in-law doesn’t like it when veal burns.” He is horrified: “I can’t do it anymore!!! My soul thirsts for emotions - spiritual... cultural... and here - vulgarity and philistinism both at work and at home.” And he gets into a noose.
Buddha
The founder of religious and philosophical teachings, Buddha, devoted a lot of time to thinking about the purpose and meaning of life. Indian systems are characterized by belief in karma, samsara and moksha. Bad and good deeds committed by people throughout their lives, which have either positive or negative consequences and affect rebirth, are karma. Samsara is an endless sequence of birth and death. A person’s desires are always inexhaustible; to this dissatisfaction should be added the suffering and pain experienced throughout life’s journey. Moksha is liberation from samsara, the opportunity to break out of its circle. Hence the purpose and meaning of life, namely the awareness of the state of dissatisfaction and the beginning of getting rid of all desires.
Buddha
Goal setting
“How to find the meaning of life if you don’t want anything?” - you ask. The answer, apparently, will not please you: set a goal and go towards it with the will.
- What is the root of your passivity? Have you recently suffered a trauma or lost someone? Are you in a state of crisis, depression, that is, an unstable and unhealthy psychological state? Then you first need to “remove the splinter”: survive divorce, death, leaving, recover from trauma, get out of depression. To do this, you need to contact a specialist.
- Once your condition is stable (or if you are currently healthy, just lazy or uncertain), you need to start working. A rolling stone gathers no moss. Already in the question “how to find...” lies the answer - to search, and not to remain inactive. Go to the goal, through all external and, above all, internal obstacles (your “I don’t want”).
- “I don’t want” happens because of a lack of motivation. Why do you lack motivation? Are you satisfied with your current life? I think not, since the question arose. Then imagine the life you want, but be realistic in your plans. Have you imagined yourself, your life, the people around you, your feelings? Do you want that? That's the goal. Your life's purpose is the image of your achievements.
If you cannot yet concentrate your attention on life as a whole, then think about a specific goal that worries you more than others at the moment: work, love, education, health.
