We humans are seekers of meaning—at least, many of us are. We want to be able to explain our existence. We want to see meaning in suffering as well as in beauty. We want to be part of something “greater.”
What are the key insights for me?
The search for meaning is about the „big picture,“ the overarching goal (vision) and/or the overarching task (mission).
In a nutshell, some thinkers see the meaning of life simply as “life” or “the good life.” That would then be the overarching task/mission, while the overarching goal/vision, for example, for me is a world of justice and balance that needs to be made possible.
Both (goal/vision and task) depend on values (see blog posts on values). This explains why there are individual and cultural differences. In my opinion, the meaningfulness of the goal can be tested quite well in terms of generalizability, based on Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative. “If all people were to pursue this goal, would it contribute to collective well-being?”
I find it interesting that depressed young people who are given the task of caring for neglected dogs in an animal shelter experience more joy in life as a result (the same certainly applies to the four-legged friends). They thus find meaning in being there for others.
What does this mean for me?
A meaningful life is noticeable. People who have found the “meaning of life” or, to put it less grandly, “meaning in life,” describe it as a feeling of resonance: no matter what field they work in, they ‘feel’ that they are working on the “big picture.”
I find meaning in my work as mayor; it gives me satisfaction to be able to serve the common good. Accordingly, I am not surprised that a meaningful life is an element of individual well-being/flourishing according to Martin Seligmann’s Well-Being theory or Felicia Huppert and Timothy So’s Flourishing definition.
Food for thought for children
My son isn’t asking me any questions about meaning yet, so this blog post doesn’t contain any personal examples of communication.
For him, playing makes sense, and that’s a good thing. In 2017, brain researcher Gerald Hüther and philosopher Christoph Quarch wrote a wonderful book called “Rettet das Spiel!” (Save Play!), in which they explain from a neurobiological and philosophical perspective how playing enriches our lives, not only for our development but also for our relaxation.
Seeing meaning in life certainly also depends on one’s personal attitude. Meditation, autogenic training, etc. can help us focus on what is essential. These are valuable methods that I can already teach my son in a playful way, for example, by consciously letting him feel his heartbeat and breathing before he goes to sleep and reciting positive beliefs to him or praying with him. This makes him feel accepted and loved in the world.
In the next blog post, I go deeper into the „good life.“
Translated from German with DeepL.com (free version)