A Brief Perspective On the Meaning of Life

 by Sami Littlefair

What is the meaning of life? A question that, while impossible to answer, remains a consistent thought that lingers in the background of our minds. Why has no clear answer been found? An objectively clear conclusion is arguably impossible to reach; however, I am going to explore and break down my perspective on the meaning of life, to hopefully somewhat widen your perspective on why we are here. 

For me, the reason why no clear answer has been found is due to the uniquely subjective nature of life. The philosophical concept of existentialism engages with this, suggesting that intrinsic value in life stems from individual journeys to a greater understanding of oneself, and that how each person thinks, feels and acts, shapes who they are. This opposes the idea of fate and destiny, highlighting that as humans we are responsible for our decisions and output in life and that true value of life will come from an ever growing understanding of ourselves. 

I talk about an 'understanding of ourselves', but what does this actually mean? I believe that the more foreign situations and experiences one exposes themselves to, the greater understanding they will build on themselves. Knowledge stems through experience, and this cannot be built towards if one never pushes their own personal boundaries of safety and security, whether this be externally or internally. Externally, appreciating the limited time we have can allow one to take and cherish more opportunities as they present themselves, as well as actively seeking out new experiences. Internally, questioning and reflecting on one's own thoughts and beliefs can allow room for mental growth, as once someone has absorbed multiple perceptions of an idea it allows them to further understand their own beliefs. The more one understands about themselves, the more confident they will be when expressing their own identity.  

A key aspect of life, which I have not yet covered, is human relationships, and their dynamics in relation to acquisition of material goods. Contemporary society has been structured so that their transactional items are the focal point: houses, cars and clothes for example. However, when we die, these things lose their worth. Right? This is a common point of narrative, focusing on acquiring wealth and status is ultimately meaningless; however, following the existential morals, if one's value in life stems from the journey they take towards materialistic contentment, why should their life have any less meaning than anyone else's? It is true that physical things ultimately have a lifespan, but if one's life has been fulfilled (in their own perception) through this striving for success, their lives have just as much meaning as anyone who focuses on building meaningful human relationships, and believes that is the formula for a fulfilled life. Of course, there is nuance and most people will lie somewhere in between these two extremes, but the overriding message of the existentialist view that I take is that meaning in life is not measured on the external happenings of that life. It is measured on the extent of personal journeying to a greater understanding of oneself through both internal and external engagement with life. 

Researcher and author Bronnie Ware found that the two biggest life regrets from a large group of dying people were "I wish I hadn't worked so hard" and "I wish I'd stayed in touch with more of my friends". While some people will access their personal value of life through excessive work, most of us will lean more towards human connections and making memories as a primary focus. Although work is necessary and can generate great amounts of happiness, these quotes tell me that we should allocate a little more time towards not letting meaningful relationships disappear; no one is going to make this happen, it has to come from you. Human relationships are the driving force behind life; you can only learn about yourself individually to a point, you eventually need human interactions and experiences to widen your perspective. 

Another couple of quotes which appeared from Ware's research were "I wish I hadn't spent so much time worrying about things out of my control" and "I wish I had appreciated my time more". The chances of me and you being alive are almost incomprehensible; for reference, research by Dr Ali Binazir from Business Insider concluded that if every atom in the entire universe was split into thirty five thousand parts; the chances of us being born is roughly similar to two people randomly selecting the same part of the same atom. The probability concluded was around 1 in 10 (followed by 2.6 million zeros). It is an absolute miracle that any of us were alive, which is why I believe that exposure to new experiences and taking opportunities that present themselves is vital in a fulfilled life, as we are blessed to have this time alive, and it is not guaranteed. 

To conclude, I believe an idea for the meaning of life is to embrace its absurdity and lack of cohesion, appreciate our time as best we can and always be looking to further our understanding of ourselves. This is certainly an idea I believe in. Thank you for reading.