Monday, December 8, 2008
Meaningless or Meaningful?
It seems to me that most people, when asked if their life is meaningless or meaningful, ponder the question for a moment, then almost always answer with "meaningful." Is there such thing as a meaningless life? I think so. People always hesitate before answering the question, because they really do have to think about whether their life has meaning. The way I see it, a person's life is only meaningful if they give it meaning. It's a simple concept. There is no meaning until it is imparted. However, who is to say that meaning will last? The thing that gives your life meaning may be there one day and gone another, therefore leaving your life meaningless. So, is there really a reason to give your life meaning. I guess people just do it to feel important. You can even hear people talk about their jobs with some sense of misplaced importance,"Yea, they wouldn't survive without me working here." People impart importance to feel special, and it works for the most part. I just don't see the purpose of it. You feel important for a month, then get fired, and your previous job doesn't randomly explode. Everything keeps moving without the self-important swagger of that self-important employee, and that person is broken. It's like people give their life meaning in the one place where it is most likely to fail and be taken away. People set themselves up for pain and disaster, almost like we have an innate sense that tells us that we have to make ourselves a flimsy cocoon of happiness that has to be easily broken. I don't know if this is true for everyone, but it is definitely what I have seen. And I definitely think that self-important existentialists promote this. Comments?
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5 comments:
This reminds me of the scene we watched in the class of No Country for Old Men. The gas station guy appears to be living a meaningless life, and his happiness is shattered, or at least utterly confounded, when he encounters Chigurh.
I like what you say about people imparting meaning to things which are only important to them (a.k.a. things you ascribe value to). I also think possibility of losing meaning causes the individual some form of angst. On that note, I think you give yourself meaning, in that you invest purpose in certain things, which in ties you to a facet of life. So, i do think people can find meaning in life if that what causes them angst provides a sense of purpose, meaning, obligation, or what have you.
I really like how you've acknowledged the superficial answer to the question, "Is your life meaningful or meaningless?" You criticize those who inject meaning into something finite and non-lasting. However, if one assumes the existential view that one's essence is defined by one's actions (or or existence precedes essence), what does one have but one's actions on which depend to establish meaning? What other alternatives are there?
This actually reminded me of a question Professor Shade asked in another class that I'm taking. He asked if we thought that the economy would get better and if so, then to raise our hands. Pretty much everyone raised their hands after a few awkward moments. The thing is though, why do we think this way? Why are we so optimistic, just like everyone who says "Yes, my life is meaningful"? Shade pointed out that every nation has its beginnings and its eventual end, why shouldn't America be different? A lot like why do we answer yes to the meaningful life question. Optimism is so odd, I wonder how people would answer if they all took an existentialism class.
When I read this post I cant help but think about Camus and the story of Sisyphus. This process that you talk about of having meaning and losing it is interesting. I would argue that this process is the meaning. It seems to me that there will be times when we think we're figured life out and things are going well and then there will be times that are completely the opposite. The act of pushing through these tough times and constantly attempting to assign meaning to life is ultimately how we grow and experience life to the fullest extent. I would say that there is no such thing as a meaningless life.
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