A meaningful life is surely pleasurable – but should pleasure be an end goal in itself? Well the hedonists of ancient Greece certainly thought so. Hedonism argues that pleasure is the most important goal in life. A hedonist strives to maximize pleasure and to minimise pain. That’s not to say that we should seek out … Continue reading
Whether it’s rehoming abused donkeys, campaigning for the establishment of a Palestinian state, volunteering for a political party’s election campaign, or fundraising for a homeless charity, causes come in many, many forms. Getting involved with some such cause can bring great meaning to life. But why is this? Well it’s likely that for many people, … Continue reading
For many people, the desire to leave the world a better place for having been in it, even if only on an infinitesimally small scale, is closely connected to what gives their life meaning. The need to be useful, to make the world a better place, to matter, to make a difference, to contribute to … Continue reading
“To create something new, something that rings with novelty or beauty and harmony is a powerful antidote to a sense of meaninglessness” Irvin Yalom It’s not abundantly clear to me why creativity is so closely connected to meaning. But it seems that a life more meaningful is indeed a life more creative. Irvin Yalom, the … Continue reading
Frankl was absolutely clear that every person’s sense of meaning is unique to them and can only be realized by them. He did however think that different types of meaning generally fall into one of three broad categories. We might think of these as three different meaning systems. 1. Creative – creating a work … Continue reading
Irvin Yalom suggested that there are four ‘givens of existence’ with which we must reconcile ourselves. In his words he describes these givens as ‘certain ultimate concerns, certain intrinsic properties that are a part, and an inescapable part, of the human being’s existence in the world.’ But what relevance do these givens have for our … Continue reading
Intrusive thoughts can come in the form of images. But for people suffering from a crisis of meaning, such thoughts often come in the form of words, sentences and questions: ‘What’s the point of it all?’ ‘Why am I here?’ ‘What is the meaning of my life?’ For many, there will be a tendency to … Continue reading
We may not dwell on it day in, day out, but we all need meaning. In fact it seems man has a need for meaning in his life almost as surely as he has a need for food and for water. Sure, many people manage to plod through much of their lives relatively unaffected by … Continue reading
From my own experience of working in a National Health Service setting, I know that the number of people seeking help for what appears to be a crisis of meaning is huge. But it seems this problem is not new. Even in 1846 Søren Kierkegaard wrote that “people in our time, because of so much … Continue reading
It’s not always the case, but a sense of meaninglessness can be accompanied by feelings of anxiety. This might be in any of a hundred different ways. For some it might be an occasional pang, triggered by the ending of a happy family gathering and the departing of guests. For others it might be more … Continue reading
