Yes my friends, this is a post about the inherent meaning of life. While the nonsensical answer given by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is amusing, I tend to take it a step further. The meaning of life is not something you can build a supercomputer planet to find. Nor can you find it in the brain of a confused Englishman. It is not in any religious text or doctrine. It is not in any political party or ideology.
This is because there is no inherent meaning to life. Humans, like all biological creatures, have some genetically drive goals. We are shaped by evolution to both strive to survive and work toward reproducing in order to pass our genes onto the next generation. Neither of these are particularly moving, but they are all that evolution has given us in the way of purpose.
Luckily, evolution has given us something else: consciousness. We are self-aware. We can make decisions that are not entirely driven by genetic self-interest. And this gives us the ability to do something no other species can really match. We can invest life with meaning and purpose.
This is a scary proposition to most people. To take complete control of one’s own purpose is a powerful thing. Most prefer to pass that responsibility off to some authority figure or belief structure. Taking up your own cause means that you could easily fail, and the “blame” would fall entirely on your own shoulders. But life is not about winning or losing, so there is no real blame to be had for failure. Instead, failure is merely an opportunity to re-evaluate, and possibly find new meaning and purpose.
Tied into this is the idea that there is no universal meaning to life. Each person must invest zir meaning, based in their own experiences. Personally, I find meaning in building order both in my life and in the lives of others. In my career, I do this through architecture, transforming and creating spaces that improve the structure of people’s lives. In my personal life, it involves being the supporter, the listener, the steady rock in the chaos of life. This meaning and purpose is not right for everyone. It is probably not even right for most people. It is right for me.
Do not go looking for the meaning of life. Nothing in nature or humanity will spell out a meaning that works perfectly for you. Instead, forge your own path. Invest your own meaning into life. Make your life your own. Good luck, and may you find a purpose worth living for.
- That is all.
