Dr. Synott prefaces his article on meaning, thusly:

So, you want to know the meaning of life? You haven't figured it out yet? Then please read on, but I suggest that we should think meaningS, plural, for a start. We have options. We can and do impute various meanings to life, as we do to everything else; and different people and cultures create different meanings.

Meanings are not given to most of us, though we are socialized into some by our parents or significant others, but still we tend to construct our own eventually. So here are my Top 12. Pick yours, or add it to the list if it is not there, or mix and match. They are not all mutually exclusive. We can give our lives many meanings, and they may change over time, perhaps as we wise up. Meaninglessness is not an option; or maybe it's another meaning. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...e-meaning-life

The author's top 12 picks follow.

[madisgram]

What does your life mean to you? What gives it meaning? (Work? Children? A lover? Sport?) So what meanings do you give to your life?

What does your life mean to you? be mindful to expand my horizons. i am a unique person in all the world. my time's still running out- carpe diem. there are more glorious joys than tears in my life. to be fondly remembered after i'm gone. grateful i'm here on this earth.
What gives it meaning? each day is a new beginning. my son, my grandchildren, my dog cody, my spirituality, nature, friendships, sobriety, helping another person in need, a humorous personality-being able to laugh at myself, contentment, serenity, balance, my creative self, etc. too many to list!!!
So what meanings do you give to your life?
exploring knowledge, curiosity, i am worthy of being loved and cherished, loyalty to friends, loving me for just being me. oh my gosh too many to list again!

[pgrundy]

Why does it have to mean something?

What does a cloud mean?

[venusss]

Existentialism all the way. I can mix in bit of dadaism (throwing lemons on hedonists) and altruism (but I am gonna be totally existialist about it to save my sanity). And maybe loveism... as I really love a lot. I may try to experience a lot... and ponder it and doubt it.

[venusss]

dared to write entired essay on it:O Yes, it is just my opinion and approach and yes, I have my BA in English and International relations, not psychology... but I live, hence I feel qualified to talk about... life and meaning.


First up is Hedonism. A concept that I regularly bash and snark at times. However, some implications here do make sense.

Hedonism: To live and have a good time.

Problem with this is, that making it sole purpose of life, seems to lead to a shallow a vapid existence. “Carpe Diem” and “Girls Wanna Have Fun” is quoted, along with now cliché “Sex and drugs and rock’n'roll” (there is also updated Katy Perry version (not mentioned in the article) about how you should party till you puke, as illustrated in Last Friday Night video… which shows – unintentionally – how terribly wrong we can go on that.
Next is:

Materialism: To get as much as possible.

Which honestly to me sounds like hedonism only with Iphones and apps instead of sex and booze. As much as I see point in acquiring material goods, I don’t think they should be aim in itself. Things are here for us, but sadly many people seem to be living and working their life for things… how it goes? Spending money we don’t have on things we don’t need and want to impress people we don’t like? And then we wonder why we are depressed. Again, material goodies are good… as long as they are tools, not goal.

Altruism: To give as much as possible

A noble goal, which may however lead to disappointment and burn out. And often we are not altruistic on genuine level… maybe we expect secretly something in return. Maybe it is tortured altruism where we don’t believe we deserve anything, but we owe the world a lot. Family, friends, community, country, world… we put it before our needs. I am not sure if this is right, but I have definitely moments like that… but I feel there is something more behind them, than me being oh-so-good.

Longevity: To live as long as possible.

I believe that just breathing does not mean you live. Just because the body is alive does not mean the soul is still there. Just because you breathe does not mean, you have purpose. In fact, you may just as well be wasting oxygen and social welfare. Keeping our bodies healthy and alive should be tool, not mean by itself. As much as I am a health nut in some way (I spend quite lot on supplements and I am big on herbs and healthy foods (but mostly because I realized I “need” my mood foods) and I try to avoid too much sugar), there are unhealthy things I do that I will just not give up. Try to take away my caffeine and Red Bull and I shall fight so fiercely it will make the Libyan rebels make look like bunch of pre-school kids. Yes, I know irregular sleep schedule is bad for me, that travelling is not healthy especially the way I do it. I know cynics die younger (and I am cynical enough to ask “and why should I want to live longer in this ****ed world?”).
For this to be our sole goal would mean a boring and meaningless existence… and nobody gets out of life alive anyways…

Sensationalism: To experience as much as possible.

This is total opposite of the previous (“Quality of life, not quantity: totally opposite to prudent, careful longevism: boring!”). Personally I relate to this very much, as I am a thrill seeker and grasper of the moment. But shall it be all what is life about? Shall we just be getting high on adrenaline all life long, burn bright, but burn fast? I don’t think so. I admit, I struggle with this. Combined with altruism (trip to lesser developed countries with noble purpose combines these two marvelously!), it can get dangerous.

Biologism: The genetic imperative.

• To pass along my really selfish genes (Dawkins).

• “It’s not my fault! I’m programmed!”

This is one interesting category. I don’t believe in the “we are just bundle of sometimes defunct neurons”. I believe we all have souls and maybe we are children of Gods. And as meaning of life, this comes of as hopelessly desolate and offers no purpose at all. I don’t want to procreate… and at least not for the sake of keeping human species going… especially if we are to be viewed as bundles of neurons.

Theism: To worship the God or gods.

I do believe in deities and I do pray… never for myself, it is always others and other world. But why would deities place us on this planet, if we were not to have some earthly purpose? And do deities really care or are we just part of the bigger plan, or worse “hamsters” on some sort of reality show? Are we supposed to learn something here to use in higher realms, or are we just to follow the dogma? Are here to be good? But whom for? What is it to almighty if I love my neighbor who gossips about me, parks the car in front of our garage and blasts their 1980s communist era disco music way too loud at times?

Psychologism: Self-actualization

Again, such as living long, this makes sense only as a tool. Whom are we good for? Others? But aren’t they too busy trying to be perfect as well? What is perfect anyways? Who defines that? Deities? Governments? Transnational corporations? Popular magazines? Ourselves? But who can they (we) know what is perfect for others and if it is achievable? We should definitely trying to be the best we can be, for sake of our and sake of others… But again, I see this as tool, not as something that should be the full and ending meaning of life.

Militarism: Survival.

• Life is a struggle, a battle, against self, others, viruses, social forces of one sort of another (depression, illness, divorce, job loss) especially others.

• “Lock up.” “Caveat emptor.” “Count your change.” “Business is business.” “Nice guys finish last.” “Never give a sucker an even break.” “Mind your back.” “It’s a dog eat dog world.” “Read the small print.” “And wash your hands!”

This is pretty tough one. As much as I claim that struggle is a joy (A Luta E Alegria), I don’t believe it is necessary to fight at all times (after all, I am a pacifism on the very personal level. Unless you go after my family, friends, values… or Red Bull). I guess I better go to next point which ties up to that….

Loveism: To love (and be loved).

And let me cite Tamil Londoner/trasnationalist rapper M.I.A. (and trans her meaning too)… “I really love a lot, but I fight the ones who fight me”. So we are back on the previous point. Maybe in life we all should be prepared to love and fight when appropriate. Maybe if we all were, world would be much better place.

Rationalism: To know.

• The love of wisdom, philosophy, constitutes the gold people of Plato’s three types of people. This is theoretically the triumph of reason over glory, Plato over Homer; later itself to be displaced for some by theism, and holiness trumping reason; later to be displaced in its turn by secular individualism in its many manifestations.

I love knowledge. I value it. I am willing to pay for it, with hard currencies, tears and scars. I love learning and expanding my horizons. I am an ivory tower dweller… but I been out before. I see my knowledge as tool and skillzzz, in order to go all altruist and use that for good of the world (and of course, it feels nice to be called by my academic title, as much as I am mere BA. People take you more seriously too). But I do believe this is noble goal. Knowledge and wisdom should be strived for (wisdom is knowledge that is understood and comprehended. Wisdom is knowledge experienced).

Existentialism: It’s your call.

There couldn’t be better conclusion to meanings of life. Yes, we create our meanings… and I agree with Sartre, that life is absurd, but we should take it seriously. I sometimes feel like I am “trolling” on life with what I do, starting with eccentric appearance, ending with deconstructing meanings of everyday life and trying to find new meanings in them. When on meeting of “do-gooders” (volunteer project leaders for NGO) I said my life goal is to get “low paid emotionally draining job in the non-profit sphere, which nobody appreciates, with long working hours. Preferably one that takes to places where I can get killed or at least emotionally traumatized” (others also wanted work in the post-conflict assistance, but nobody seem to grasp the reality of it). I mix idealism (I am altruist) with realism (ends justify means; gotta work within the system we got) and cynicism (we all are going to die… and in words of Japanese war minister, it we should die like a beautiful flower).

• Maybe life is a (bad?) joke? Or a pain? A treasure? A gift? A struggle? A joy? All of the above occasionally? but it is yours.

What else is there to say than that I come from country that spewed Franz Kafka (some call him depressed, I just say he seen what is to come…) and Václav Havel, who is a writer – and excels in absurd drama. He lived it. Boy from rich family that gets screwed over my communist regime, his ideology gets him arrested several times… and in the end he becomes a president (and friend of Mick Jagger). Cannot get more absurd than that.
There are dangers in existentialism as it may lead to nihilism… the key is find the balance. Yes, indeed there is no definite sense. But we can fight the good fight (because struggle is a joy), love a lot, experience the world and learn, have fun with it…. There is meaning after all. Very multilayered one too.

[Fresia]

Sometimes though if I spend too much time on the meaning that I miss out on life.

Hello, pgrundy. Have you asked the cloud?

[pgrundy]

I haven't asked the cloud because it would probably answer!

No, seriously. I'm weird that way.

But mostly I just don't feel like I need to know.

Just glad to still be here, if you know what I mean.

Your input is appreciated, especially since the topic is incredibly challenging.

Nah...piece a cake. (not) Seriously? Not a trick question?

Here I go. My take on "The Meaning of Life"

Short version first: The meaning of life is to find some meaning in life.(You may stop reading now, if you know how to accomplish this)

How to find some meaning in life: (didn't someone write a "Recipe for Life"? hmm-here's mine)

Ingredients: the verbs "to be", "to feel", "to act", "to give", "to laugh", "to cry", "to comprehend", and last (not the least of these--no substitutes on this one)"to love".

"To be" present in every moment with our senses keenly attuned to the music which exists in our fellow man, in the vast Universe, and in ourselves.

"To feel" the beauty of laughter ("to laugh"), and of tears ("to cry").

"To comprehend" ourselves, our own abilities and talents.
"To Act" daily to build on those talents and abilities.

"To Be" completely present and real in every moment, every hour of everyday; ready "to act" in all situations which may provoke our higher natures through the use of aforesaid abilities and talents to enact changes which may create a better world for ourselves, our children, and our children's children.

"To love" ourselves, our fellow man, and this very strange, beautiful, but so sad world we live in.

"To be" a blessing to all who know us, and to ourselves by giving ("to give") the unique music which lives within each one of us to our world; with no expectations.

Mix well.
Bake in greased casserole dish at 275 degrees for your whole life. YumMeaning!!!!!!!!!!!