Three Paths Toward the Meaning of Life
Three takeaways:
- Psychologists have shown in experiments that having a clear sense of your “true self” or “essence” strongly predicts a feeling of meaning in life than it does a positive emotion and/or high self-esteem.
- Acquiring that sense of one’s true self can take different forms. Some prescribe to the “discovery theory” of life– that our essence exists permanently, and that life is about discovering it – or the “creation theory“, which is the belief that our essence is something we cultivate and build throughout the course of our life.
- The stances can be distilled to three views:
- Essence precedes existence: Your essence is ordained before you are born. This is a view shared by many religions, including Christianity, as well as evolutionary psychology, which posits that our essential mission is to survive and reproduce. Thus, it becomes your life’s work to discern and embrace that preordained essence.
- Existence precedes essence: This is a view held by more existentialist philosophers, and states that we must create our essence to lead a fulfilling and responsible life.
- There is no essence: There is no meaning or purpose in life. This view defies human experience, and the view of life as an enterprise of self-creation.
- If your essence already exists and precedes your existence, you must discover it. You read books, take classes, and learn throughout your life. If you believe that there is no true essence, you are liberated from the duty of building a self but may lack purpose in life as a result.
- If you believe that existence precedes essence, you must choose a set of desired qualities and embody them. You must grow into the person you wish to become.
- Both the “discovery theory” and “creation theory” boil down to a clear message: choose a life of conscious action. Search for and find your essence through action and learning.
From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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