A MEANINGLESS life may indicate that you are going through an existential crisis. You may be on the verge of depression, and feelings of emptiness may overshadow all other emotions. Yet, despite all of this, you can be certain that your existence still has meaning. Sometimes, you simply have to persevere long enough to discover it.
“In this world there are only two tragedies,” said Oscar Wilde. “One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.” This paradoxical observation has often proven to be true.
Many people believe that if they only had more money, they would be happy. Howard Hughes became the world’s richest man at the age of 45. Twenty years later, at 65, he still possessed immense wealth but was probably one of the most miserable men on earth.
He had withdrawn from society, living in small, dark hotel rooms and shutting out all sunlight. He neglected his personal hygiene; his beard reached his waist, his hair hung down his back, and his fingernails had grown to nearly two inches long. His once-powerful body had wasted away.
Today, many people are asking themselves about the meaning of life. I need not elaborate further — everyone knows what I mean. Many have experienced these questions personally or have witnessed them among family members, friends, and acquaintances. Although the pandemic appears to be behind us, its effects continue to linger.
“What is the point of life?” people ask. You work hard, yet someone else often receives the credit. You strive to do good, while dishonest people take advantage of you. You build wealth, only to see it squandered by others. You pursue pleasure, but it eventually disappoints. And in the end, whether rich or poor, virtuous or wicked, we all share the same fate: we die.
Recently, I found myself reading Ecclesiastes in my Bible. It is truly a book for our time. Ecclesiastes resonates deeply because no century has witnessed so much progress while simultaneously experiencing so much despair. What is the purpose of life? Does life have any ultimate meaning? These questions have occupied my thoughts, especially after losing several people close to me in recent weeks.
A key phrase in Ecclesiastes, “under the sun,” describes a life lived solely on the earthly level — apart from God and without belief in an afterlife. If life is viewed only from that perspective, one may indeed conclude that it is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes has inspired strong reactions throughout history. Novelist Thomas Wolfe once said, “Ecclesiastes is the greatest single piece of writing I have ever known, and the wisdom expressed in it the most lasting and profound.”
There is much truth in that statement. I encourage you to read Ecclesiastes for yourself and discover whether life truly is as meaningless as it sometimes appears.
How To Deal With Meaninglessness
What should we do with such knowledge? Logic may suggest that we must reason our way out of meaninglessness in order to find meaning. However, that approach can become a trap.
“Cognitive fusion” is the process by which verbal and symbolic knowledge dominates our thinking at the expense of other valuable forms of human experience. The problem-solving mind conceals this process because it is its natural mode of operation. Whatever the mind “knows,” it tends to accept as literal truth. Remaining trapped within that literal interpretation allows verbal knowledge to dominate our entire being.
You cannot argue your way out of cognitive fusion because the argument itself becomes another expression of it. Attempting to do so often creates more confusion rather than clarity.
There is, however, a counterintuitive way forward. It is based on principles described in the book A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters.
The process begins by turning toward feelings of meaninglessness rather than running away from them. We must confront them directly.
When thoughts of meaninglessness arise and we immediately try to escape them, we grant them extraordinary power over our lives. In effect, our own avoidance teaches us that these thoughts are important and dangerous. Through avoidance, a simple thought is transformed into something that can dominate — or even ruin — our lives.
Instead, we need to face meaninglessness fully. We must allow ourselves to experience it as it is — or more precisely, as we experience it — rather than becoming trapped by what it claims to be.
This can be done without denying reality or ignoring facts. In fact, in our modern world of science and technology, it may be the only honest way to proceed.
To cultivate healthy minds for the modern world, we must bring this fundamental thought into the light of consciousness and examine it carefully.
Life is meaningless.
Say the words aloud, slowly, with pauses between them:
Life … is … meaningless.
Be careful. The moment I ask you to look at this thought rather than think from it, your mind may assume I am trying to persuade you of something. I am not. I am simply inviting you to observe your thoughts as thoughts.
Every human being experiences thoughts like these. Often, they trigger subtle — or not-so-subtle — attempts to run away mentally. What we fail to realize is that every step of avoidance feeds the very monster we fear.
Instead, let us allow this thought to remain what it is: a thought.
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