What is the meaning of life and the purpose of man on Earth

Lately, people who are puzzled by questions about the meaning of life are increasingly turning to me for advice. They become so acute for them. These questions are quite serious and, once a person has them, they will significantly bother him until a satisfactory answer is received. Source - Esoterics. Living Knowledge

What is the meaning of human life?
How to find the meaning of life?
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The very appearance of these questions suggests that the person asking them has already gone beyond just consumer interests

related to satisfying one’s physiological needs, providing oneself with entertainment and various kinds of pleasures associated with the sensations of the physical body, experiencing pleasant emotions and increasing one’s social status.
( I recently mentioned this in the article: “What is the reason for life. Why does life exist.”
)

And you need to understand that the received answer to the question “what is the meaning of life?”

, which is fully accepted, in turn, will accurately demonstrate what the level of development of a particular person is at the moment.

Let me explain this statement.

Each of those born on our earth goes through stages of internal development. This is how the world works.

If you take one human life, then in it, with a certain regularity, you can observe how the interests and priorities of an individual change. Let me warn you that now we will consider those who are internally growing and developing, leaving without attention the degenerates, of whom, fortunately, there are noticeably fewer.

So, if development occurs, then the attention of the individual, and with it his rough and primitive

goals are replaced by increasingly
complex and sophisticated ones
. What seemed desirable, beautiful and prestigious to him yesterday, today seems disgusting, ugly, vulgar and unworthy. (I won’t make comparisons. I think you understand what I mean.)

So, if hobbies and passions change, the meaning of life will change.

What is the meaning of human life?

The answer to this question for people at different levels of development seems to be this:

Become the strongest so that everyone is afraid.

To be able to do what I want without anyone daring to contradict me.
Grab as much power as possible without worrying about methods.
Earn a lot of money and then never have to work again.
Change sexual partners frequently.

Deceive others and go unpunished.
Have a successful marriage, thus improving your situation.
Have your own home and be the rightful owner there.
Continue your family line, give birth and raise children.
Always buy yourself whatever you want.
Own a car, make a “full cup” out of your home, go on holiday abroad every year.
To be the envy of others.
Occupy a prestigious position.
To be respected by relatives and neighbors.
Become a mega star.
Make your spouse happy.
Raise your children to be good people.
Become a master in your field.
Make a significant discovery.
Realize your potential and reveal your talents.
Through my work, bring real joy and real benefit to people.
Always treat everyone honestly and fairly.
Live in accordance with your conscience.
Help those who find themselves in worse situations.
Share your practical experience and knowledge that is useful to people.
Grow and develop yourself spiritually.
Help others develop.

This is, of course, not a complete list. I made this list for clarity...

Tip 1 - don’t look for an answer, but change your state

When we again and again begin to ask “what is the meaning of life?”, “Why am I living?”, we risk falling into a trap. It may seem to us that we are tormented by these questions, simply because we do not have some concept in our heads, some ready-made answer: “the meaning of life is in this and that.”

And we are convinced that when we find this answer, then all our torment will end.

And here our mistake may lie in the fact that we are looking for an answer where it is not and cannot be!

Because we can be unhappy, not only because we do not have any answers, but simply because we are currently experiencing a certain state.

Such questions often plague people who suffer from depression, chronic sadness, anxiety, and panic attacks. Or they simply experience confusion, general dissatisfaction with life.

Remember a time when you felt good. Did these questions ever come to your mind back then? Most likely no. You just lived and enjoyed life!

These questions often arise precisely at those moments when you feel bad, nothing makes you happy, nothing interests you.

“If all this does not bring joy and interest, then what is the point of it?” - we decide.

And we get the same answer as the question.

The very wording of the question, as well as the state from which this question is asked, implies an answer.

Therefore, in a state of depression or anxiety, you don’t even have to try to solve this problem. Because in this state the answer will always be the same.

Instead, it is better to focus not on the painful search for an answer, but on stabilizing your condition. If the reason for lack of interest in life is depression, then you need to work with depression. If these are panic attacks, then with panic attacks.

Meditate, exercise, work with a therapist, and so on.

Solve the internal problems that led to dissatisfaction with life in order to change your condition, which became the source of these unanswered questions. And then, it may very well be that these answers will come to you on their own.

How to find the meaning of life?

You need to listen carefully to yourself and understand what you consider extremely valuable and super important, what you would like more than anything else in the world, and after which you can confidently say that life is a success.

In most cases, answers come quickly. But, if you are now experiencing an internal crisis, when the old no longer tempts

, and
the new one has not yet been determined
, then significant difficulties may arise... I will write what to do in such a situation at the end of this article.

***

So, if the meaning of life has been found, then... be prepared that it may not remain relevant forever

...With a high degree of probability, after some period of time, more or less long, it may be lost again.

If the human individual continued its ascent along the spiral of spiritual evolution, then the need to find for itself a new meaning in life and direction for the application of strength will most likely arise again.

This will happen as the individual approaches the next stage of his progress.

and corresponding changes will be required: it will be necessary to find
a new focus
of attention and
a new reason
to explain and justify its existence. And that's normal.

But only those who don’t care about this issue can calmly live without seeing the point in this because their level of development is either too low to start bothering with this at all, or... so high as to stop being tormented by this issue - forever.

Those who have realized the Highest Meaning of earthly existence have nothing to worry about anymore... :)))

***

And if it so happens that you have the questions discussed here and you are looking for answers to them, but you can’t do it yourself

– please contact me for help.

I will do my best to get you out of trouble. I have a lot of experience.

About the benefits of thinking about the meaning of life!

Everything was as usual, he was sitting at his computer and playing. He didn't always play on the computer; it happened that instead of playing, he worked on the computer. What he enjoyed most was configuring the computer and its software. Although sometimes it got boring. In general he was a very lazy person. Everything he did, he did either out of necessity or out of interest. If he was not interested and there was no need for the work, then he did not do it. But, if necessary, he could arrange an emergency for himself and do in one night what he should have done in a week. In the end, he got tired of playing. He's already played this game. There was no one at home except him. Then he turned on the music and decided to write something. The computer served for him not only as a toy, but also as a kind of library and desk. He loved not only to play, but also to read. But he didn’t really like mathematics. “Let's talk about the meaning of existence,” he began to write. (By the way, he didn’t actually write, but typed). “The meaning of Human existence is a problem that has occupied many minds of humanity for thousands of years,” he continued. After that, he said out loud: “In general, why did I get into philosophy?” -Yes, who knows you!? – He answered himself. -Why not. The meaning of existence is something truly worth considering. -What do you know about this? -Well, I already... Actually, I really don’t know anything about this. -Then sit down and don’t rock the boat. -But existence must have at least some meaning!? -The meaning of existence is in its meaninglessness. Everyone must find their own path in life. And finding a way is the meaning of human existence. As the Bible says: “Lord, give me peace of mind to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to always know the difference.” -Okay, it's time to continue writing what I started. Stop talking to yourself! “Some people believe,” he continued to write, “that the meaning of human existence is in its meaninglessness; someone thinks that faith in God is the essence of all existence; many women hope that beauty and love are what humanity should strive for; pragmatists think that the meaning of life is to produce others like ourselves and make as much money as possible.” "Ha! I remembered a joke!” - he got distracted: An old, very rich Jew bequeathed to bury with him all the money he had earned during his life. Relatives, also not poor people, decided to fulfill his will. They cashed out all the money and began to put it in the coffin of the deceased. Money was not placed in the coffin, since there was a lot of it. But the will of the deceased is the law and money began to be compacted into the coffin so that the body was damaged. An old rabbi who attended the funeral asked: “What are you doing, people!” They answered him: “The deceased bequeathed to bury all his money with him!” -So, write him a check and put him in a coffin! “For some, the meaning of their whole life comes down to finding the next dose of drugs, while others want to die quickly, knowing that for them there is no meaning in life. Is this topic even worth our attention?” - Yes, but really, what do you want from life? - he thought, all your life you did nothing but prepare for life, as a child you read books, played sports, studied psychology, as an adult you served in the army, received a higher education, worked. What's the end result? Got married, no children, quit my job. “You see, he wants to live honestly and cannot ruin people’s destinies.” It's your problem! Look around - see what's going on! Thirty percent live by the principle: “If you don’t deceive, you won’t live,” and seventy percent live by the principle, “Well, maybe at least this one won’t deceive!?” Which category do you consider yourself? Somewhere in the middle? Don't you think this is nonsense? Either you're down or you're up. There is no intermediate position. Either you go down or you go up! - Okay, you need to write at least a page of your opus! So where did I stop? “Is this topic even worth our attention?” Indeed, should a normal person even think about the meaning of life? Normal people already have a lot of problems - at work, at home, within themselves. They cannot be solved so easily; many become drunkards. Someone commits suicide, someone grows up, climbing over the heads of others, someone grows and takes their surroundings with them. How many people need to think about the meaning of life when solving everyday problems? - In short, to hell with this opus, I’ll continue later. I'd rather write a poem. - So, where to start, you need the first line. Look around, look out the window. It's cloudy outside, grey, clouds... So let’s begin: It’s a cloudy, gray day outside... Clouds are running in the sky... The wind... The rustling of trees...

- Stuck! Need a rhyme for the word "clouds". But you need to preserve the mood of the poem... It would be necessary, anyway, to insert the word darkness into the poem, otherwise I’m not in a very good mood! Yeah, there is something, let's continue:

“Soon it will rain, and behind it... Darkness” - no, that’s not it! “Will it rain or snow?... Fear...” - that’s better, but not the same. “The rustling of the trees - timidly...” - there is something in this! - Eat! “The rustling of trees... Fear!” Let's continue:

The wind... The rustling of trees... Fear... The sun goes into the gray sky,

-So, the word “Wind” is superfluous in this place. Let's continue:

The rustling of trees... Fear... The sun goes into the gray sky,

-Not that!

I’ll try this: “The rustling of trees... The wind...” - good! Let's continue:

The rustling of trees... The wind... The sun disappears into something gray, followed by fear!

-Not that!

“The wind is the rustling of trees”, So: “The rustling of trees”, what’s next? Next - “The grass rustles quietly” - Yes!

Let's continue by throwing out the excess!

The rustling of trees... The wind... The grass rustles quietly...

-One quatrain is ready, we need to change the topic! Let's talk about life. Let's continue:

Dark thoughts, fears...

-Stuck again! “Dark thoughts, fears...” “Dreams in reality.” Let's continue:

Dark thoughts, fears...Dreams in reality,

-You need a word ending in “l”! “Waking dreams are pain” - Yes!

Dark thoughts, fears...Dreams in reality, Pain...Uneasy in the soul, empty! From fragments of thoughts - a blizzard.

The second quatrain is ready! Almost no problem. Hooray! However, we need to move on:

Who am I? Why am I? Where? Am I needed? Maybe the World would be better without me? Or is the world poorer without me? I don’t know... And this is my destiny!

Ready! All that remains is to write this down in your notebook.

So, the poem is ready! We should continue our opus. What was the last thing there? Yeah, everyday problem solving... But really, we don’t even think about how many problems we solve every day. Let's start with the fact that we need to get up in the morning, usually “on time.” Do your morning toilet, have breakfast (and do exercises for someone else). Then you have to not be late for work. There are also a lot of problems at work, a lot of unresolved issues, a lot of little tricks. Moreover, for most people, the only problem at work is the desire to be busy all day, but do nothing. And you also need to drink tea (coffee), have lunch, chat, or at least do something for work. After work you have to go home. And at home... If you have a spouse, then you need to listen to all his problems and complaints, do some homework, have dinner, watch TV or read something (someone drink some alcohol). At night you need to go to bed, while fulfilling your marital duty. What if there are children? When should we think about the meaning of life? Only on holidays and weekends? No, on holidays we also have events - trips to the country, to nature, going to the movies, celebrating holidays with friends - which means cleaning, cooking, washing dishes. And on weekends there is often a lot of laundry. But there are still quarrels between spouses. Is it worth it for the average person to even think about the meaning of existence, especially if his everyday problems have not been solved? Many will say that philosophers should think about the meaning of life. But I’ll tell you no, everyone finds their own purpose in life, and therefore meaning in life. And there is no universal meaning of life suitable for everyone; we are all subjects, and the meaning of existence of each subject is subjective. (Sorry for the tautology, but it is true). So ingloriously, I finished writing an opus about the meaning of life.

08/19/2004

That is, the meaning of life is different at each stage?

Yes. Today you want to play in a rock band, tomorrow open your own business, the day after tomorrow find a better-paying job and pay off your mortgage faster, or maybe send everything and use all your savings to go to Europe - even if these attempts are not always successful, then moving towards your goals makes you better. You know why you get up every morning, why you live every day.

I have an uncle - he is over 70. And he is doing what he loves - writing books and working on his own small publishing house. His wife is a little younger, a poet. And you know... I hadn’t seen them for many years, and when I came to visit them, I felt ashamed of myself.

Compared to them, at 27, I looked like a tired biorobot, and they were full of energy and the very life that many of us are looking for. They do what they love and are happy and don’t ask themselves such stupid questions.

Of course, I couldn’t just leave my unloved job, which pays well by Trans-MKAD standards, but it became easier for me to find the strength after work to continue to find myself in creativity.

Be passionate - live with meaning

I began to notice that there are many older people who give a head start to young people in clarity of mind and determination. They all have one thing in common - they are passionate about something.

Among the famous ones, look at Clint Eastwood, who at the age of 88 continues to direct and produce films, or Leonard Cohen, who until his death at 82, released luxurious music albums of his poems, or Picasso, who lived until he was 92 years old. I remember old people among relatives and acquaintances - all who suffered from poor memory or dementia were united by the fact that after retirement they led an inactive and uninteresting lifestyle near the TV.

Consciousness

Considering what the philosophical meaning of existence is, it is worth noting that one of its categories is consciousness. The problem of understanding it is the most difficult not only in philosophy, but also in other sciences. Much about the nature of this category is already known to modern science.

Knowledge not only about consciousness, but also about worldview and spirituality helps to find new ways for self-improvement. This is one of the fundamental categories of philosophy. Along with “matter,” “consciousness” acts as the ultimate basis of existence. Broader concepts that characterize it cannot be found.

Whether consciousness exists outside of man can only be answered with certain assumptions. The existence of the material world is beyond doubt. The world and man with his consciousness are self-sufficient concepts. They are the basis of materialism. Idealism is a transcendental existence with the purpose of showing the emergence of the sensory world from existence.

The category of being, its philosophical meaning and specificity are built on the broad concepts of consciousness and matter. The first form is a mental reflection of the surrounding reality. Through consciousness a person comprehends himself. This motivates people to perform certain activities and behavior. Consciousness is an ideal property of the human brain. This category cannot be touched or weighed or measured. Any such operations can be performed only in relation to the material world.

The human brain is the carrier of consciousness, since it is a highly organized formation that has many properties. With its help, self-control occurs, practical activities and management are carried out.

The main difficulty in studying consciousness is the indirectness of research. This can be done only through its manifestations in the processes of thinking, behavior and communication, and other activities. Studying the ideal category is extremely difficult. But it is known for sure that it was with the help of consciousness that a person gained the ability to perceive, understand information, and use it in his activities.

Problems of philosophical understanding of existence

Considering what the philosophical meaning of the category “being” is, it is worth saying that this concept has several main problems:

definition of existence;
justification of its forms and types;
unity and uniqueness of existence;
the relationship between the immortality of being and the annihilation of its individual elements;
a combination of the unity of this category with the independence and diversity of elements of its content;
independence of reality from man, but at the same time his objective involvement in the general process.

One of the most important problems of philosophy remains the comparison between real and potential being.

Another eternal problem of philosophical science in the presented direction is the relationship between the ideal and the material. It was designated as the main one in the philosophy of Marxism. At the same time, being and thinking, spirit and nature were compared. Existence in this teaching meant exclusively the material world.

Such relationships were considered in the context of two main categories. The first of them determines the primacy of the ideal or material. The second category argues for the possibility of humanity to understand the essence of existence.

Depending on which of the principles will be a priority, philosophical worldviews are divided into idealistic and materialistic schools. The second direction of this teaching was consistently defended by Democritus. He made the assumption that the basis of all existence is an indivisible particle - the atom. This particle does not develop and is impenetrable. This philosopher believed that everything consists of different combinations of atoms. Democritus was of the opinion that the soul and consciousness are secondary in relation to the material. This statement is adhered to by many scientists when considering the philosophical meaning of the problem of being. The category of being is defined as a certain combination of material and immaterial principles. But all philosophers see this combination, this sequence differently.

The term "being"

It is extremely difficult to briefly consider the philosophical meaning of the problem of being. This is a fundamental category of the science presented.

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Its superficial study will not allow one to understand the whole picture of the presented concept. There are different approaches to understanding the term “being”. People use it in their speech, meaning one of its three main meanings:

This is an objectively existing (regardless of our consciousness) reality.
A generalized statement that is used to describe the material living conditions of people and society as a whole.
It is synonymous with the word existence.

In philosophical anthropology, the meaning of human existence is understood in many ways. As in other sciences, this concept represents a deep ideological problem. A person can understand this category from different positions. Depending on the choice of ideological position, the definition of being occurs. A person can choose science, faith, mysticism, religion, fantasy or practical life to form his concept of this category.

The philosophical meaning of the category of being is considered by this science as the main problem of a general or specific worldview. This is the main component of metaphilosophy.

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In a broad sense, the term should be considered as everything that exists, exists, or is present. This is an extremely broad, endless and diverse category. Non-existence is opposed to being. This is something that does not or cannot exist at all.

If we consider the term more specifically, it means the entire material world. This is an objective reality that exists independently of human consciousness. To prove this quality of the material world, justification occurs using empirical, experimental methods. So, for example, there is no need to prove the existence of beauty, space, nature or other categories, regardless of human consciousness. But it is much more difficult to justify the autonomy of the existence of a physical person (organism) from consciousness.

Reflections on the Meaning of Life.

Things, people around, political views, love - all this comes and goes. We also leave this world, leaving behind everything listed above. Some have more, some have less. That is why it is so important for us to find the meaning of life in order to understand why this path from a series of successes and failures was needed. We need to understand why we rushed forward so zealously and why we broke down when life cooled our ardor like a cold sea wave. Since its appearance, humanity has changed dozens of civilizations, swallowed the ideas of thousands of philosophers in one gulp, but still the problem of the purpose and meaning of human life remains unsolved. It again and again excites the minds of time-wasting people who have driven themselves into rat holes of meaninglessness, pulsating to the rhythm of the urban rhythm. What is the meaning of life? Or is it not there at all? Yes, it's true - many of us don't know how to live, but damn! This is the 21st century AD and we have many instructions where everything has been written with many edits. These instructions are replicated non-stop by politicians, religious communities, marketers, musicians, writers and directors - choose any and live, seeing in front of you, like a beacon on the horizon, the purpose and meaning of your existence. But everything is not so simple - no matter how we are united by society, interests, and even the question of faith - each of us is unique and wants to understand why he lives, why he came into this world, not wanting to be just a consequence of someone’s love. We are not animals and instincts alone will not be enough to simply take and let time age us while we satisfy our basic needs from Maslow’s pyramid, leaving behind the same descendants. The meaning of life is responsibility - not to someone, but to yourself, and therefore, when asking this question, you need to answer it yourself and with all seriousness. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle tried to answer this question, believing that the goal of human activity is happiness. Our essence is the soul, and its happiness lies in thinking and knowledge. Even then he said that spiritual work makes our life more meaningful than physical work. From everything he singled out science and art, calling them the main virtues. It must be said that his vision is still relevant today. But people want a concrete answer. Nowadays, few people study and look for answers to philosophical questions on their own and engage in soul-searching - this is the 21st century - ask a question and everyone will answer you. Middle age crisis? – Enter a query into Google, teenage maximalism? - society will cure you by driving you into the social elevator race. There are few exact answers, but they will certainly tell you where to look for it, just ask. All kinds of religions have instructions on where and how to look for the meaning of life. As a rule, they all come down to serving God, or a group of Gods, with the goal of thanking them for one’s life and preparing one’s soul for death, where, as a bonus, a person will receive all the benefits and happiness. Although, what will be the meaning of life there, in the afterlife? After all, endlessly rejoicing on a paradise shore by the sea will get boring for anyone and a person will again think “why am I here?” - not every representative of the clergy will give an objective answer to this, because Paradise for them is the highest and final goal. So where to look for it then? Why do we live here and trample the earth? Why the hell do we grow, grow old and die, all our lives fulfilling obligations to our families, society and the state? Let's throw away faith, throw away politics and take a specific person - the start is like all millions of bald and helpless babies - no one knows what this little creature will become. Parents, of course, can wish him a certain future within the framework of their self-centered understanding of life guidelines - and he will follow them as long as the whole meaning of his life is to learn about the world around him and please his mom and dad. But then the child grows up, becomes a conscious person asking questions, and thoughts begin in his head about the meaning of life, the problem of finding himself in this crowded multi-billion dollar world. It’s not for nothing that I cited Aristotle in this article. He's damn right about happiness. We must be happy and the search must begin within us. The only thing that characterizes a person besides his words, character, the number of things acquired is what we do. Our activities, our realized dreams and ambitions. Therefore, the meaning of life is responsibility - not to someone, but to oneself, and therefore, when asking this question, you need to answer it yourself and with all seriousness. This is not the banal “what will I leave behind?” - this is “what am I doing?” And there is a big difference between these questions - it is not always possible to turn what we have planned into reality, but the desire and receipt of pleasure, Aristotelian happiness, makes our life meaningful and complete. Does human activity have meaning? Definitely! The crisis of the meaning of life and all thoughts about it bother those who have not found themselves in life, or are not busy doing what they like. Society needs workers, loaders, sales consultants, but these are not creative, not mental or spiritual activities, the only purpose of which is to provide themselves and their offspring with the necessary things. Things are needed, and raising your children is a joy and a need for many. You don’t have to give up this, but it’s all a matter of instinct. And since we are people, we need something more, and anyone who asks such a question should, at least as a hobby, take up art, philosophy, large-scale, or personal creativity. The 21st century is a contradictory era of difficult choices and great opportunities. Now anyone can do a scientific dissertation, become a musician, a writer, a philosopher - everything is just limited by laziness and the need for it. If a person is lazy, he will sit and whine within his own four walls about how his whole life is a series of uninteresting, monotonous events. Taking everything into your own hands and moving towards your goal is not the destiny of many. Go to the end, immersed in your ideas without stopping in front of the ensuing problems. I don’t think that Henry Ford was tormented by thoughts about the meaning of life - he decided, decided for himself, that his destiny was to make cars and he made them. The same can be said about Steve Jobs, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and many other people who were passionate about their work, changing our lives. They decided for themselves who they are and what they will devote their time to, of which we all have almost the same amount. Yes, not everyone will become one - but even if you achieve much less results, you can feel happy, living your interests, your purpose, your life and your meaning. And if I’m wrong, then what is the meaning of life? For those who disagree, the question remains open and they themselves can try to answer it.

The essence of human existence

The philosophical meaning of the concept of being must also be considered from the position of human society. The essence of this concept for a specific individual also matters. Man is a corporeal, material being. It is considered in philosophy as a thing. It interacts with other objects, changing them. This, for example, could be the process of nutrition. We eat by processing food.

But in contrast to all other things, man has the ability to reflect reality in consciousness. Therefore, our impact on the subject is targeted. It is conditioned by consciousness. This method of interaction is specific. This ability of a person radically changes the attitude of one individual to other people, as well as to his own personality.

The relationships into which an individual enters are determined by work. In this case, it is a social interaction that also includes a spiritual basis.

Considering the vital and philosophical meaning of the problem of existence, it is worth noting that the presented concepts act not only as a bodily or objective phenomenon. This existence is also spiritual. This is how a person relates to social and natural reality.

A substantive understanding of existence allows us to see the intrinsic value of the individual as a whole. This allows us to focus on preserving the natural environment for humans. In this case, he is considered as an objective-corporeal being. In this case, it cannot be reduced to an information complex or a set of interactions.

Man is understood as a special bodily-spiritual microcosm. He pursues the interests of developing his own spiritual sphere while preserving the objective-physical nature. He needs to maintain a natural environment for his own existence. This is the main condition for the preservation of human existence as such. Therefore, one of the “cornerstones” in the theoretical basis of humanism is an abstract philosophical understanding of things, their interactions and properties.