What is this thing, "looking for meaning?" What is this meaning we seek?
It might sound like an odd question, but I remember being asked — with respect to choosing whether to do something or not do something, I forget what exactly — ”Yes, but what is it GOOD for?”
When I heard that particular thing I found myself standing back and wondering whether people think there is some "cosmic scorecard" beyond just something being good for making someone else or yourself happy? Is is not enough that you do whatever it is you do with the result that someone is happy or maybe you feel a sense of accomplishment?
Not everything has a deeper meaning. Not everything is going to make the world a better place.
I also find myself wondering why we eternally seem to place this notion of things "being good for something" in external hands; somewhere outside ourselves.
Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just a godless heathen because there is no "it" in my context of choosing whether to do something or not do something... my primary interest is in asking how something fits into the now; the here, and ultimately the contentment or happiness of someone who received some kind of benefit.
So what is this thing, "looking for meaning?"
We talk about wanting to "make the world a better place," but having said that, occasionally I get asked "but yeah... but what is it GOOD for?"
What if all it's actually good for is to serve our own indirectly selfish needs and desires to live in a better world? So strive to create a better world because that's the world we get to live in.
Alternately, maybe we create a better world because we want our grandchildren to have that better world. The Universe? Who knows exactly what the Universe is? And who knows whether the universe has any idea who we are?
I don't think meaning comes from someplace outside ourselves, I think it comes from someplace inside ourselves... even when we claim to be doing something for "selfless" reasons, we're still motivated by the fact that such "selflessness" gives us a certain feeling, right?
Yet... many of us are afraid to admit that because we might be judged as self-serving or somehow not selfless. The fear of being judged bubbles to the surface!
Healing comes... when we stop trying to deceive ourselves.
Thanks for reading, and have a great remainder of your week!
How about YOU? Spend much time wondering what you're doing is "good for," beyond the here and now? Do things HAVE to be good for something, aside from what's immediately obvious? Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!
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Created at 20220413 00:26 PDT
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What a lovely post. If you can't do the right thing or be kind to your neighbour without the threat of some theoretical overlord, there's something wrong with you. I am certainly not saying that God doesn't exist, (for me, the jury is still out on that one), but I am saying that spirituality and religion are not one and the same. The one self examines where the other is mass control, created for people that don't have their own internal moral compass. We should all be striving to make our ripples in the water of this world and make small changes for the greater good, because, even if you don't see it in your lifetime, we chose what kind of world we leave behind for our children.