CuriosityThe purpose in life
A brief reminder for the tough times, the meaning of life and why there is hope
During hard times it’s difficult to remember the motivation of getting by. We ask ourselves, in the grand scheme of things, does anything matter?
It is easy to go down the rabbit hole thinking nothing matters, after all we are an extremely tiny part of the whole universe existing for an extremely tiny amount of time. How can what we as individuals may do be of any importance?
Fig.1: If time was scaled down to 1 year, human life is a blink of an eye 0.23s. By Efbrazil, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. Click to see a similar interactive infographic for space
For such times, this post is a reminder that in the grand scheme of things, we may as well not be of great importance but what if we’re wrong? What if we are the only hope of the universe. What if the universe has waited for all these billions of years just to produce something as complicated as us humans. What if we are one of the most important things that matters in the entire universe.
Beyond self
This is also a reminder to take in other perspectives. Yes, in the dimensions of space and time, we are just a tiny microscopic blip. But, in the realm of ideas and value, we are highly significant. We have made extremely huge progress in our understanding of nature and our abilities to build and craft tools using this knowledge which we could have never imagined. All of which wouldn’t have been possible without generations and generations of tiny little steps towards progress. Of course the person who played his part in making these steps would think that in the grand scheme of things he doesn’t matter but we know that he does. We all need to play our part. We are a part of this universe. We may as well be finite but the work we do to make progress may not be.
Such perspectives can be hard to come in western societies because of the heavy focus on self. Once we let go of our ego, we realize that we are a part of the universe and the present. We essentially make the universe meaningful. We may be powerless mortal beings but we have this connection to the eternal. And then, we realize the answer to the question, “what is the purpose of life?” The purpose of is to live. To play our part. By just existing.
He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how
- Nietzsche
It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life-daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.
These tasks, and therefore the meaning of life, differ from man to man, and from moment to moment. Thus it is impossible to define the meaning of life in a general way. Questions about the meaning of life can never be answered by sweeping statements. “Life” does not mean something vague, but something very real and concrete, just as life’s tasks are also very real and concrete. They form man’s destiny, which is different and unique for each individual. No man and no destiny can be compared with any other man or any other destiny. No situation repeats itself, and each situation calls for a different response. Sometimes the situation in which a man finds himself may require him to shape his own fate by action. At other times it is more advantageous for him to make use of an opportunity for contemplation and to realize assets in this way. Sometimes man may be required simply to accept fate, to bear his cross. Every situation is distinguished by its uniqueness, and there is always only one right answer to the problem posed by the situation at hand.
- Man‘s search for meaning, Viktor Frankl
My purpose
I believe that the purpose of life is to pass information. Living beings (including viruses) do this using our DNA. Via evolution, newer generations adapt to the ever changing environment, giving them an advantage to sustain themselves. Humans are special in this regard as we also have other means of transferring information which is much more efficient. Recent advances in technology have enabled us to communicate and share knowledge in an unprecedented way. Although we as individuals are mortal, ideas are immortal, and by passing knowledge, we progress. The meaning of life for me is enabling this advancement.
I ultimately find purpose in my curiosity. It enables me to learn as much as I can, to explore and discover the unknown, to expand ideas, to seek answers, to invent and create solutions, to inspire others, to fail, to get humiliated and to repeat. In the process, I can share my experiences with others and there-by transfer knowledge.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi