On the meaning of life

As a philosophy major I’m often asked this question – it’s basically the epitome of the token questions that you ask some poser cerebral type. Here I will provide a few equally token replies.

1) This is the first, and probably most obnoxious response. If you get it from me, it means I’m probably not that interested in talking at the moment. It basically goes like this: “What is the meaning of life? Why are you asking me this? You are totally committing violence against me. You ask me what the meaning of life is and you assume I think there is one! Why should there be?” So much for discourse…

2) The second is a little less severe, but the kind of reply you would generally expect from a philosophy guy. “What is the meaning of life? Well you seem to assume that we both already agree on the definition of the words ‘meaning’ and ‘life.’ What is meaning? What is life? Furthermore, what about the ‘what’? You are asking me a question, but have we any idea what a question is? Moreover, what constitutes an adequate response? Perhaps we should start with something a little simpler then the meaning of life… Let’s begin with Socrates…”

3) Finally, this is the reply you’re most apt to get – mostly because of the sociology side of me. I understand you probably came to me with some good intentions, and I’m empathetic enough to not want to let you leave empty handed and disappointed. Furthermore, depending on how you reply to this, I may even learn something very valuable about you. It goes something like this: “What is the meaning of life? Well [drawn out pause for effect] … that’s a very difficult question, and it means many things to many people, and I’m not really sure that I’m the one to tell you. I’d rather not deprive you of the opportunity of seeking the answer for yourself. Nonetheless, in formulating my own meaning I have drawn on many sources, of which many have been other people’s accounts. It helps to read the great philosophers, most of which spent considerable time thinking about this very question. Plato thought the meaning of life was eternal, and beyond our temporal grasp, but nonetheless we should seek it by the means of reason. Many agreed with him. I situate myself nearer to Marx, and possibly Levinas a little (Though I’m not terribly familiar with the latter – my knowledge of Levinas is more or less hearsay.). With Marx I agree that men realize themselves in their labour – their creative ability to engage in their material world, their social relations, and themselves. Meaning is derivative of production, though this production simply means to actively engage ones historical situatedness creatively (I’d probably clarify some of this later on). Furthermore, following Levinas, I think we all carry an immense responsibility to the Other. By Other, I mean our fellow creatures, perhaps even our natural world. But all this is very brief, and my knowledge of the meaning of life is more practical then it is intellectual. I understand I’m on the right trajectory when I can stop and enjoy a beautiful sunny day. It’s up to you to find your own take, but I do maintain the belief that you’re most apt to find the most fruitful results by seeking learning and experience, and by always remaining reflexive. What do you think?” Of course I have totally bagged the question. To me meaning is a personal quest for meaning, through intellectual endeavor and heterogeneous experience. My conclusion that this is the best way of finding the meaning of life only affirms my own project. Clever eh? Moreover, there is a conflict of interest here. It is of my own normative opinion that if more people thought this way, my life would be easier … Woops, I mean the world would be a better place.