What is the meaning of human life. What is the meaning of life? The purpose of life from the point of view of psychology

You are constantly interested in the answer to the question: "What is the meaning of life?"... It is very difficult for each person to give a detailed answer to this question. What is the meaning of life?
The meaning of life is a person's striving for something new that goes beyond the boundaries of his life.

Most psychologists believe that if a person thinks too often about the meaning of life, then this is one of the signs that things are going badly for him.

Almost any person has thought at least once - why does he live in this world, for what purpose... Let's take a closer look at the answers of many people to the question - what is the meaning of life? Perhaps in this list you can find your answer.

1) The meaning of life is to constantly be healthy and beautiful! Exercise every day, not get old, play sports, take care of yourself and stay "forever" young.

2) My meaning in life is to raise a child with dignity, buy a house and plant at least one tree.

3) The meaning of life is to leave a pleasant trace behind! So that after death you will be remembered with kind words and with a smile on your face, thanked for all the work done in life.

4) My meaning is unforgettable, pleasant memories! I want to live and understand that I have lived my life worthy and do not regret anything at all.

5) The meaning of life is in self-realization as a person! You need to strive for the best, every day to achieve success at work, at home, in relationships, to become a respected and independent person.

6) There is no sense of life ... Just live do not torment yourself and your soul with this pointless question.

Also, many people believe that now in modern world the meaning of life lies in self-improvement, raising worthy children who can surpass their parents and achieve even greater results for the development of our world in better side... And it doesn't matter where and by whom we work - the main thing is to teach and educate our children with dignity! - our contribution and work is necessary for development.

The meaning of human life - video

What is the meaning of human life? Many people at all times have pondered this question. For some, the problem of the meaning of human life does not exist as such, someone sees the essence of being in money, someone - in children, someone - in work, etc. Naturally, the greats of this world also puzzled over this issue: writers, philosophers, psychologists. They devoted years to this, wrote treatises, studied the works of their predecessors, etc. What did they say about this? What did you see the meaning of life and the purpose of man? Let's get acquainted with some points of view, perhaps this will contribute to the formation of our own vision of the problem.

About the question as a whole

So, what is the meaning Both eastern sages and philosophers of absolutely different times tried to find the only correct answer to this posed question, but in vain. Every thinking person can also face this problem, and if we are not able to find the right solution, then we will try to at least speculate and understand the topic a little. How to get as close as possible to the answer to the question of what is the point in human life? To do this, you need to determine for yourself the purpose, the purpose of your existence. Depending on what one wants to achieve in a certain period, the meaning of a person's life will also change. This is easy to understand with an example. If at the age of 20 you firmly decided to make a lot of money for yourself, that is, you set such a task for yourself, then with each successful deal, the feeling that being is filled with meaning will only grow. However, after 15-20 years, you will realize that you worked hard at the expense of your personal life, health, etc. Then all these years may seem, if not senselessly lived, then only partially meaningful. What conclusion can be drawn in this case? That a person's life should have a goal (in this case, meaning), albeit a passing one.

Can you live without meaning?

If a person is devoid of meaning, it means that he has no intrinsic motivation, and this makes him weak. The absence of a goal does not allow you to take your own destiny into your own hands, resist adversity and difficulties, strive for something, etc. A person without the meaning of life is easily controllable, since he does not have his own opinion, ambitions, life criteria. In such cases, their desires are replaced by others, as a result of which individuality suffers, hidden talents and abilities do not appear. Psychologists say that if a person does not want or cannot find his own path, purpose, goal, then this leads to neuroses, depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, suicides. Therefore, each person must seek the meaning of his life, even if unconsciously, to strive for something, wait for something, etc.

What is meant by the meaning of life in philosophy?

Philosophy about the meaning of human life can tell us a lot, so this question has always been in the first place for this science and its admirers and followers. For thousands of years, philosophers have created some ideals to which one had to strive, some laws of existence, which contained the answer to the eternal question.

1. If, for example, we talk about ancient philosophy, then Epicurus saw the goal of being in getting pleasure, Aristotle - in achieving happiness through cognition of the world and thinking, Diogenes - in striving for inner peace, in the denial of family and art.

2. To the question of what is the meaning of human life, the philosophy of the Middle Ages gave the following answer: one should honor ancestors, accept the religious views of the time, pass all this to posterity.

3. Representatives of philosophy of the 19-20 centuries also had their own view of the problem. Irrationalists saw the essence of being in a constant struggle with death, suffering; existentialists believed that the meaning of a person's life depends on him; the positivists, however, considered this problem completely meaningless, since it was expressed linguistically.

Interpretation from the point of view of religion

Each historical epoch poses tasks and problems for society, the solution of which most directly affects how a person understands his destiny. Since living conditions, cultural, social needs change, it is natural that a person's views on all issues also change. However, people have never left the desire to find that unique, so to speak, universal meaning of life, which would be suitable for any stratum of society, for every period of time. This same desire is reflected in all religions, among which Christianity is especially worth noting. The problem of the meaning of human life is considered by Christianity as inseparable from the doctrine of the creation of the world, of God, of the Fall, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the salvation of the soul. That is, all these questions are seen on the same plane, respectively, the essence of being is presented outside of life itself.

The idea of ​​a "spiritual elite"

Philosophy, or rather some of its followers, considered the meaning of human life from another interesting point of view. At a certain time, such ideas about this problem became widespread, which cultivated the ideas of the "spiritual elite" designed to save all of humanity from degeneration by introducing it to cultural and spiritual values. So, for example, Nietzsche believed that the essence of life is to constantly be born geniuses, talented personalities who would raise the common people to their level, depriving them of the feeling of orphanhood. K. Jaspers shared the same point of view. He was convinced that representatives of the spiritual aristocracy should be a yardstick, a model for all other people.

What does hedonism say about this?

The founders of this doctrine are the ancient Greek philosophers Epicurus and Aristippus. The latter argued that both bodily and spiritual pleasure is a good for the individual, which should be positively assessed, respectively, displeasure is bad. And the more desirable the pleasure will be, the stronger it is. Epicurus's doctrine on this issue has become a household name. He said that all living things are drawn to pleasure, and any person aspires to the same. However, he receives not only sensual, bodily pleasure, but also spiritual.

Utilitarian theory

This type of hedonism was developed mainly by the philosophers Bentham and Mill. The first, like Epicurus, was sure that the meaning of life and the happiness of a person is only in obtaining pleasure and striving for it and in avoiding torment and suffering. He also believed that the criterion of benefit could mathematically calculate a particular kind of pleasure or displeasure. And by composing their balance, we can find out which act will be bad, which will be good. Mill, who gave the name to the flow, wrote that if any action contributes to happiness, then it automatically becomes positive. And so that he would not be accused of selfishness, the philosopher said that it is important not only the happiness of the person himself, but also of those around him.

Objections to hedonism

Yes, there were some, and quite a few. The essence of the objection boils down to the fact that hedonists and utilitarians see the meaning of human life in the pursuit of pleasure. However, as life experience shows, a person, committing an act, does not always think what it will lead to: to happiness or grief. Moreover, people deliberately do things that are obviously associated with hard work, torment, death, in order to achieve those goals that are far from personal benefit. Each personality is unique. What is happiness for one person is torment for another.

Kant deeply criticized hedonism. He said that the happiness that hedonists speak about is a very conditional concept. It seems to everyone differently. The meaning and value of human life, according to Kant, is the desire of everyone to develop goodwill in themselves. This is the only way to achieve perfection, to fulfill. Having a will, a person will strive for those actions that are responsible for his purpose.

The meaning of human life in the literature of Tolstoy L.N.

The great writer not only pondered, but even tormented over this issue. In the end, Tolstoy came to the conclusion that the purpose of life is only in the self-improvement of the individual. He was also convinced that the meaning of the existence of one individual cannot be sought separately from others, from society as a whole. Tolstoy said that in order to live honestly, one must constantly struggle, torn, get confused, because calmness is meanness. That is why the negative part of the soul seeks peace, but it does not understand that the achievement of the desired is associated with the loss of everything that is good and good in a person.

The meaning of human life in philosophy was interpreted in different ways, it happened depending on many reasons, the currents of a particular time. If we consider the teachings of such a great writer and philosopher as Tolstoy, then it says the following. Before deciding the question of the purpose of existence, it is necessary to understand what life is. He went over all the definitions of life known then, but they did not satisfy him, since they reduced everything only to biological existence. However, human life, according to Tolstoy, is impossible without moral, moral aspects. Thus, the moralist transfers the essence of life to the moral sphere. Afterwards, Tolstoy turned to both sociology and religion in the hope of finding that single meaning that was intended for everyone, but all was in vain.

What is said about this in domestic and foreign literature?

In this area, the number of approaches to this problem and opinions is no less than in philosophy. Although many writers also acted as philosophers, they talked about the eternal.

So, one of the oldest is the concept of Ecclesiastes. It talks about the vanity and insignificance of human existence. According to Ecclesiastes, life is nonsense, nonsense, nonsense. And such components of being as work, power, love, wealth, have no meaning. This is the same as chasing the wind. In general, he believed that human life has no meaning.

The Russian philosopher Kudryavtsev in his monograph put forward the idea that each person independently fills being with meaning. He insists only that everyone sees the goal only in the "high", and not in the "low" (money, pleasure, etc.)

The Russian thinker Dostoevsky, who constantly "unraveled" the secrets of the human soul, believed that the meaning of human life is in his morality.

The meaning of being in psychology

Freud, for example, believed that the main thing in life is to be happy, to receive maximum pleasure and enjoyment. Only these things are self-evident, but a person who thinks about the meaning of life is mentally ill. But his student, E. Fromm, believed that one cannot live without meaning. You need to consciously reach out to everything positive and fill your being with it. In the teachings of W. Frankl, this concept is given the main place. According to his theory, under no circumstances in life can a person fail to see the goals of existence. And you can find meaning in three ways: in action, in experience, in the presence of a certain position to life circumstances.

Is there really meaning in human life?

In this article, we consider this forever. existing question as a problem of the meaning of human life. Philosophy on this score gives more than one answer, some options are presented above. But each of us, at least once, but thought about the meaningfulness of our own life. For example, according to sociologists, about 70% of the world's inhabitants live in constant fear and anxiety. As it turned out, they were not looking for the meaning of their existence, but simply wanted to survive. And for what? And that fussy and disturbing rhythm of life is a consequence of the unwillingness to understand this issue, at least for oneself. No matter how we hide, the problem still exists. Writers, philosophers, thinkers were looking for answers. If you analyze all the results, you can come to three conclusions. Let's try to find the meaning and we?

The first judgment: there is no sense and cannot be

This means that any attempt to find a goal is a delusion, a dead end, self-deception. This theory was adhered to by many philosophers, including Jean-Paul Sartre, who said that if death is ahead of us all, then there is no point in life, because all problems will remain unresolved. A. Pushkin and Omar Khayyam were also disappointed and dissatisfied in their search for truth. It should be said that such a position of accepting the meaninglessness of life is very cruel, not every person is even capable of experiencing it. Much in human nature opposes this opinion. On this occasion, the next point.

The second judgment: there is a meaning, but everyone has their own

Admirers of this opinion believe that there is a meaning, or rather, it should be, so we must come up with it. This stage implies an important step - a person stops running from himself, he must admit that being cannot be meaningless. In this position, the person is more frank with himself. If a question appears again and again, then it will not be possible to brush it off or hide. Please note that if we recognize such a concept as meaninglessness, by the same token we prove the legitimacy and right to existence of that very meaning. It's all good. However, representatives of this opinion, even acknowledging and accepting the question, could not find a universal answer. Then everything went according to the principle "once you admit it, think it out yourself." There are many roads in life, you can choose any of them. Schelling said that happy is the one who has a goal and sees in this the meaning of all life. A person with such a position will try to find meaning in all phenomena, events that happen to him. Someone will turn to material enrichment, someone - to success in sports, someone - to the family. Now it turns out that there is no universal meaning, which means that all those “meanings” are what? Just gimmicks to cover up meaninglessness? And if, nevertheless, there is a common meaning for everyone, then where to look for it? Let's move on to the third point.

Third judgment

And it sounds like this: there is a meaning in our existence, it can even be cognized, but only after you know the one who created this being. Here the question will already be relevant not about what is the meaning of a person's life, but about why he is looking for it. So I lost it. The logic is simple. By committing a sin, a person has lost God. And you don't need to invent the meaning here yourself, you just need to cognize the Creator again. Even a philosopher and a convinced atheist said that if you exclude the existence of God from the very beginning, then there is nothing to look for meaning at all, it will not exist. A bold decision for an atheist.

Most common answers

If you ask a person about the meaning of his existence, he will most likely give one of the following answers. Let's take a closer look at them.

In procreation. If you answer the question about the meaning of life in this way, then you are showing the nakedness of your soul. Do you live for the children? To train them, to put them on their feet? And what's next? Then, when the children grow up and leave the cozy nest? You will say that you will teach your grandchildren. Why? So that they, in turn, also do not have goals in life, but go in a vicious circle? Procreation is one of the tasks, but it is not universal.

At work. For many people, plans for the future are related to their careers. You will work, but for what? Feeding your family, getting dressed? Yes, but this is not enough. How to realize yourself? Not enough either. Even ancient philosophers argued that work will not please for long if not general meaning in life.

In wealth. Many people believe that saving money is the main happiness in life. It becomes a thrill. But in order to live fully, you do not need countless treasures. It turns out that making money constantly for the sake of money is pointless. Especially if a person does not understand why he needs wealth. Money can only be a tool for realizing its meaning, purpose.

In existence for someone. This is already more full of meaning, although it is similar to the paragraph about children. Surely caring for someone is grace, it is right choice, but not enough for self-realization.

What to do, how to find the answer?

If, nevertheless, the question posed does not give you peace of mind, then the answer should be sought in yourself. In this review, we briefly reviewed some of the philosophical, psychological, and religious aspects of the problem. Even if you read such literature for days and study all theories, it is far from the fact that you will 100% agree with something and take this as a guide to action.

If you decide to find the meaning of your life, it means that something does not suit you in the present state of affairs. However, be careful: time is running, it won't wait for you to find something. Most people try to realize themselves in the above directions. Yes, please, if you like it, it brings pleasure, then who will forbid it? On the other hand, who said that it is impossible, that it is not true, that we have no right to live like this (for children, for loved ones, etc.)? Everyone chooses his own path, his destiny. Maybe you shouldn't look for it? If something is prepared, will it come anyway, without unnecessary effort on the part of a person? Who knows, maybe it's true. And do not be surprised if you see the meaning of life as different at every segment of your existence. This is fine. The nature of man in general is such that he constantly doubts something. The main thing is to be filled, like a vessel, to do something, to devote your life to something.

1 What does a person live for? In what consists meaning life? What then? These questions are God, namely God, gives, asks man at all times. And each, personally, and at the beginning of life ... and more correspond to the psyche and the level of understanding of a modern person. Before talking about the perfect, Divine qualities, the achievement of which God calls meaning human life, you should look at what the material world has, what qualities are there. You should refer to the Vedas, simplified ...

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Dedicate), and that's three. The converse is also true: our interest, success and thirst for concrete activity relieve us of any thoughts about meaning life. Thus, the very question of what consists meaning life, where to look for it and how to find it? - this is an accurate and objective diagnosis of your life troubles. Human condition ...

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She simply went on as usual, plunging more and more into the gloomy everyday existence - as is often the case with older people. So what is it really consists meaning life? Fact consists in the fact that our feelings do not let us down, and life is really meaningless, but this is not at all a reason to get upset and fall into pessimism. The very concept ...

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He does not give us vain instructions, because He is our Creator and knows better than anyone what benefits us and what harm. Second aspect meaning life is public. This meaning consists in the development of civilization: All people were created in order to move forward an ever-developing civilization. Almighty witness to me: to act like wild ...

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..., "astrological saints". It seems to them that the world cannot do without their help and support. Cancer Meaning life of Cancers consists in making their loved ones happy. Of course, representatives of this Zodiac Sign strive not only for family ... their personal goals and motives. The main thing for them is to find what they want, at any cost. Meaning life of this Zodiac Sign consists in personal happiness. Moreover, in the first place they have the main task, in the second - the secondary ones ...

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Behavior in various situations to find the answer to the question, "why did I do this?" - by this method, getting to the bottom of their deepest goals and desires. Generally, denials meaning life proof of a person's unreasonableness or moral crisis. You need to develop yourself, both mentally, spiritually, and materially (in order to measure your ...

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Intellect and thinking, we cannot even imagine how we will look from the outside. And all my attempts to understand meaning my life rests on this one-sidedness of my thinking, its inability to see the whole picture of the world, and not that little piece that ... we will understand the purpose of this mechanism, and its purpose is a component of the goals of all its parts-gears - this is probably meaning life of a gear in its world-mechanism. The analogy of a man and a gear is, of course, very simplified, but in my opinion it is ...

A simplified definition of the word "meaning" sounds like "an entity in the context of reality." In other words, meaning is the meaning of existence. All our life we ​​are in search of this meaning. Our designs and deeds are nothing more than attempts to justify our place in the Universe. On the way to the truth, we stumble and fall, get up and move on. How will it all end? According to the results of the life exam, someone will receive an "excellent", and someone will be given a "failure". The truth is that no one will have the opportunity to retake.

The happiness (or misfortune) of a person lies in his ability to think. This gift of evolution moves us, although it keeps us in a state of eternal restlessness. We cannot just live, walk the streets, get to know each other, fall in love, be disappointed, look at the raindrops running on the glass, enjoy the sun. We definitely need to know: "What is all this for?"

Mental agony is fueled by doubts, uncertainty, shame, conscience, hope - feelings that manipulate our consciousness and force us to come up with more and more criteria for the meaning of our existence on Earth. Perhaps that is why humanity has not yet found and will never find an answer to the question "What is the meaning of life?" However, this topic will always excite each of us.

About the meaning and purpose

Meaning ... French philosopher and writer Albert Camus once said: “I saw how many people die because life for them was no longer worth living. From this I conclude that the question of the meaning of life is the most pressing one. "

For a person, unlike other living beings, life is a set of values. To master them, you need:

• define a goal;
• choose funds;
• build life routes;
• start moving forward.

Throughout their lives, people are looking for goals and accomplishing tasks. Their scales are different. For some, the meaning of existence is in the acquisition of a prestigious car, for someone it is important to become the best specialist in their profession, and someone intends to forever save humanity from diseases.

In all cases, a person has a goal, a beacon, which is called the meaning of life. But it appears among those who do not just mechanically use the skills inherent in it. This is the privilege of beings who think, feel, experience joy, both from the process and from the result.

Thus, the meaning of life can be represented as a set of values ​​for the sake of which a person moves towards goals and to which he subordinates his being.

Purpose ... If we define the meaning ourselves, then the destination chooses us. This is a kind of spiritual mission of a person, his true vocation. It does not always coincide with the set goals, and sometimes it leads us in a diametrically opposite direction.

Here are some examples.

Doctor and chemist Alexander Borodin found himself in music - he is known, first of all, as an outstanding Russian composer.

The cartoonist Walt Disney was fired from the newspaper at one time for lack of creativity in thinking, but it was this that allowed him to enter world history.

Popular Spanish performer Julio Iglesias was a soccer player. However, over time, he realized that his singing gives people more pleasure than playing football.

Many women strive to make a career and achieve certain success in this, but having given birth to children, they understand that their main role is motherhood.

A mediocre engineer at home becomes a chef of genius. A successful financier only feels at ease when he plants flowers in his own garden. And there is always a demand for a unique shoe master, despite the fact that he does not have a higher education.

The most amazing thing is that people who have found their purpose do not ask the question "What is the meaning of life?" Looking for someone who has not yet found. The finder does not ask where to look.

Life is much easier for people who believe in higher powers. Christians rely on Jesus Christ for everything, Muslims on Allah. “Everything is God's will,” say the Orthodox believers. And they are not cunning at all.

In religion, predestination is God's providence, which the Lord expresses in relation to an individual or a group of people. The belief that He will govern, direct and will not let go past His place on Earth, allows people to live in an absolute sense of the meaningfulness of life.

The simplest advice for those looking for a purpose: ask yourself the question, what occupation fills my existence with meaning and joy? Do not be afraid to hear yourself and go after your desires. The experience of many outstanding people shows that they found their calling because they listened to their own “dream, I want” in time.

What did you think about the meaning of life in ancient times

Representatives of Greek, Chinese, Indian philosophy were in constant debate about the place of man in the context of the Cosmos. Each person was represented to them as a part, reflection and even a symbol of the Universe.

Heaven, Earth and the inner world of the individual formed the basis of the universe in the Chinese teachings. Man was a part of it all. His life itself had no meaning.

Socrates, the founder of philosophy in general and Greek philosophy in particular, called for self-knowledge and self-improvement. This, in his opinion, makes it possible to correctly determine the values ​​for setting goals.

The scientist called wisdom the highest good. In the pursuit of wisdom, he saw the meaning of human life, as well as happiness, the main source of which is morality. Not in the accumulation of material wealth, but in virtue, purification and development of one's own soul.

Socrates was also supported by Antisthenes, who believed that those who want to be happy and receive a ticket to immortality should lead a righteous and pious life.

Plato believed that a person can be truly happy when his soul goes beyond the bounding body. Human nature, according to Plato, consists of will, reason and instincts. And a person builds his life depending on which component prevails in him.

Aristotle saw the meaning of life in life "for the good", the desire to become a responsible citizen of his state.

Epicuru dreamed of achieving peace and avoiding trouble.

By the way, almost all ancient Greek philosophers agreed that the meaning of life should be sought in the present. He is here now. “Live today, forget the past,” an ancient Greek proverb urges. “The great science of living happily consists in living only in the present,” Pythagoras confirms the folk wisdom.

What is the meaning of human life - the opinions of Russian philosophers and writers

“A vain gift, an accidental gift, Life, why were you given to me?” - Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin reflected, referring to himself. He transferred his own experiences and doubts to his hero. Eugene Onegin is one of the brightest examples of spiritual self-examination, further self-determination and, finally, moral rebirth.

Pushkin was not the only one among Russian poets who was worried about the problem of the meaningfulness of his own existence. Alexander Blok believed that the person who understands what the meaning of life is, will cease to be a man in the street and will comprehend a lot.

It is worth noting that the views of our outstanding compatriots on one of the main (if not the main) issues of life concerned, first of all, the spiritual component of human nature. Goals within the limits of biology and psychophysics seemed to them devoid of any justification.

Vasily Rozanov was the first to openly "swing" in search of meaning. He called one of his philosophical works “The Purpose of Human Life”. The task of the writer was to find not a far-fetched, but a natural goal of human existence. And Rozanov determined: you need to strive for three things - the knowledge of the truth, the preservation of external and internal freedom and the multiplication of good.

Another Russian philosopher and theologian Viktor Nesmelov, in his work “The Question of the Meaning of Life in the Teaching of the New Testament Revelation,” tends to a Christian view of this issue. Religion explains to man that he lives not for death, but for eternal life in heaven, “in God's kingdom light and truth ".

Nikolai Berdyaev believed that the life of the spirit brings light into the existence of both the body and the soul, which means that it fills being with meaningful content. In imagining his future, a person should strive to fill the spiritual void and come to a truly fulfilling life.

Dostoevsky, almost all of whose heroes rush about in search of truth and sometimes overstep the boundaries of what is permissible by Christian morality, believed that human existence is meaningful if it is within the framework of moral limitations. Each person determines the size of these boundaries for himself, but being under the watchful control of the Almighty.

One of the Trubetskoy brothers, Evgeny Nikolaevich, was also noted in the history of Russian philosophical thought with the work "The Meaning of Life". His views on this issue have an exclusively religious basis. The prince considers God to be "the fullness of life and the basic assumption of all life." “This is what it is worth living for and without which life would have no value,” the philosopher writes.

According to Count Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, the goal and meaning of life should be self-improvement. But not all, but that which the Lord has indicated to us. This can be achieved through non-resistance to evil by violence and love for people.

Tolstoy, as he himself said, had moments in his life when the question "And then what?" became unbearably painful for him. The states when he could not find an answer to it, the writer called "stops of life." He did not know how to live, what to do, he was lost and despondent.

Tolstoy's heroes each move in their own way towards comprehending their being. For example, Pierre Bezukhov, through mistakes and disappointments, comes to an understanding: you need to strive for truth, light and dignity.

World religions about the meaning of life

A believing person is to some extent freed from mental rush about the meaning of his existence. First, for him, belief in a higher mind already makes sense. Secondly, he knows that life is not finite and after earthly death, as after a completed performance, the curtain will not fall. Three major religions have their own ideas on this topic.

Christianity

The task of every believing Christian, who bears the seal of the sin of Adam and Eve, is to save his soul. The central figure, the pillar of being, around which everything else exists, is God. People build their lives with the name of the Lord on their lips, with the Savior in their hearts, with God's commandments in their heads. There is no other way.

It happens, it happens differently. Man turns away from the Creator, violates the commandments, sins, and is in no hurry to repent. His actions are wrong, irrational. Sins are what deprives a person's life of meaning from the point of view of Christian teaching.

However, even atheists will agree that there is nothing beautiful about gluttony, debauchery, murder, despondency and other sinful manifestations. And everything that is ugly, devoid of harmony cannot contain a semantic principle. Returning to God, repentance is nothing but a rethinking of your life.

The Christian religion has many meanings for humanity. When Christ created the world, everything was filled with meaning, just as when he rose from the dead. Only after the Resurrection of Christ did life on Earth acquire a new vector. The resurrected Jesus illuminated the path for each of us with the light of hope for salvation.

Another providence of God: the Lord created us in his own image and likeness. And at that moment our existence acquired an additional incentive - to correspond to the Creator's idea, not to destroy, not to destroy the Divine plan ..

In Orthodox Christianity, besides conformity to God, there is another goal - to gain eternal life. “God has no dead - all are alive with God,” says the Holy Scriptures. Immortality not only of the soul, but also of the body is another meaning of life for a believer in Orthodoxy. Hence the tradition, the unspoken law - to bury the deceased in the ground, and not to burn his flesh.

Why are there many pessimists among atheists? Because their life is filled with small everyday victories and defeats, short rushes from one stage to another, sometimes with big ups, but just as big downs. And all this is moving towards a completely obvious ending for them. Bold point at the end of the path.

Often, feeling the breath of death and turning back, an unbeliever thinks about his life: “What was that? Was everything I did worth coming into the world? " For many, such thoughts become a big and terrible revelation.

For a believer, there is not a dot at the end - an ellipsis. He has no fear of death, because the earthly world is not finite, and everything can still be corrected. Therefore, the Orthodox, like other Christians, have an incentive to live without losing meaning.

Islam

In the Muslim religion, ideas about the purpose of a person, his role and functions in the universe coincide with the Christian worldview. "There is no God but Allah ..." - says the shahada, a testimony of faith in the One God and the mission of his prophet Muhammad.

According to the Holy Quran, it is impossible to know Allah if you do not worship Him. And worshiping the Almighty in Islam means doing good and abstaining from evil deeds.

In the main Book of Muslims there is an indication of the goal to which a person should strive. Allah says that He created life and death in order to check which of the people does good deeds. This is the meaning of human earthly existence - to do good.

There is one instructive example given in the Quran by the Prophet Muhammad. When a person dies, "three will follow the deceased: relatives, property and his affairs." The first ones will return, but business will remain with him. It is not for nothing that they say: a person is judged by deeds, not by words.

The Muslim religion, so to speak, mocks at the meanings of atheistic being. People who do not know Allah, as a rule, are motivated for material achievements - money, lucrative work, a prestigious car. Sometimes they want health to relatives and friends, a prosperous family, happiness, etc.

All this has a right to exist, if not for the finiteness of the world. At the end of life, a person does not need anything, everything gained loses its meaning. Let's make a reservation - for non-believers.

The Quran calls all of the above aspirations a useless game. “Know that the life of this world is fun, an empty decoration, arrogance and a desire to increase one before another your property and the number of children. In the future shelter - real life", - explains the Holy Book.

Thus, the purpose and meaning of a Muslim's life is to approach Allah, being according to his laws, salvation and eternal life.

Buddhism

Unlike Christianity and Islam, Buddhism lacks a higher mind - God, and also does not cultivate belief in the immortal existence of the human soul. What is the meaning of life for Buddhists?

As the Buddha, the founder and ideologue of religion, taught, there is a lot of suffering in human life that arises from human desires. To get rid of suffering - every Buddhist. This can be achieved only by immersing oneself in a special state of enlightenment, bliss - nirvana.

Being in nirvana, a person ceases to need anything. All desires and the suffering caused by them fade into the background and no longer affect his current life, do not disturb or disturb.

Nirvana can be achieved by passing from another state - samsara. This is a kind of rebirth, a transition from one body to another. The movement is carried out under the control of "spiritual memory", karma. Your bad deeds, like your good ones, will follow you, making a good or bad influence on your life.

The movement from suffering through rebirth to the state of the highest bliss is the goal and meaning of people professing Buddhism.

Why does everyone have a different meaning of life?

Thinking about the role assigned to him in this world, a person tries to answer three basic questions:

1. What is the value of life?
2. What is the ultimate goal of my existence?
3. What should I live for?

It will not be possible to find answers immediately or in a short period of time. It will take a long time before a young man has an idea of ​​the meaning of life. They will depend on various factors. Such as:

• social status;
• upbringing;
• religious affiliation;
• habitat;
• Lifestyle.

According to the totality of these factors, people who have certain semantic preferences can be divided into four groups.

1. Hedonists

They live on pleasures and pleasures. This is their life system of beliefs and principles. They choose different means to advance their goals. Hedonists may be satisfied with the benefits he brings with his participation to society and people. But often they prefer pleasures that violate the norms of morality and ethics over traditional values. Food, alcohol, sex, shopping, work, recognition, spiritual practices, a society of friends, family, hobbies, travel, etc. help to bring pleasure from life to hedonists.

2. Ascetics

Asceticism involves the denial of all desires. In fact, this is the ideology of Buddhism. Ascetics strive to achieve a higher state of mind, to abandon earthly pleasures, passions, worries and attachments. They don't need fame, wealth, or money.

They agree to live alone outside of civilization. At the same time, ascetics pay much attention to bodily training and improve the discipline of the mind. This is also part of their understanding of the meaning of life.

Asceticism with a certain self-regulation opens up great opportunities for spiritual growth and internal improvement.

3. Contemplators

These people experience satisfaction from the process of observing, examining, contemplating everything that surrounds them. They perceive the world passively, without directly influencing it in any way. A visual object for the beholder is the sphere of application of his mind, thoughts, talents, desires, intentions.

This way of life is called active inaction. A person lives in forward motion, does not rush, does not plunge into vanity, does not forget about the main thing. His goals and, ultimately, the meaning of life is in the performance of a high duty, and not in a race to obtain material wealth.

Contemplation is actively used - it fills them with creative, constructive energy. A contemplative person feels the world more subtly and, as a rule, does not exchange for momentary meanings.

4. Figures

These people do not live for themselves, but in the name of the common good. Marxist philosophy, which promotes such a lifestyle, argues that by living for others, one can become "truly perfect and great."

The meaning of existence of figures is determined by the contribution that they make to public affairs. Personal achievements satisfy them to a much lesser extent.

If he makes other people happy. He is not burdened with his duties, if this "sacrifice" is in the name of everyone, which means that it is justified. These are the principles of life of figures, their philosophy, their values.

Summary

Which "semantic" group you belong to can only be determined independently. It is possible that the meaning of your life is not in values, not in the goals set and not in the results achieved, but in life itself. And this also has its own reason ...

There is a question that is relevant at all times, here it is: what is the meaning of life? Why do we come to this Earth, where are we going, what are we striving for?
The question of the meaning of life often visits us, or rather our bright mind, when changes occur in our life, for example, due to a change in our own life views, the debunking of myths and illusions that have still lived in our minds and hearts.

By the way, I won't be lying if I say that some people are in search of their meaning in life throughout their lives. Such a state may resemble a ship that does not have a clear course, only it floats through the waves of everyday life.
So everyone needs a map.

If you analyze the entire world around us, but it is not difficult to notice the dependence of the quality of our life on material well-being or on money. Can we say in this case that the meaning of life is in money? Just think: having a lot of money, you can visit many different countries, buy yourself a big house, an expensive car, try many exotic dishes, and even fly to the moon. I am sure that you yourself can easily figure out where to spend your money.
Only the meaning of life is not about money. And not even in something material.

The meaning of life lies in ourselves, although it is very difficult to realize, to feel at that moment when we are not in the mood, or worse: everything is tired, lonely, indifferent, does not care, and it all went somewhere far away.
At such moments, we stop on our life path. Here we stop loving life, considering the world too cruel. And it will remain the same if the thoughts circle in the same direction.

On the other hand, life is one. And some of the most worthy answers to the question of what is the meaning of life: in enjoying every day or: every day to the maximum, new sensations, emotions. Every day is like the last. Cool, isn't it?
I'm sure many people agree with this, but what happens in reality? But in reality, yesterday is almost completely similar to today, and most likely - the same will happen tomorrow.
And time does not wait. How I like to talk about death as an incentive to live. Moreover, for many it is a huge incentive. If you want, you can find a bunch of examples when people, having learned that they were terminally ill, lived the rest of their days to the fullest, and even death could not stop them.

This is all cool, I know, because you are probably young and healthy enough not to think about death, but what about life? There are so many interesting things around. Looking at people who are doing what they really like - the soul rejoices.
Yes, the same children - they are not discouraged at all, they are not worried about why they live. They are eager to explore the world around them with a smile, so mysterious and just as bewitching. There are frustrations, such as a cat scratched or fell from a tree unsuccessfully, but this does not stop them. Children move on to where they are interested.
How about approaching life from the perspective of a child who always lives in us. What if you start to explore life like a scientist? Search for what you like and study, experiment, i.e. make sure that the clock ticks for a reason and create more moments when you want time to stop.
Love life for its beauty and charm, strive forward to new heights, squeeze more out of every day and then the question of the meaning of life remains off-screen, and your ship will confidently sail along the intended course.