42

Or

What's the meaning of life?

(Side note, before we begin: I realise that 42 is not the meaning of life, but the answer to the ultimate question. Don't get me started on Douglas Adams.)

What’s the meaning of life?

Unfortunately, the meaning of life is very simple. It’s not difficult to find. It’s not even that difficult to figure out. Trouble is, it’s too easy. It’s too obviously. It’s blatant. It’s the source of everything and the end of everything.
Survive. Reproduce.
That’s it.
No really. That’s it.

Biology teaches us that everything we do, as humans, drives us forward to those goals. Look at all the systems in the body. The digestive system, the renal system, the cardio-vascular system, the nervous system. Survival. The sexual organs, Reproduction. Single celled organisms are where this is most stark. The most basic and fundamental demonstration of how to survive and reproduce.
I recently read The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins. Many people have exceedingly mixed views on the man due to his fairly extremist views, but simply as a scientific and fact-gathering adventure, I say read it. It shows life, in all it’s complicated ways, striving for two very simple goals. Survival. Reproduction.

But looking at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we can see that there’s more to a human life than that. People commit suicide. People go through their whole lives as bachelors, spinsters, virgins. Why? If the meaning of life is just to reproduce and to survive, then what’s gone wrong in these cases? To apply Kant’s categorical imperative, life can’t work on a basis where actions which are detrimental to the final goal or end point are the norm. So there’s obviously more to it than that. In the Animalia and Plantae kingdoms, these things can be explained: Lemmings throw themselves off cliffs for the best of the groups. In an odd way that ticks both boxes of survival and reproduction. But when swathes of humans devote themselves to a lifetime of celibacy through religion or have suicide pacts like those in Japan (where, in 2003 alone, just through the method of CO poisoning, 3,538 took their life in groups) the mind wanders to higher powers and more important needs in the human mind. The highest layer of Maslow’s hierarchy states that morality, creativity and ‘self-actualisation’ is the most important level of human needs. I’d agree with this as a conclusion, partly through my own experience and partly through that which I’ve read about and educate myself on. J.S. Mill’s Utilitarianism speaks of higher and lower pleasures. I think the correlation between these two is superlatively strong. We have more than just basic needs and desires.
When we look at people’s views on religion we can see that they strive for some form of higher structure to their life. The search for meaning (usually when the basic meaning is ignored), the search for purpose, the desire to be controlled is what I think drives people. When I say a desire to be controlled, I’m more alluding to a desire to not be in control. Many people don’t want to be the sole arbiters of their own life. It’s too much pressure, too much like hard work. Too powerful. Marianne Williamson (some friend of Oprah’s, doesn’t really matter who she is really) said something that doubtless you’ve all heard before:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

But, in my opinion, people turn to religions often because of a subconscious fear that our imperfect humanity is that which controls our lives. Or, if not our imperfect humanity, then someone else’s!

My own experiences of these ideas and thoughts of higher powers and pleasures and whatnot stems from my religious or spiritual views. I’ve classified myself as a Buddhist since the age of 14. I suppose what I’ve said above and what I’ve just stated don’t necessarily match up. Talking about the futility of religion and leaving strong implications open for those who wish to take them about the legitimacy and questioning the facts of religions and then saying I’m a religious (or at least spiritual) person doesn’t really add up. But that’s fine.
I am not a strict adherer to Buddhism. I’d make an awful monk. I’m far too interested in all that life can offer and exploration. But that thirst for knowledge and will to gather as much experience and information as possible ties very closely in with Buddhism as a concept. This isn’t going to be me trying to convert you, because I see that as a futile exercise. My view of Buddhism is that it’s such a personal journey, if you don’t want to do it, then nobody can force you. Of course you can have your eyes opened to it, but that’s it.
Right. Before I start sounding preachy, I’ll get to the topic. My point of view on Buddhism is that it gives a higher meaning to my life, whilst still giving me the freedom to be the arbiter of my own life. There are some things I can’t change, but there’s a lot more… wiggle room where I need it most. The search for enlightenment means many things to many people but for me it’s just that will to become the best you can be. Fulfilling your potential. Not just sitting, eating pizza, playing video games and wasting ones life.

The reason I decided to write this was firstly through a conversation that went similar to many others I’ve had with the same person. She’s a lovely girl. Very, very intelligent. Extremely pretty. Interesting. Funny. My kind of person. But she’s burdened with an extraordinary sense of lethargy. She’s said to me on numerous occasions (and I believe her) “I could get a first in my law degree, I just can’t be bothered.” She insists on wearing clothes that don’t fit and don’t look very nice because she just wants to be comfortable and can’t be bothered to put the effort in. She spends her time, as I said above, eating pizza and playing video games. It genuinely makes me want to cry. I see this girl, all the potential she’s got and is letting slip through her fingers and my mind is shouting “Why?! What’s wrong with you!? The world is at your fingertips. I know masses of people who want what you’ve got: the security in life and safety net around you to have fun, the brain to do and be anything you want, the looks to get you there, the charisma, charm and idiosyncrasies to enjoy yourself along the way; but you insist on wasting it!” I can think of few more tragic things. I do hope I’m not alone in feeling this way in this situation.
I’ve expressed my opinions to her before. She knows how I feel. But yet, she doesn’t change. But it got me thinking, why should she change? I mean, I feel this way because I’m a Buddhist so I’m obviously going to feel like this. But I don’t want to start becoming all preachy and ‘happy-clappy’ and over the top with my beliefs. I could easily be wrong. I’ve come to terms with that, I did so a long time ago, but still, what does that mean about other people. Can you just sit there and have a good time, staying safe, warm and comfortable for the rest of your days? Maybe.

But if so, that sounds fucking boring. I’m here to get me some adventures. Really, if we’re all going to the same place in the end anyway, I’m not going to sit about and wait to fall off the mortal coil, dropping fat, yawning and bored into the afterlife/next life/Parklife. I plan to be the one with all the good stories and a contented, mischievous grin plastered across my face.

As cliché as it sounds: Enjoy the journey . The meaning of life is simple. It’s just parameters for us to grow and evolve and get even better at it. So have some fun whilst you’re satisfying your biological duties. Go get yourself an adventure.