Meaning

Meaning

What Do You Value?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, December 23 2021

In The Meaning of Life, there are two points where we run into the issue of values: growth and ethics.  In the Growth chapter, we talk about identifying growth areas that matter to you.  Obviously, you can do 100 finger curls today and 101 finger curls tomorrow and you’ll have “grown” in your ability to do that, but not many people would say that t...

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Meaning

Is Money More Important Than Meaning?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, December 1 2021

Money.  Nothing in this world seems to be both sought after and demonized at the same time.  Can money buy happiness, or is it the root of all evil?  Is it more important to earn money or be happy or feel fulfilled by your career?  How you answer the question will go a long way in what your life path looks like.

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Meaning

Disagreements Around Meaning

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, November 17 2021

Disagreements can be tough.  On one hand, you believe that you are right about your conclusions based on the information you have and the reasoning and ethics you are using to draw those conclusions.  On the other hand, the other person believes the exact same thing.  The reality is that you have different perspectives, information, and ethics, so...

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Meaning

The Science and Meaning Behind Limited Lifespans

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, November 10 2021

At some point, all living things die.  Why does it have to be that way?  Well, it depends on whether you’re asking that question scientifically or metaphysically.  Let's take a look at why lifespans are limited from a scientific perspective and then derive some positive meanings that one could find in that fact from a "meaning of life, the universe...

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Meaning

The Purpose of The Meaning of Life Blog

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, October 20 2021

The Meaning of Life Blog has a clear mission: To help individuals understand the primary drivers of humans' sense of meaning in life so that they can foster a greater sense of purpose in their own lives. Why is this so important, and what is different about how I help people with meaning and purpose compared to people who have been writing or speak...

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Meaning

Meaning Requires Rights and Responsibilities

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, September 29 2021

To live your life in the most meaningful, flourishing way possible, you have to have freedom.  In a modern, organized society, there is always an authority of some sort, almost always the government, that is meant to balance the freedoms and liberties of the individual with the safety and well-being of the group.  The main means through which socie...

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Meaning

Seek Meaning, not a Cause or Crusade

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, September 22 2021

It is, generally speaking, a great time to be alive.  There is less hunger and poverty around the world than in any other time in human history.  Yes, it will continue to get better thanks to people who care enough to dedicate their time and effort to helping people and solving real-world problems.  But there is also a rise in “manufactured problem...

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Meaning

The Fine Line Between Justification and Rationalization

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, August 18 2021

An important part of feeling meaning and fulfillment in life is being proud of your actions.  Your actions are how most people judge you, and those actions are judged based on both what the people see and how they perceive or interpret those actions.  You also judge yourself based on your thoughts, beliefs, desires, ethics, and actions, but you hav...

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Planning

You Didn’t Choose to Be Born...But Should You Act Like You Did?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, July 28 2021

You might not have chosen to be born, but you're surprisingly better off acting as if you had. You know the scenario: a parent and child get into an argument.  There's usually some sort of pressure on the child to behave in some way or meet some set of expectations that results in the now-cliché response, "I didn't choose to be born!"  What is caus...

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Suffering

Use Cognitive Dissonance to Your Advantage

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, July 14 2021

Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is a conflict between a belief you hold and a behavior, new information, or a conflicting belief.  The "dissonance" in this case causes discomfort, necessitating a change in the person's behavior or beliefs to alleviate it.  The most famous example in history is the Aesop fable of Sour Grapes.  In the fable, a...

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