Some people would rather ask what meaning life should have if not the purpose of becoming happy. Really? Is that all there is to it?
As I said, perhaps a clever drug would be enough to give you perfect feelings of happiness until the end of your life. Wouldn't it?
That would be too dull for me too. But what are we looking for instead?
Global
surveys show that people in some poor, stagnating countries are happier than
people in most rich, developing countries. So why do we keep striving for more?
You might think we are looking in the wrong direction. But the prevalence of
this direction in rich and poor
countries suggests otherwise: It is not happiness that is important, but growth. Of course, it is about spiritual
Wealth, even if it is to be achieved through adult toys and other
pleasures. If happiness serves our spiritual and mental growth, fine. If it
does not, then in the end it will not be happiness at all, but as hollow as six
limousines for one person (who therefore buys the seventh).
This is
probably one reason why many people prefer to strive for the results of their
own work, and at most flirt with a kind of lottery win. More or less
consciously, they want to challenge their abilities and develop themselves
rather than (just) comfortably inherit. And they subconsciously choose partners
who always manage to draw out their last reserves.
On closer
inspection, however, some happy people do not seek any significant development
of their abilities, nor do they seek any special experiences or significant
expansion of their consciousness. They simply follow their inner values and let
others do the same. Does that make sense?
After all,
the meaning of existence is first and foremost existence itself. Otherwise,
there would be nothing. Our existence
provides experience and development, even if we do nothing but laze around. We
perceive and our existence expresses itself. We are perceived and we receive
reactions. At best, we can discuss the extent
of this mutual development.
Our
ever-changing perceptions, however, cannot be strictly combined into one – yours or mine. Rather, we sense a
limitless, dynamic subconscious. This means that we have an inner connection to other individuals.
Our own felt individuality arises from this interdependence. Therefore, we
cannot understand meaning merely as a shallow "being in the world,"
but must grasp it from a deep connection with other beings. Thus, if our
happiness contributes to the development and fulfillment of the deep inner
values of many individuals, it is more meaningful than if it does not.
Conversely,
such a fulfillment of values does not necessarily make us happy. Happiness is
only one kind of awareness that can
arise from the interconnectedness of individuals. Even if we take deep
collective ideals as a yardstick and speak of meaning only when we act "in
their spirit," this does not necessarily mean greater happiness. For it
does not say enough about our inner harmony, nor about our harmony with others:
If we are unhappy, we can do good to others without feeling better; and even
teachers who are at peace with themselves can suffer from the slowness of their
students.
This text is an excerpt from the book
Truthfulness. The Consciousness that Creates Reality
