The Pursuit of Meaning Essay - 1219 Words

In the world we live in today, many cultural views have evolved that now define us as human beings. For example, a commonly seen aspect that holds a significant amount of importance in this society is that the more you have, the happier you’re guaranteed to be. This is portrayed everywhere, as people are viewed scrabbling about, trying to pick up the latest fashion, or newest household look. No matter what the cost, citizens of the United States satisfy themselves by feeding their hunger for ‘more’. People are so caught up in what others think of them that they continue to attempt to calm their craving for acceptance through items. Stop and think for a moment. With the passing of Thanksgiving, another holiday comes to follow: Black Friday.†¦show more content†¦Once this happens, the plea for acceptance comes into play, and the flood gates of vulnerability are opened. People want others to like them, and they want to fit in. Yet, while all of this is happe ning, they are quick to forget the value they once had for themselves, the purpose that once guided their life. When reading an article by Emily Smith on the subject of happiness, a quote read, â€Å"4 out of 10 Americans have not discovered a satisfying life purpose. Forty percent either do not think their lives have a clear sense of purpose or are neutral about whether their lives have purpose†. What does this mean? It’s simply this: Americans are taking on life at the completely wrong side of the spectrum. They’re searching for the wrong things. Although to the modern world acceptance might seem like a sort of fame, it does not guarantee happiness to any extent. In fact, by choosing to pursue an unmeasurable aspect of life, people open themselves up for criticism from others; those who already have the ‘perfect life’. They become vulnerable, and they care too much about what people think in their regard. Most importantly, they have become shamefu l of the life they possess. Think back to the example previously mentioned, Black Friday. Without a reason to express shame, there would be no Black Friday. People would not be out, throwing themselves at perishable objects, just to get ‘ahead’ in life. Additionally, people also would notShow MoreRelatedHUmanitys Pursuit of Meaning1129 Words   |  5 PagesWorking Thesis: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is a poignant example of the consequences of signification and humanity’s pursuit of meaning, which in this story lead to devastating results. Signification is what offsets the balance of life and we can’t always know the degree of the consequences will be. Essay: As seen in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Victorian society sought to do something impossible, insisting that people can only be defined in terms of one, conscious orRead MoreThe Pursuit Of Meaning By Ravi Zacharias936 Words   |  4 PagesThe Pursuit of Meaning was a two part presentation given by Ravi Zacharias. In this two part series he discusses the pursuit of the meaning of life and how we get to understand this life. In the opening there was a comment taken from later in the presentation that started off the thinking. The statement was â€Å"Cannot have meaning in life until you believe the truth about who you are, who God is, and what man’s destiny is.† Ravi Zacharias stated that there are 4 keys in understanding the meaningRead MoreScience Is The Pursuit Of Value And Meaning Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesScience and religion have a complicated relationship in modern society. 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However, I do have a little problem with the last four words sentence, â€Å"the pursuit of Happiness† becauseRead MoreHuman Nature By Viktor Frankl1035 Words   |  5 Pagesto discover the meaning of one’s existence. This frustration for meaning results in, what Frankl calls, â€Å"noogenic† neurosis, which is the spirit to find meaning. It causes anxiety at a spiritual human level to experience meaninglessness. In his own therapeutic theory, he creates a system that he calls â€Å"logotherapy†, which points to the unconscious seeking the â€Å"will to meaning.† In his early teenage years, Fra nkl had developed the first two basic concepts of logotherapy; (1) meaning is encounteredRead MoreFreedom Rewritten722 Words   |  3 PagesNaomi Wolf’s, â€Å"Freedom is intended as a challenge,† explains The Declaration of Independence in a way that would be more modernized for people that could not grasp what Jefferson was meaning. Wolf also continues to elaborate the challenges Americans personally sacrifice for the sake of freedom. Having said that, the pursuit of happiness mirrors the time period in which we live in. Nowadays you see the laws changing all around us. Currently same-sex marriage is now legal but just a few years ago theyRead MorePursuit of Wealth Essay818 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout history, there has always been a pursuit of wealth; meaning, not just â€Å"money,† but also power, land, freedom, and possessions. Under a moral, trustworthy government this is not a problem, it is when the government is corrupt that issues tend to proceed . The pursuit of wealth has had a mostly positive with some negative effects on the development of civilization up until this point; some examples include the fall of Rome, capitalist and communist economic systems, and the American RevolutionRead MoreA Critique Of Capitalism And The Power Of The Bourgeoisie Class1744 Words   |  7 Pagescitizens, and critiques both liberalist and realist thought in its belief that citizens are more important than both states and international organisations and therefore that Critical theory focalises mainly around knowledge which will promote this pursuit. Liberalism’s main objectives are to promote economic progress through interdependence, and liberal thinking including democracy and international cooperation between nation states. Therefore, one could say that it is impossible for liberalism toRead MoreBeing A Treasure For Every Single Human852 Words   |  4 Pagesof events, this person can lift not only the emotions but also the feelings. The terms to describe these feelings lead us to the second component of happiness. The second topic of happiness is enjoying a good life. This concept involves the pursuit of gratification. Individuals may find gratification by participating in a great conversation, fixing a bike, reading a good book, teaching a child, playing the guitar or accomplishing a difficult task at work (Seligman 1380). People who completeRead MoreThe Issue Of State Farm Essay888 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"arising out of business pursuits† of any insured is excluded. â€Å"The implicit purpose of the exclusion is to remove from a homeowner’s policy a type of coverage which would normally require specialized underwriting, requiring a higher premium.† Springer v. Erie Ins. Exch., 439 Md. 142, 161 (2014). A business pursuit is a pursuit in furtherance of â€Å"a trade profession or occupation.† â€Å"The ‘business pursuits’ exclusion . . . contains two key phrases, ‘arising out of’ and â€Å"business pursuits.’† Id. at 158. The