Often we ask ourselves why we are here. What is the meaning of our life? The answer is very simple.

The significance of life is happiness.

The deepest desire of every human being is the desire to experience happiness in your life.

You are not here just to be rich or have a new car. These are the only measures that can bring additional satisfaction to your life, but they make you feel truly happy.

You can condition your happiness on the possession of a thing, but when you lose it your lucky break like a bubble.

Happiness and meaning of life is in you. In this sense the love and joy and enjoy every moment of life.

Do not make their joy from the outside world. Do not be misled problems that appear only on the surface cannot be solved. It is these illusions receive your will to live and make it becomes a nuisance. Each of us wants to be something more. That is why we have dreams to which we aspire. Through the law of attraction comes to us inspiration. We have new ideas that we want to achieve and realize the tangible form. When you notice that your plans and actions lead you where you want to go you feel excited. You know that your life is under control and the only person who can change them only you. You are a creator, whose task is to bring to life the value. Many people live somewhere in the future or the past. By “alive” I mean, I worry about their past or future. Not change the old days, thinking about them you can only attract. Worrying about the future you make it becomes yours just the way you imagined it.

You must learn to live here and now. What does this mean? That means fully experience the present moment. Your senses are heightened and you enjoy every moment now. It’s not the same as thinking about the past or the future. It distracts us astray from the true happiness, and without this we will not have a fulfilled life.

What can you do in this case?

Begin practicing rumination. It expands your consciousness. During this process, cleanse your mind of the old negative thoughts and patterns. Your vitality is increasing, and thus returns to the natural vibrations, which are clean and not blocking it what you wish for.

The importance of self-development can be seen from the experience of living every couple or family. When our daughter was a baby, we are very concerned about the food. We do our best for our daughter eat nutritious food. We are trying to buy good milk. Sometimes even food for our daughter often more nutritious than food that we eat alone. I think, every couple wants their children strong and healthy and normal growth process.

Purpose of Life Not Just Physical Needs

However, not only they need to grow physically, but also the soul. We for example, teach our daughter uttering two words. Starting from the simple words like papi, mami, eating, drinking and simple words of others. We are introduced to her nature: flowers in the garden, birds perched on branches, frogs are jumping or anything that would introduce him. We read passages from the works of the great classics.We take our daughter to pray. Whether he understood or not, we can only hope that his soul grow. We want our daughter’s soul to grow well.

We can not ignore the growth of our children. We also can not ignore our own growth. ”You Stop Learning, Growing Stop You,” it said I have ever read on the walls of Dale Carnegie training. Who stops learning will stop growing. Until death comes, learning is a must for every person who would find meaning in life.

However, we should also ask, ‘Why do we have to develop yourself?’For what we are finalizing a way of thinking, improve measures, control of feelings and emotions, willpower mengontol, and improve our decision making? Why do we add and hone our skills? What do we learn? Is not this takes time and energy? The answer is simple: we have a purpose in life. We want to achieve our life goals. Like the song lyric says Tapanuli titled “Alusi Au ‘,’ there are people who want the riches, honor, hereditary lots and popularity. There is a want of love. ‘Anybody want to devote themselves for others. Anybody want to live with a small income from it is useful to society. Without purpose, life as meaningless.
Illustration of the importance of life goals I have ever seen on a multi level marketing business presentations. I invited friends to attend the meeting presentation. Presenter when it is people who are already successful in business and still holds a high position in one of the famous bank in Jakarta at the time.

At the beginning of his presentation, the presenter asked the hundreds of participants who come. ”What are your life goals?” He then showed some of the illustrations with the help of a slide projector. He asked a few questions, “Do you want to have a big house? Do you want to have a car? Do you want to vacation in Europe? Do you want your child to study abroad?” Do you want to have time to spare? Do you want to have enough money when you retire? Do you want to have enough money for your medical expenses? “Almost all the participants in the crowd nodded. Presenter and then ask one more question,” Does anyone not like new things I have to say? “No one pointed out the hand.

Of the intended target life presenter was not the most important goals. I actually regard it as the lowest of the list of life goals. However, the purpose of making your life and I’ve got spirit; no vitality. We have the motivation and energy to live our lives everyday. The higher the target the greater the motivation of our lives. Conversely, the lower the target of our lives less motivation. Without a life goal, we will lose motivation; we lose the passion. No joy be with you every day activity. But, for those who have a goal, especially a high purpose in life, no passion, there is great energy and of course there is hope.

It’s important to answer this fundamental question, “What is the purpose of your life and I?” Hopefully you have it. If not, try making your life goals. If it does not have any idea, please read my personal life goals, then you make it for you.

Existentialism is all about the individual, choices than an individual makes, and the consequences of those choices.  Existentialism claims that existence is “both freedom and despair” (Cotkin).  The phenomenon of existentialism is experienced when an individual sees the world without meaning or purpose and realizes that one is completely free to act and choose anything.  The individual makes choices and not acting is also considered a choice.  An individual cannot escape making a decision.   The result of having this complete freedom causes a person to experience despair and “most individuals are afraid to confront the responsibility entailed by radical freedom” (Cotkin).  Existentialists argue that this despair is a necessary evil that everyone must experience in order to overcome it and grow as a human being and find meaning in one’s world.  When an individual has overcome the despair and found meaning in life, that person is said to be authentic.  An authentic person knows what his or her meaning in life is.  An unauthentic person does not know what his or her meaning in life is and is still in the state of despair and distress, searing for the meaning of life (Swanson).

Existentialism started in France and started gaining ground in Europe after World War I (Cotkin and Bell).  Existentialism also has beginnings that can be traced back to Russia, Denmark, and Germany.  One of the greatest contributors to existentialism was French intellectual, Jean-Paul Sartre (”Jean-Paul Sartre”).  Sartre attempted to combine the ideas of Marxism and existentialism.  Sartre believed in Marxism and communist ideas however, refused to officially affiliate himself with the communist political party (Bell). Sartre proscribed capitalism and democracy, affirmed atheism and communism, and contradictorily, called for “personal freedom and moral duty” (”Jean-Paul Sartre”).  Sartre was subject to a horrid life in Paris, living under the Nazis and their oppression.  Sartre believed that “everyone is responsible for what he or she does and for what he or she becomes or makes of oneself, no matter what the conditions, even in war and in the face of death.  Sartre later insisted that he never ceased to believe that in the end, one is always responsible for what is made of one” (Solomon).  This is the basis for all of what existentialism is today.  William Faulkner, an existential writer, often wrote about situations in his fiction that Sartre experienced in real life.  Faulkner wrote about people in “dire circumstances-his characters were often on the verge of disgrace, insanity, despair, or social or financial ruin” (”Existentialism in Literature, 1930-1950″).  Along with Sartre, Søren Kiekegaard greatly contributed to existentialism. 

Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher that, like Sartre, greatly contributed to the philosophy of existentialism. Kierkegaard’s father, Michael Kierkegaard, was greatly respected by the public.  With the standing of Kierkegaard’s father, Kierkegaard was under strict rules and was shielded by many things that normal people experience, especially considering how weak Kierkegaard was because of various illnesses.  Kierkegaard’s father was friends with many teachers and professors and many of them were at their house at any given time.  It is said that “discussion and debate were as familiar as the furniture” (”Søren Aabye Kierkegaard”).  Kierkegaard’s father worked with him on a regular basis and made sure that Kierkegaard’s imagination was exercised and well developed along with writing skills.  Kierkegaard was always encouraged to express his opinion and he took up writing.  Kierkegaard had always wondered why his father was so depressed and on his twenty second birthday he found out and it shattered Kierkegaard’s earth.  Now, his father is not who he always thought of him to be, he was not the perfect man that did no wrong.  Kierkegaard found out about his non-biological mother, that she was actually a mistress to begin with.  This drastically changed Kierkegaard and contributed to the negative attitude that he took on life.  Kierkegaard when on to study philosophy later in life and developed his writings about philosophy and existentialism that were eventually translated by a minister in the United States after Kierkegaard’s death (”Søren Aabye Kierkegaard”). 

Walter Lowrie, a retired minister, started working diligently to bring existential thought to America in the late 1920s.  Lowrie looked up to Kierkegaard, a Danish religious thinker and began translating his writings.  By the late 1940s, Lowrie had translated most of Kierkegaard’s writings (Cotkin).  It is ironic that Lowrie took such an effort to translate the works of Kierkegaard because during Kierkegaard’s lifetime, his works were not popular.  Kierkegaard paid for the publishing of his works with his inheritance and his works received virtually no response or interest from the public. Even though his work was not popular in his own time, his work ended up being extremely influential in the twentieth century. If it were not for Kierkegaard’s writings, existentialism may not ever have become what it was in the twentieth century (”Søren Aabye Kierkegaard”). 

The translation of Kierkegaard’s works greatly impacted the way and the speed that America caught onto existential philosophy (Cotkin).  Existentialism became popular in America after World War II largely because the mood of existentialism matched how Americans were feeling at the time.  Many Americans were depressed not only from losing family and friends in the war but the country was also stricken by depression, chaos, and poverty.  The Cold War and nuclear age were large contributors to the mood and feelings of the people of the world, not only Americans which caused “French existentialism [to become] a worldwide vogue” (Cotkin). Another reason for existentialism’s popularity was the desire for a new way of looking at things.  After the war, the world just wanted a new start, a new way of life (”Existentialism in Literature, 1930-1950″).

Existentialism concerns itself with many parts of society such as ethics, philosophy, literature, religion, personal values, and the meaning of life.  Existentialism stresses the importance of individual and personal responsibility.  Although many existentialists such as Sartre are atheist and “seem to avoid ethics,” they are among the “most moralistic [and] moralizing philosophers of modern times” (Solomon).  Existentialists claimed that Western ethics and morals are “slave morality” (Solomom).  This may be because the main existentialists did not believe in institutional ethics, only individual ethics, which makes sense because existentialism is all about the individual.  Martin Heidegger, another major contributor to existentialism, stated that “existentialism was not an ethical philosophy” (Solomon).  For Heidegger to say existentialism is not a moral or ethical philosophy contradicts the entire idea of existentialism, which is personal responsibility.  Not all existentialists are atheistic, Kierkegaard subscribed to Christianity, claiming that not all choices in life can be rational. Kierkegaard was not sure why he chose to follow Christianity. Kierkegaard claimed that there were no rational reasons for him to choose religion, for which it is purely for one’s “personal necessity” and “desire for passionate commitment” (Solomon).  Existentialism does not throw out religion and many of the main contributors were religious.  Existentialism is present in many writings whether the author wants the writing to be considered existential or not.  If a fictitious literary work focuses on a character overcoming a challenge and finding one’s inner self, also known as becoming an authentic person, that work can be considered existentialist.  There are many examples of authors and works that are considered existentialist.  Ernest Hemmingway and Albert Camus are among the most popular writers that can be considered existentialistic.  The Catcher in the Rye, The Guest, The Stranger, Bartleby, The Sun Also Rises, and even The Wizard of Oz can be considered existentialistic works (Sawnson, “Hemingway as Existentialist”, and Meyers).

Albert Camus is an author that expressed his existentialistic ideas through his literary work.  Camus’s work addresses absurdities in life.  Most of Camus’s work was published after World War II, during the time that existentialism was becoming prominent in the United States.  Some of Camus’s most popular work is The Stranger, The Guest, and The Myth of Sisyphus (Solomon).  Camus is notorious for portraying double meanings, paradoxes, and reversals in his writings.  “The original French title of this story, ‘L`Hôte,’ means not only ‘the guest’ but also ‘the host.’ There is no English word that conveys the double meaning of the French word” (Powell).  Camus creates tension that cannot be resolved easily and ambiguity that exists as a reference to the uneasiness felt by individuals experiencing the phenomenon of existentialism, which is when one realizes they are completely free and responsible for choices made (Powell).

Ernest Hemmingway is another author that has existentialist tones in his stories and works.  Although Hemmingway did not call himself an existentialist, many critics have considered his works as existentialist because of the writing style and the unusual journeys that his protagonists go through in order to find their meaning and reason for existence (Swanson).  Hemingway’s works portray “themes of disillusionment, futility, despair and the inevitability of death. His heroes are usually tragic ones; his exotic settings often host scenes of violence and brutality, and his spare writing style is often notable for the anguish it leaves unexpressed” (”Hemmingway as Existentialist”).   Hemmingway sends his protagonists through profound journeys, battling beasts, armies, and self indulgence in order for them to find their “meaning, happiness, and peace” (”Hemmingway as Existentialist”). 

Gabriel Marcel is an existentialist writer and thinker.  Marcel’s most known works are his three essays regarding existentialism, “On the Ontological Mystery,” “Existence and Human Freedom,” and “Testimony and Existentialism.”  “On the Ontological Mystery” is an overview of Marcel’s philosophy.  “Existence and Human Freedom” is a critique of Sartre’s work and philosophy.  Lastly, “Testimony and Existentialism” is a description of Marcel’s thoughts on existentialism.  These essays were written between 1933 and 1946.  The first essay, “On the Ontological Mystery” describes the difference between what Marcel believes to be problems and mysteries of life.  According to Marcel, “problems are questions that are, at least in theory, resolvable.  However, … the sense of being is not a problem, but a mystery” (Bankston).  In “Existence and Human Freedom,” Marcel agrees with Sartre’s idea of choices being made in freedom.  Marcel claims that there is no reason for one to make one choice over the other because “there is nothing inside of things or behind them, and this is what gives existence its quality of provoking vertigo and nausea” (Bankston).  Since there is no reason to choose one thing over another, there is no foundation for evaluating or critiquing the choices that others have made.  In Marcel’s third essay, “Testimony and Existence,” Marcel expands and elaborates on his own personal thoughts of existentialism.  Marcel continues to compare himself to Sartre.  For example, Sartre had a negative view on other humans and felt as if other humans were out to destroy each other.  Sartre felt that “a gift is a strategy to possess and ultimately destroy others” (Bankston).  Marcel viewed a gift as a symbol of friendship and friendly human interaction.  The two thinkers have their differences but the two both agree on the fundamental values of existentialism such as personal responsibility and liability as well as self-control and personal morality.  (Bankston).

In summary, existentialism is a philosophy that was started by European thinkers, first in France.  Existentialism was contributed to by three major thinkers, Søren Kierkaarg, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Gabriel Marcel.  All three had lives that consisted of tragic events or twisted turns that greatly transformed their way of thinking and eventually led to what existentialism is known as today.  Existentialism is a philosophy that states an individual is totally and wholly responsible for all actions and decisions that are made.  An individual is responsible for making the best of one’s life situation and an individual is ultimately responsible for what has been made of oneself.  The philosophy became prominent in Europe after World War I and then popular in the United States after World War II.  Existentialism has had an enormous impact on the way that people think and existentialism has had a profound impact on literature in the time period that it was popular.  Whether agreed with or not, existentialism is an important part of American and world history and should not be overlooked. 

—-

Works Cited

Bankston, Ill, Carl L. “The Philosophy Of Existentialism.” Masterplots II: Christian Literature (2007): 1-2. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.

Bell, Vance. “Existentialism.” St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 2. Detroit: St. James Press, 2000. 50. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 17 Apr. 2012.

Cotkin, George. “Existentialism.”Dictionary of American History.Ed. Stanley I. Kutler.3rd ed. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2003. 279-281. Student Resources in Context.Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

“existentialism.” Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1995. Academic OneFile.Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

“Existentialism in Literature, 1930-1950.” Historic World Events. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Student Resources in Context. Web. 2 May 2012.

“Jean-Paul Sartre.” DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context.Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

Meyers, C.D. “‘If I Only had an Essence!’ Existentialism and The Wizard of Oz.” The Midwest Quarterly 53.1 (2011): 95+. General OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

Powell, David. “The Guest.” Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition (2004): 1-3. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 23 Apr. 2012.

“Sartre, Jean Paul (1905-1980).” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. General OneFile. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

Solomon, Robert C. “Existentialism.” New Dictionary of the History of Ideas.Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz.Vol. 2. Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2005. 761-765. Student Resources in Context.Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

“Søren Aabye Kierkegaard.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale Power Search.Web. 12 Apr. 2012.

Swanson, Roy Arthur. “Existentialism In Literature.” Identities & Issues In Literature (1997): 1-3. MagillOnLiterature Plus. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.

Through the eyes of a 17 year old, the world is a dark place. One may wonder why be such a pessimist? The question, on the contrary, is actually why not be? In just having been here for 17 years, one may find they can write a book of at least a million chapters based on the hurt that they have witnessed some endure. A book based on the hopelessness in many people’s eyes, the silent cries for help that are often overlooked, and most especially, the unsuccessful pursuit people have had in trying to find the meaning of life on their own terms, and finding it is just best they give up. See, all those circumstances happen to be very real in the eyes of a 17 year old.  

Why is it that one group of people are able to get all the happiness possible to pursuit in the world, yet another group struggles daily to even get a ¼ of the happiness experienced by the other group? Or better yet, why is that everyone gives up hope in a better tomorrow and the strong sight of hopelessness is able to be read right off of their naked eyes?

But see, if one really wants to comprehend the meaning to life, they ask more in depth questions, such as why has suicide been accepted so much in today’s society? It is all common news now to hear of someone committing suicide, so much that sometimes, you know, if you really want to speak how you really see it- it is even, sort of “expected” of some. See, through the eyes of a 17 year old, struggle, hurt, pain, and humiliation are what is naturally accepted in society, so why bother to find the meaning to such a life of misery?

Well, it’s like when one is in a relationship, you know? Like the ones where the person is no good. He displays the characteristics of an abuser, a liar, a cheater and you know that they will never ever change and they are indeed hopeless, but for some reason, you have that drive inside where you tell yourself, you can change him/her and make them “IT”. You compromise your high standards because you believe that there is something inside them that will switch into the right position. . .you know. . . someday…whenever… IF EVER. But hey, hey you can change him! I mean he’s close… enough. It’s like that with life, you never know what your end result will be when you head out on that quest to find the meaning of life, you have a slight idea, but you decide to take your chances. A 17 year old, will testify to you that they know what it is like to lose hope, and some that have to a really high extent will even show you- at their funeral.

So what is the meaning of life? Well a 17 year old can also tell you that the answer to that question is something you need to figure out on your own because experiences, trials, and the never ending darkness of each and every single person’s life will give a unique definition to that person. That 17 year old is me. My explanation so far as to what the meaning of life is well, you live, you hurt, you cry, you die.  And that is just IT.

            When I was a child my mother used to be there to take care of me. I would always depend on her because I couldn’t do things independently for I was so little at that time. She would prepare food for me, making sure that I had eaten nutritious food. She would always be there to guide me on my way from infancy to the time I could walk until I had grown and had gone to school. She was a caring mother and possessed what to be the role of a mother.

            As time passed by, I have grown to be a fine young man. I have learned new things. I became a gentleman who began to distinguish bad from good and was able to make a decision in the right way. Before making a decision, I, as an open-minded person, ask and listen to the opinion of others. Consequently, I begin to see things clearly and want them to be as they are. I am convinced that it is my simplicity which makes other people come close to me and makes them believe that I am a person good to befriend. I have grown like this as a fine young man and have become an example to others.

            My family taught me to be good and respectful to everyone I know and meet. They taught me to pay respect to the older people wherever I go. I realized that they taught me this thing so that others will respect me in return. Likewise, in helping other people, I will be helped in return even in my hardest time. I obey my parents for doing so is a way to please them, to make them happy. As a child I learned these things, believing that they are good in themselves and that they will guide me throughout my life.

            Therefore, satisfaction is not only about material things and bodily pleasures, but also about values that a family imparts to the children in their initial growth. In my life, I feel satisfied with what my family has taught me because it is very useful in my daily life and in my everyday journey. Being satisfied means that one is contented with the things he or she has acquired or possessed. This sense satisfaction for me is the meaning of life. With this, nothing more is wanted, nothing more is desired.

Many of us have seen and gone though various hardships that made us rethink about life, how cruel it can be, how soft and to what extent it can go, how favorable and how painful life can be. Well, some theories have different ways to explain the nature of life, some concluding that hardships are just temptations from the creator of human kind, others pose another explanation that life is survival for the fittest. Both of them can be true considering the circumstances under which one is passing or has passed through.

Sometimes one can ask him/herself, why me? The answer to this question cannot be found, and there is no good explanation to satisfy this, in fact all theories about life are blind, forcing the victim of time to go the hard way in search for answers. As ‘Earthlings’, we have to face life as it is, here is where hope for a good future comes in handy. If we believe in written literature explaining the meaning of life, then its better not to question much, lest we  get derailed into a cavern of no return or lose hope- something that gives one a reason for living.

Technical nature of life has caused philosophers to come up with different ways to explain some occurrences in life. A good example, ‘We loved the person, but God loved the person more..’ . Can this be true? The only way one can get satisfied with these words is when hope and its friend ‘No questions’ are applied. By the way, these words are not written anywhere in any theory of life.

For one to live a good life, he/she must have a vision for tomorrow or hope for living, this should be accompanied closely by persistence as a driving force to accomplish the desire for living. Now, that is a good explanation of life as far as survival for the fittest is concerned.

Many humans feel the need to be special, and/or have the desire to live forever, and that is why God and the afterlife were created by us.  It gave us a way to be unique and eternal.  And if there is a God who supposedly created us, then he must have created us for a reason, and that is where the greater meaning of life stems from.  But if you erase God, then you see there is no meaning to life.  My philosophy is to get through life enduring as little pain as possible, and removing as much pain as possible from others.  Pain, whether it be mental or physical, is the worst feeling in the world, and that is why we must work together to make this world as painless as possible.  I do not need the prospect of a heaven to want to help others; I do it because I feel that life should be a happy event.  In my opinion, this should be everybody’s philosophy, because if it was, the world would be a much better place.

It may seem disappointing and depressing to give up the idea of a meaning to life, but it is not as bad as you think.  By living life day by day, and not worrying about what happens after death, happiness and comfort will come naturally.  Helping others and the environment will give you your meaning and a way to be remembered by.  You can still trouble yourself wondering about the greater meaning, it is fun to think about sometimes, but in reality it is a waste of time, as the chances of God or the greater meaning existing are incredibly low.