The Problem
In a doom-scrolling world, dominated by daily dopamine benders and automatically enhanced interactions we are missing something essential…
Truth.
It is becoming increasingly unclear what to believe in, and as virtual reality and content-churning AI continues to improve, we will slip further away from a meaningful life.
Spirituality is, in-part, the exploration of our Human Truth. That truth goes by many names, it's been called God, Love, the Tao, the Logos, Source, Life, and The Soul of The Universe to name a few. I've written extensively about this in a story about higher power. Civilization, religious systems, and a humanity-old philosophical conversation aims to address the question, “Why are we here?”
The answer to that question is our Human Truth, and it is the depth of exploration to that question that we are losing touch with in an increasingly shallow world.
The Solution
Be more selfish! If it sounds counterintuitive, that may be because you think selfish is a bad word. There is no single human, who has ever lived, who has risen beyond selfishness. Survival is a selfish act. If you're eating food and drinking water to stay alive, you're doing something for your self.
That's not a bad thing.
Put your own face mask on first before helping others.
By taking care of ourselves, a selfish act, we are better able to show up for others in the world. Perhaps a more convincing quote from someone society tends to label as selfless:
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Hopefully we've established that selfishness isn't a bad word. Now, if we want the world to be more thoughtful and reflective, we must start with our self.
Instead of "Why are we here?" how about "Why am I here?" It's not an easy question to answer.
How to explore your purpose
This venn diagram is a great tool for understanding your reason for being. It combines western exploration of purpose with the Japanese concept of Ikigai.
Good to Know
I've create a mini-series on Ikigai to help you explore the component parts.
What You Love: the stuff that energizes you, and puts you in flow.
What You Are Good At: your strengths, skills, your superpower.
What You Can Be Paid For: how you can create a positively reinforcing cycle for your purpose.
What The World Needs: the world problems that matter most to you.
By finding the harmony among these elements, we can guide individuals to their unique Ikigai - where passion, mission, vocation, and profession intersect, leading to a life of balance, fulfillment, and positive impact.
Final Thoughts
Our species is suffering greatly. The cure to suffering is in the search for meaning. It's about time we reintroduce that search to the world conversation. By reinvesting in our Human Truth, the Soul of The Universe, God, Life, or whichever name the ultimate goes by to you, we can help humanity rediscover meaning.