The Value of Human Life
What is the meaning of all of this?
The value of life is subjective. Depending on who you are, you may have a different perception of life than the next person. Some People get their life meaning through their religion, job, experiences, philosophy, and so on. When it comes down to it, nobody knows, with 100% accuracy, why we are here. We can only try to live our life to the fullest according to our standards. I would argue that the value of human life is to enjoy life and experience as much of what this world has to offer for yourself, and help others while interacting with them with love. Some people may suggest that life has no value because they believe it is all going to return to nothingness, but I think that if you hold that belief, it doesn’t make life worthless. I believe that it gives more reason to live your life to the fullest.
Living life in a way that you enjoy can give your life value. As humans, we are part of this universe, and we are the thinking and feeling parts of the universe. We are the universe experiencing itself from a conscious perspective, so why not encounter it in a glorious way and experience as much of this world as you can. This could mean different things for different people, whether it be socializing, traveling, listening to good music, spending time on something you’re passionate about, spending time with people you love, experiencing nature, and countless other examples. If you spend your time on something you love, then you aren’t wasting time. We should enjoy every last bit of the life that we have because we only get one. So often we have many great things and experiences in our life, yet we don’t even realize it. Being mindful of every blessing that you have can help you enjoy life so much more. A study was done by two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami. The study found that people who wrote what they were grateful for were more optimistic and happier about their lives. Likewise, an article from Harvard health publishing Harvard Medical school found that:
In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
Helping others and loving people also can give your life value. When you help others and mean it genuinely, endorphins can be released, making you feel better. Not only does it make you feel better, but it can also change someone else’s life for the better. No matter how small your action was, it can impact someone for good. Just as the butterfly effect metaphor goes, one small event can lead to a significant result over time. The more you spread positivity, the more you can make a difference in this world, and in turn, it brings a purpose. Being kind, helping others, and loving people can change not only your life but the life of the people around you. As Ralph Waldo Emerson states,
The purpose of life is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.
Some people may think that life has no value. They may believe that we came from nothing and will return to nothing, that we are part of a universe that is infinitely big. Our existence is just a speck in the universe and the time we are alive is a minuscule amount of time compared to the period this universe has and will be around. When you consider all of this, life seems to have no value. We are all going to return to nothing anyway. I believe that if we contemplate all of this, it can take a weight off our shoulders. We don’t have to worry so much about the problems in life. Our worries are not as big as they seem, they don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. In my perspective, this is very freeing, and it helps me not take life too seriously. So, all in all, do what makes you happy.
The meaning of life may mean something different to everybody, but I believe the meaning of life is; enjoying life as much as you possibly can, helping and loving others, and not taking life too seriously. Does life have a purpose? That answer is different for everyone. Many may argue that it doesn’t, we are way too minuscule and will return to nothing eventually, but we are here now, experiencing life, emotions, events, etc. Nobody knows for sure why we are here, we just believe and hope we are right. The best we can do is endure life in a way we trust is best.
