Meraki: An Ancient Greek Secret For A Rich Life
The concept of creative value can solve modern society’s lack of meaning
Meraki (µεράκι): to do something with complete passion and love, usually associated with a task or creative endeavor.
— India Doyle, Culture Trip
Modern society is obsessed with the idea of finding meaning in life. Although we often disguise it with other words. Some use fulfillment or happiness. While others use some form of the word goal or destination.
We’ve even created a word showing the destructive power of a life without this meaning: nihilism.
It’s also no coincidence one of the most read books of all time is called Man’s Search For Meaning. As of 2006, it sold more than 16 million copies and has been translated into 50 languages. Obviously, its author Viktor Frankl has some keen insight into the issue.
He believes modern society has lost its base traditions which usually pointed the path to a proper life. It’s also become very automated and machine-like. This results in a longing for meaning or an “existential vacuum,” which humanity tries to fill with whatever they can — often destructively.
But a few ancient cultures had this already figured out, namely the Greeks. Their solution…
