”Life is inherently meaningless, so you have to create your own meaning.”
I used to obsess over this lack of meaning, and the obvious freedom in being able to define my own meaning.
Am I a good person? Yeah, I can think of many good things I’ve done.
Am I a bad person? Sure, I’ve done lots of bad things.
Damn it…
They told me: “Michael, you need to make your own meaning.” So, I replied: “But you don’t understand how complicated things are.”
The truth is that I didn’t understand how simple things are. Meditation (the kind where you sit and watch your mind at work) has made it clear how simple things are.
Nowadays, I understand that my own subjective experience is the best way to form conclusions about the nature of reality.
“Michael, that’s crazy! How can you say your subjective experience is more correct than anyone else’s?”
Hold on, that’s not what I’m saying.
What I’m saying is that my own subjective experience is the best way to form conclusions about the nature of reality.
I have no access to anyone else’s subjective experience. Therefore, even if it were better than my own, I couldn’t possibly use it.
Even their recounting of their own subjective experience is still being filtered through my subjective experience. What I’m hearing is being shaped by my biases, learning history, personality, and what I ate for lunch that day.
Remember why you want to understand the nature of reality. Is it so you can impress your friends with how much you know? No, of course not. It’s so you can create meaning in a way that works for you, that makes your life better.
(Your goal is to get out of the pit of despair, right???)
This isn’t a word game, woo-woo bullshit, or any kind of dogma I’m asking you to believe. Nor am I offering a mathematical proof or scientific evidence.
Rather, it’s an invitation to take a look at your own subjective experience and get clear on what exactly it’s capable of offering you.
You’ve been hearing a lot from your teachers, your friends, priests, rabbis, and politicians.
Now, it’s time to ask your own mind what’s up.
—Michael
P.S. If you want to know more about how to deal with nihilism, check out @katie.sula.exists on Instagram.
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