Why are we here? What meaning does life serve? What purpose?
Throughout history, philosophers have posed and addressed these questions. They all agreed that these questions were essential, although they frequently disagreed on the answers.
Beyond the basic urges of our animal ancestors, we question life as humans. We ask ourselves: What do we want to be? What is best for us?
For some, the question of what makes life worthwhile has no satisfactory response. Nothing satisfies them, nothing fulfills them, and this traps them into a state of suffering.
What is the existential vacuum?
In his groundbreaking 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning, Austrian psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl introduced the concept of “the existential vacuum.” He defined it as “the feeling of the total and ultimate meaninglessness of [our] lives.” It occurs when the will to meaning is frustrated. Frankl claimed that tradition helped man overcome significant loss in the past, but in the 20th century, these traditions were vanishing.
Boredom is the primary way an existential void develops, and boredom eventually gives way to distress as one begins questioning the value of their life. For instance, Frankl observes that many people experience stress on Sundays when they are less busy and reflect on their life’s significance.
How does the existential vacuum manifest itself?
If we seek meaning in our lives, then meaninglessness leaves an emptiness. And, naturally, wherever there is a vacuum, things try to fill it.
Because it gives us temporary satisfaction, we fill our existential voids with things we think will provide us ultimate joy. We may try to fill our lives with pleasure by engaging in promiscuous behavior, binge eating, and living “the high life”. We could also seek power, particularly that represented by financial success, or we may choose to fill our lives with excessive “busyness”. We may also allow specific “vicious cycles” to consume our lives, such as an obsession with hygiene and germs.
To get out of the existential vacuum, change your perspective.
Life isn’t always fair, even when you put time, effort, emotion, and energy into it. Although feeling down is entirely understandable, you have the choice to acknowledge that there is nothing you can change about the situation other than your attitude. Instead of numbing the pain with those temporary pleasures, embrace it.
The pain you feel because of lacking meaning is the most incredible gift life can give you. It is the natural agent of change—a guide to assist you. Not to help you escape your life but rather to keep life from escaping you.
Frankl emphasizes that your values are where you can discover meaning, and social consciousness is what encourages your values to surface. If you don’t hold others accountable for your happiness, connecting with them and maintaining affectionate ties are among the critical ways to keep a sense of meaning in life.
The best approach to discovering meaning in life might be to construct it by engaging in activities that make you feel peaceful and more connected to the outside world:
• Connect with your values
• Talk to loved ones
• Keep a journal
• Meditate
• Exercise
Existential dread can be challenging to navigate. It’s simple to become consumed by searching for the answers to life’s big questions. There are sometimes no better solutions than the ones you come up with on your own – the ones you discover through living.
The healthy, well-adjusted individual has meaning in life. They lead a life full of purposeful interests. Even if this life is imperfect and has ups and downs, it still has significance. Therefore, the antidote for the existential vacuum is meaning – a journey rather than a goal.
