Are you struggling with the question—what is the meaning of life? You are not alone. In today's fast-paced and hyper-connected society, the existential crisis is becoming a universal experience. Whether you're a student overwhelmed by choices, a working professional stuck in routine, or simply someone lying awake at night wondering, "Why am I here?", this blog is your mirror and your map.
Existentialism isn't just a complex philosophical term. It is the lived experience of feeling lost, uncertain, and disconnected in a world that often feels devoid of deeper purpose. The philosophy teaches that there is no predefined meaning of life; we must create our own purpose through our actions, choices, and inner values.
Jean-Paul Sartre famously wrote, "Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself." This idea of absolute freedom can feel both liberating and terrifying. In a time when traditional beliefs are fading and social media dictates worth, the pressure to "find yourself" becomes heavier.
The crisis of meaning today is amplified by modern lifestyle. We scroll through curated lives on Instagram, chase fleeting dopamine hits from likes and notifications, and drown in consumerism. Yet, deep inside, we feel empty. This void has a name—existential anxiety.
Friedrich Nietzsche captured this feeling with prophetic intensity when he declared, "God is dead." He didn't mean a literal death, but rather the erosion of shared beliefs that once gave life meaning. And in the absence of a moral compass, he warned of nihilism: a state where nothing seems to matter.
Read how philosophy can change your life.
Explore timeless wisdom from thinkers like Sartre, Nietzsche, and Simone de Beauvoir, and discover how their insights can help you navigate modern chaos
Alan Watts, known for bringing Eastern philosophy to the West, urged us to stop trying to control everything. He said, "Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth." He taught that we are not isolated egos but expressions of the universe itself.
Watts believed that letting go is not giving up, but awakening to the flow of life. His message is especially relevant for youth today, caught in the pressure of proving themselves constantly. His insights offer not just mental peace, but a spiritual awakening.
Existential despair is not reserved for philosophers. It touches the lives of ordinary people every day. A 27-year-old corporate employee, burnt out and depressed, found her purpose in environmental activism. A grieving student discovered healing through mindfulness. These are not fairy tales; they are moments of human truth.
By sharing such real-life experiences, we understand that the search for purpose is deeply personal yet profoundly universal.
While Western existentialists often leave us at the edge of despair, Indian philosophy offers a pathway to transcend it. Kabir, the mystic poet, captures the human search for meaning in his dohas:
"Jab main tha tab Hari nahi, ab Hari hai main nahi Sab andhiyaara mit gaya, jab deepak dekha maahi"
(When 'I' was there, God was not. Now God is, and I am not. All darkness vanished when I saw the light within.)
This is not just poetry. It is a philosophical insight. True meaning, according to Kabir, is found when we transcend the ego and merge with the greater truth.
The Buddha too spoke of suffering (dukkha) as an inevitable part of life. But he also laid out a path to overcome it—through awareness, compassion, and letting go. His teachings are a perfect antidote to the existential despair of the modern world.
So how do we move from confusion to clarity? From despair to meaning?
Here are some ways:
Watch our full video in Hindi on the existential crisis – a deep, emotional exploration of meaning, identity, and freedom in today’s world.
Let philosophy be your anchor.
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If you're going through an existential crisis, remember this: you are not broken. You are awakening. In fact, this discomfort is a sign that you are beginning to live consciously.
Your purpose isn’t something outside waiting to be found. It’s something inside, waiting to be unlocked.
Nietzsche said, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." The good news? You are allowed to create your own "why."
Don’t look for meaning. Be the meaning.
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