Great answer, Amit.

“I’m not going to, because my focus is on having a happy live, of which meaning is just one of many components.”
True. I also envision a life where I can do things that maximize its meaningfulness but there are many sacrifices especially in terms of pleasure.

Maybe we need to find more activities that’s similar to our ancestors age where they are convergence between pleasure and meaning. What I find is it’s possible to tweak my beliefs and values to the point where there are convergence between the two but it’s not easy especially in our world today which have many activities that are geared heavily towards hedonism.

Oh well, something for me to think about today. Thanks again for the food for though, Amit.

As always, an excellent question Wan!

It depends on one’s definition of happiness. I like the Aristotelian definition – that which you do for it’s own sake. So happiness is those things you do for it’s own sake. One of those things is doing what you can to feel pleasure – eating tasty food, having sex, another is doing what you can to have an impact on the world – helping others, having children.

In an ancestral environment, I believe doing what you can to have an impact and doing what you can to feel pleasure would be closely aligned. For example, child rearing was much less stressful (communal child raising, apprenticeship learning); helping others was much more rewarding (you couldn’t donate money to starving kids in africa whom you’ll never see, you could only help your neighbors, who in turn would thank you and hug you and express gratitude many times over); your work would involve creating physical objects, like huts and spears, which we’re wired to find much more meaningful than letters on a screen (which is why arts and crafts is a popular hobby).

In the modern world there is still some convergence – helping those close to you will make you feel pleasure as well as meaning, but someone who wants to focus on meaning will do so at the expense of pleasure. For example, if I truly wanted to focus 100% on meaning, I’d work 16 hours a day on my company, indulge in few pleasures, and donate as much as possible to effective charities.

I’m not going to, because my focus is on having a happy live, of which meaning is just one of many components. Most people are the same.

Ah, just like me! I’d been considering getting a dog as well, but after this research, pets are off for now. It’s super awesome that you recognize that in this case, you’re probably not an outlier. Most people are overconfident in that regard.

Yes, let’s be friends! As soon as I finish this reply, I’m going to go check out your blog.

I love cats but my father hates them so I didn’t had the chance to have many cats except for that one cat who died of old age. Now, I get my ‘cat’ dose by going to my grandmother’s house. She’s also a lover of cats!

But one thing pique my interest: what do you think is the difference between having a meaningful life and a happy life?

In fact, Pets are off for now. I’d rather connect more with humans. And I would start with you. Wanna be friends, Amit?