What Is Meaning?
Meaning is the thread that connects human experience to a sense of purpose and understanding. It is both profoundly personal and deeply communal. At its core, meaning begins as an emotional reaction—an immediate resonance with a sound, sight, idea, or event. This elemental experience of meaning is then shaped into narratives that help us orient ourselves in the world.
Meaning is not static; it is dynamic, emerging from the interplay of:
Emotion: The visceral, immediate response to stimuli, such as awe, wonder, or joy.
Cognition: The intellectual framework that organizes these responses into coherent stories or ideas.
Context: The cultural, historical, and personal circumstances that give meaning its unique flavor for each individual.
The Appeal of Meaning Based on Authority
For much of human history, meaning has been anchored in the concept of external authority—most notably, God. This belief offers several advantages:
Validation: A sense that one’s actions and values are grounded in something greater than oneself.
Certainty: The comfort of a fixed framework for understanding the world.
Motivation: The idea that an external authority observes and rewards justice, giving strength to stand against injustice.
However, the historical and empirical record demonstrates that this external authority is a human construct. The absence of divine intervention in human history reveals that humanity itself must bear the responsibility for justice, meaning, and salvation.
The Emotional Core of Meaning
Despite the absence of supernatural authority, meaning remains a profoundly emotional experience. Consider a musical hook that captures attention or the awe inspired by a cathedral like Notre Dame. These experiences are not rooted in intellectual analysis but in a deeply felt resonance. They are elemental moments of meaning that transcend words and spark a sense of wonder and connection.
The Role of Narrative in Meaning
Elemental meaning, though powerful, is fleeting. Humans naturally seek to weave these moments into broader narratives. This process transforms:
Immediate Emotional Resonance: A musical phrase, a visual pattern, or a moment of connection.
Associated Meaning: Linking the experience to broader concepts or symbols, such as beauty, love, or justice.
Narrative Meaning: Building a story that situates the individual or community within a larger context.
While this process is vital, it also risks distorting meaning when narratives are built on untruths or fantasies. Durable meaning demands a foundation of truth, as only truth can withstand the scrutiny of time and reflection.
Imagination vs. Fantasy
Imagination is a critical tool in meaning-making. It allows us to envision possibilities within the constraints of reality. Fantasy, by contrast, seeks to escape reality. While imagination elevates, fantasy diminishes, offering fleeting comfort without genuine grounding.
The Issues at Stake
Authority and Responsibility: Without an external authority, how do we ground meaning and morality? The answer lies in recognizing our shared responsibility as humans to create and sustain meaning through collective effort.
Emotion and Truth: How do we balance the emotional power of meaning with the necessity of grounding it in truth? This balance requires disciplined reflection and intentional community.
Transcendence Without Supernaturalism: How do we evoke awe and wonder without relying on illusions? By celebrating the beauty and potential of the natural world and human creativity, we can achieve genuine transcendence.
Communal Cohesion: How do we build shared narratives that inspire and unite while remaining flexible enough to adapt as our understanding evolves?
The Call to Action
To address these issues, we must shift our focus from the fantasy of divine authority to the reality of human potential. Meaning arises not from asking an imagined God for intervention but from asking us to act.
This reorientation requires:
Intentional Community: A space where people can come together to explore meaning, share experiences, and hold one another accountable to shared values.
Rituals That Inspire: Practices that evoke awe and wonder, grounded in the real and the possible.
A Commitment to Truth: Recognizing that while meaning is deeply emotional, it must always be rooted in what is real.
Conclusion
Meaning is the foundation of human life, the bridge between our emotions and our intellect, and the source of our ability to transcend our circumstances. By grounding meaning in truth and focusing on the power of us, we can create a framework for religion and community that is both durable and transformative.
The challenge is immense, but the opportunity is greater. If we can embrace our shared responsibility and cultivate meaning with intention, we may not need an external authority to save us—we may become our own salvation.