The following essay took second place in our 2021 Nonfiction Writing Contest. Congratulations to Donald Ardell on his excellent work!

“Life Is Meaningless: A Liberating Real Wellness Perspective” by Donald B. Ardell

We trace our ancestors back about 200,000 years. Unlike the vast majority of species that ever existed, we humans are still here.

This is not as impressive as it might sound.

Compared with some life forms, particularly dinosaurs, being around for 200,000 years does not make us special. Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for about 175 million years, until their extinction from the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event 65.5 million years ago.

Living conditions for most humans, until quite recently, were rather grim. Life expectancy as late as the Middle Ages was 25 at birth—50 percent of children died before turning five! Furthermore, a relatively good life, at least in terms of creature comforts (e.g., safety, clean air and water, opportunities for happiness and love, sanitation, ample food and other quality of life matters) were ghastly, relative to contemporary circumstances in developed nations. Until quite recently, personal extinction was an ever-present danger.

It’s safe to assume that people who lived during all but a fraction of human time did not devote a lot of time to pondering the meaning of life.

Speaking of extinction, consider this somewhat disquieting reality—we’re all doomed, as well, not just as individuals but as a species—along with all other life forms—and Earth itself.

How Long Do We Have?

That depends. Countless natural or human-induced calamities could drop the cosmic curtain at any time, perhaps while you’re reading this, such as asteroid strikes, thermonuclear wars, a supernova or volcanic eruptions combined with earthquakes. Less sudden but no less epic terminal misfortunes, such as loss of the biosphere via global warming, widespread pandemics that would make Covid 19 and its variants seem no more consequential than zits, or other science fiction-like events could end things quickly. Oh, and don’t overlook the possibility of a blitzkrieg by extraterrestrials with serious attitude problems.

Even if our descendant homo sapiens hang on many centuries to come, or thousands or even millions of years (seems improbable), in time Ecclesiastes’ lament will come to pass, that is, all will be futile, utterly futile. Humans are doomed.

How does that comport with the meaning of life?

What Lies Ahead?

Sadly, the absolute certainty is that our Sun is mortal, just like us. While its lifespan is more impressive than ours, in time it will go the way of all flesh, even though it is decidedly not of flesh. Yes, our Sun is going to die. Presently about four and a half billion years old, it has already burnt through roughly half the hydrogen in its core. Barely enough remains to keep the lights on for about another five billion years, at most.

Once the fuel is gone, the Sun will start to expand, getting hotter and hotter. Earth will become a giant desert, only insects and bacteria will remain. Later the oceans will boil off and everything will catch fire. Eventually, the sun explodes, though no living thing will be around to notice, and Earth and our solar system will be gone with nary a trace.

But, look on the bright side. You will have been dead for a very long time before such things come to pass.

The Truly Amazing, Really Good News

Though ultimate meaningless is not yet recognized by billions around the globe, the good news is that eventual recognition of such might bring dramatic advances for humanity, such as the way we treat each other. If nearly everyone comes to realize and adapt to the reality that there is no purpose for our existence, no grand scheme, no divine plan, no overarching design, no after-life, then compassion, kindness, empathy and other decencies might be more attractive than at present. Why be a dick when we’re here for such a brief time, and are on our way out, any minute now, or any week, month or year coming up?

Think about it. Your presence as a humanoid is totally meaningless—you have no pre-ordained role. You are inconsequential, like everyone and everything else. You and I and everyone are alone, with no loving or angry deity or savior looking out for or having it in for you or me, no sky-god to reward or punish. No invisible, unknowable superpower doing favors for prayers or inflicting harm if we don’t adhere to what priests and preachers, ayatollahs and rabbis, witch doctors and shamans insist it demands we do, or not do.

Consider the overwhelming likelihood that there is no hell below or heaven above—no afterlife of any kind—period. Your momentary presence on this planet as a somewhat advanced life form is a cosmic accident. It’s highly improbable—and a true wonderment.

This life is it and it can’t and won’t last long, so try to experience and share as much joy, art, music, drama, happiness, exuberance, love and so on before you die. The end is near—get on with it.

Songwriter Shelley Segal captures this idea in the lyrics of her enchanting Apocalyptic Love Song. Shelley dedicated this song to Christopher Hitchens. Here are the last three stanzas.

In one billion years, the oceans will dry
While somehow life may continue
It will not be known to you and I
To think we are so important, is an obvious crime
We know that we are specks on a tiny dot
Hurtling through space and time

And yes I understand that my whole life is just a blink of an eye
In the history of the earth, as with each moment that goes by

But this moment that I’m with you
It feels like time has stood still
It feels somehow like it matters
And that it always will.

Good Tidings of Moderate Joy

Make no mistake—this is good news, somewhat disguised. It can be an incredibly liberating perspective. It’s a sound reason to set a course to live well and die happy. Celebrate—shape your meaningless existence in ways that mean something to you, even if devoid of consequence in the least in a cosmic sense.

It’s enough to focus upon things to do and ways to be that can be beneficial for you and invaluable for those you love.

In no way does ultimate meaninglessness mean you should or are more likely to ignore the well being of others. On the contrary, a view of life as meaningless, save for what purposes we invent, makes us as likely to care for others as much as we do for ourselves. This sentiment reflects Robert Ingersoll’s thoughts on death, as reflected in these two excerpts:

What would this world be without death? It may be from the fact that we are all victims, from the fact that we are all bound by common fate, it may be that friendship and love are born of that fact. (Lotus Club Address, March 22, 1890, NYC.)

Maybe death gives all there is of worth to life. If those we press and strain within our arms could never die, perhaps that love would wither from the Earth. Maybe this common fate treads out from the paths between our hearts the weeds of selfishness and hate. And I had rather live and love where death is king that have another life where love is not.
(Oration At A Child’s Grave, January 8, 1882, Wash., D.C.)

A Caring Philosophy

We know from Viktor Frankl, Irving Yalom and many existential philosophers whose work focused upon finding meaning in this life, that service to others is the surest path to happiness.

Many who could afford to engage in lavish self-indulgence choose instead to devote themselves to causes and service to their fellow men and women, and derive meaning and enduring satisfactions from doing so.

The list of such notables is long—familiar examples include former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and titans of business Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, and artists like Sonny Bono and Angelina Jolie—and countless others in nearly all walks of life.

Here’s what Apple CEO Tim Cook told a graduating class at my alma mater George Washington University on May 17, 2015:

There are problems that need to be solved, injustices that need to be ended, people that are still being persecuted, diseases still in need of cures. No matter what you do next, the world needs your energy, your passion, your impatience with progress. History rarely yields to one person, but think and never forget what happens when it does.

That can be you. That should be you—all of us, making a mark, and a positive difference, however modest, during the brief moments of our time. No, none of it will matter to us when we’re gone, but it does give meaning for a while, while we and those we affect still exist.

Of course, with a REAL wellness philosophy, you’ll want to go one more step—learning about, adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that promotes wellbeing, reason, exuberance and personal freedoms; do that and you will surely make the most of your possibilities.

Despite the absence of wishful thinking about an ultimate, cosmic and pre-ordained purpose which you may have long suspected was make believe, you will have filled your time with consequence, with meaning and purposes of your own design.

May your life be epic and triumphant.

Recognize that there is no grand plan for you or anyone else. You’re on your own. Life is meaningless except, of course, for the meanings and purposes you have already invented that reflect your cares and passions. Make life as worthwhile, in your terms, as you can. Try to create your best existence during the short time left during what Ingersoll described as a narrow vale between the cold and barren peaks of two eternities. Accept the likelihood that, on a personal level, there was nothing before and there is nothing ahead of either eternity.

Life may be meaningless in an indifferent universe but we, like all living creatures, are purpose-driven. Our lives matter for us during our time, and especially to others who benefit from our love and caring.

Familiarize yourself with the nature and benefits of reason and science, exuberant living, healthful nutrition, vigorous exercise and opportunities to boost your personal freedoms to think and act freely. Books, lectures, podcasts and all manner of ways to learn more about the skills associated with the four REAL wellness dimensions are readily available in this amazing age of ready information on almost everything. The improved man and woman, after all, will observe, investigate, experiment and demonstrate (Ingersoll—Improved Man, 1890). Knowledge has to be followed by practice, practice, practice—with adjustments and fine-tuning all the time. This is the likeliest path, not just to the stage at Carnegie Hall but, more important, to overcoming the damages occasioned by dysfunctional ideas absorbed by initial circumstances.

Don’t read meaning into random, seemingly unlikely if not impossible coincidences or other forms of amazing events of a fortuitous nature—such occurrences do not happen for a reason. Reality is not for everyone; few of us are unfamiliar with the occurrence of dreadful misfortunes visiting good people and unfathomable successes descending on loathsome SOBs. Avoid the temptation to infer causation, pattern or purpose to such mind-boggling injustices—they are not curses from below, blessings from above or answered prayers. Eschew all such self-reverential conclusions. Get a grip—humans are not the center of any universe. Life is utterly random. You can fool yourself into believing otherwise but that changes nothing—it’s still random.

Recognizing realities can be, will be, emotionally liberating.

About the Author

Don Ardell is a seven-time world triathlon champion, a pioneer in the wellness movement, and publisher of the REAL Wellness Report.

He is the co-author of NOT DEAD YET: World Triathlon Champions 75+ Offer Tips for Thriving & Flourishing in Later Life and 14 other books. His completed manuscript for his next book is entitled, “Freedom from Religion in 30 Days.”

His website is www.donardell.com.

Thanks to Donald and everyone who participated in our inaugural Nonfiction Writing Contest! We can’t wait for next year’s awards!

 

If you’re interested in more posts about writing contests, then you might also like:

• List of Short Story Contests (Updated for 2022)
• List of Poetry Contests: Where to Submit Your Poems (Updated for 2022)
• What to Do After Winning a Writing Contest: 5 Ways to Celebrate Your Win
• How to Enter a Writing Contest: 8 Tips for Success