My takeaway from this film is that the meaning of the individual exists in the other person.
When you are the only one in this world, do you think your existence has meaning?
no. As shown in the movie, even if the whole world is yours and you have nothing to worry about, what can you do? Your existence means nothing.
Therefore,
the meaning of man exists relative to others.
So what is the meaning?
Meaning is the importance of life.
That is: whether your existence is important to others.
This importance is not determined by you, but by others:
your parents, family, friends, relatives, colleagues and those around you.
Why did they decide?
Because our existence and importance require the approval of those around us, instead of deceiving ourselves and saying that I am important, otherwise it would be Ah Q. We only know if we are really important when the people around us recognize us. Because human beings are social animals, one of the manifestations of sociality is social relations. Our importance emerges from our role and position in social relations.
And what is the importance?
Because of my existence, my work, speech and deeds have a role and influence on others. To be precise, other people's lives and work are better because of my existence and words and deeds. That is to say, others feel that my existence is useful, they need me, and they are useful to them.
This is why we see that although many people are rich, many people have no worries about food and clothing, and their living standards are very good, but he feels that his life is meaningless, because he does not see the importance of his life to others: Or you don't see it yourself; or you don't.
And when there is no such importance, life seems to have no quality, just like in the movie: there is no one to respond and recognize, and life is in a state of nothingness. It seems that the whole world has nothing to do with me, that I have no role to live, and that no one cares, recognizes, accepts, appreciates and responds because it is not important. Life thus has no meaning.
Therefore, the meaning of life is very simple, in the importance of each individual to others, or to society.
In Buddhist parlance, the people and things we encounter come to fulfill you, that is, our meaning is reflected in the people and things we interact with.
There was a writer named Bi Shumin. Once she gave a speech at a university in Beijing, a female classmate asked her: What is the meaning of life? Bi Shumin said, "Life is meaningless." Bi Shumin's answer won applause from college students. But after the applause, Bi Shumin said: "No one will determine the meaning of life for you, but if you can't determine the meaning of life, you will live in a meaningless state for the rest of your life. It's as big as every day, as small as every thing you do. You will feel nameless pain because you don’t know where to go. So everyone has to define meaning in their life.”
Meaning is the importance of your life in the world in which you exist.
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