The Meaning of Life: Happiness

By Jorge Rubio

“It was hard to win the battle for survival, but it’s 10x harder to win the battle for meaning.” – John Danaher

For most of human history, survival was our greatest challenge. We fought against famine, disease, harsh weather, and predators. Today, many of those threats have faded. What remains is a different struggle: the search for meaning.

Do We Need a Cosmic Purpose?

Philosophers and public figures have wrestled with this question. Albert Camus argued that life is inherently meaningless. To ask, “What is the meaning of life?” is, in his view, to ask the wrong question. Instead, Camus believed we create our own meaning through how we live. His famous line, “we must imagine Sisyphus happy,” (Sisyphus is the king punished by the gods to push a boulder up a hill for all eternity) captures this: even if life feels difficult and aimless, we can still choose to embrace it.

Jordan Peterson takes a different angle in Maps of Meaning. He suggests that meaning emerges in relation to our goals. A chair, for example, has no inherent significance. But if you’re tired, it becomes rest. If it blocks your path, it becomes an obstacle. Objects, actions, and people gain meaning through the lens of what we want.

Why Ask About Meaning?

If meaning is subjective, why do people keep asking about it? Usually, the question surfaces during times of pain or dissatisfaction. When we’re content, we rarely stop to ask, “What is the meaning of life?” The question is less about uncovering a cosmic truth and more about finding direction when life feels empty.

And yet, despite endless debate, no single answer has ever gained consensus. This alone suggests there may be no universal meaning written into the fabric of existence.

Aristotle’s Answer: Happiness

Still, humans seem to share one common desire, a common goal. Aristotle called it eudaimonia—often translated as “happiness” or “flourishing.” Unlike fleeting pleasure, eudaimonia is about living fully, wisely, and well.

Everyone, Aristotle argued, ultimately seeks happiness. Even misguided choices, like substance abuse, are aimed at it—though they fail to deliver in the long run. If we accept this, then happiness becomes more than a personal wish. It becomes the guiding principle that helps us bestow meaning on the world around us.

Conclusion

Perhaps Camus was right: life holds no inherent meaning. But this doesn’t leave us empty-handed. The pursuit of happiness—understood as flourishing, not just pleasure—offers a compass we can all follow. In this light, the question shifts. It’s no longer, “What is the meaning of life?” but rather, “How do I live in a way that leads to happiness?”