Alan Watts on the Meaning of Life
What is the meaning of life? 42, of course!! Um, well, I suppose there are many interpretations to this question and a multitude of viable answers. Answers to this question run the gambit, and some common ones include:
- To love and serve God (as you interpret Him…or Her, ahem)
- To reproduce
- To love one another
- To self-actualize
- To learn and grow
- To be good stewards of the earth
- To raise our children to be healthy and happy
- There is no inherent purpose of life – it’s only what we make of it
Sometimes the very meaning of our lives seems to be caught up in running, or even trying to win, the “rat race.” Alan Watts provides a illuminating interpretation in this segment below for a way of viewing life to avoid the trappings of the rat race mentality. If aren’t familiar with Alan Watts, he is a British-born philosopher, speaker, and presenter who was probably most famous for introducing Western audiences to Eastern philosophy and religion. What makes this segment particularly engaging is that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone provide the animation to illustrate Alan Watts’ message. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and check out Alan Watts’ lectures sometime – they are enlightening, entertaining, and timeless.