The meaning of life: What makes life worth living? | Frank Martela | TEDxHelsinkiUniversity

In this talk Frank Martela, who has published several academic articles on the topic, will tell you who invented the phrase 'meaning of life' in 1834, why the crisis in meaning started in 19th century, and where to find an answer to the question in our secular age.
Frank Martela is a researcher at University of Helsinki focusing on meaning in life, compassion, prosocial behavior, well-being and human motivational psychology. He explores these themes through psychological methods and conceptual work, both within the context of social psychology and philosophy. Frank received his Ph.D in Applied Philosophy and Organizational Research from Aalto University after which he has worked at University of Rochester, USA before returning to Finland and University of Helsinki.
Frank is a popular speaker and author having written several books for general audience. He is also one of the founders and current chairman of the board of Filosofian Akatemia Oy, a company that is specialized in measuring engagement and motivation at work, and consulting organizations on how to improve them.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@OldSzkool]

I totally loved the ending. ''The meaning of life is doing things meaningful to you in a way that makes yourself meaningful to others.''

[@someonesomeone25]

I got stuck on the first part, let alone the second. I can't think of anything meaningful for me to do.

[@famousdex1782]

I’ve tried that. It was the only thing that made me happy. It left me broken.

[@SuperAlphaKirby]

​@@famousdex1782 maybe that fact that it was able to break you is proof of its meaning? Like you cared about it enough for it to make you super happy and sad?

[@empathematics8928]

That treatment they gave to Alex from Clockwork Orange really worked! I guess it’s not just ultra violence that makes life worth living.

[@carlmanx1680]

"judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundemtal question of philosophy -Albert Camus Beautiful!

[@phy29]

The most worthy thing for keep moving foward is the music with a real romance ....

[@kanchokomancho4854]

Sense of meaning = Self realization + Connectedness Where Self realization = Competence + Autonomy

[@raj5999]

This talk is seriously the best talk on tedx I have ever heard

[@v.dargain1678]

It's not my most favorite talk but it did make me think hard about what is being said .

[@bhu0019]

Sir you have really changed my perspective in life. I was quite in my head and contemplating this question and out of all the answers I felt something was missing Thank you for helping me find this missing point.

[@navneetkumaryadav7280]

Amazing 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼!! One of the best talk I ever listened.

[@bentemela2739]

Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to reading your book!

[@raj5999]

Wow, i love your talk First time, i have watched the video complete

[@mugdha2892]

thank you

[@dougb2121]

I think that he makes some very good points!

[@raghavendraraogangavaramvs9439]

Very powerful information 💎

[@v.dargain1678]

True . He begins it with a quote from Leo Tolstoy .

[@VladyslavKL]

🕊

[@yasimm4778]

The blinder the people of the country are,its easier for them to believe beautiful lies, because of not knowing they were lied to. So yes, you can create hope and meaningfulness with religion, but that’s just being a pet of a lie. Life actually has no meaning itself just like a playground. To me, finding answers to questions like what made big bang happen and why are we existing why am i, me? Feeling the body of mine and not someone else’s and stuff like that keeps me moving on. Because as an atheist, i know when i see a gap of not knowing, i shouldn’t fill it with god of the gaps as well as not putting a lid on it so I won’t see it. There is an answer to these questions and you don’t know that human won’t reach it, you are just making a conclusion. As an individual, i think helping scientists improve during my life will make us at least closer to those answers. I probably won’t find these answers during my life,indeed. But maybe it would be worth searching for it.

[@nvmffs]

Hate to burst your bubble but science is what makes us increasingly lose our meaning in life. What meaning would you have when we achieve immortality in one of the several ways currently developped? Your questions will stop being relevant and with that - their answers too. When we start designing what traits a person is born with "why are you, you?" becomes trivial. You're right that "people of the country" and everyone else who's not aware enough is living in an illusion. And you and I can't do that. We need either a bigger illusion than our own awareness (which life itself might be) or the Truth. I'm afraid the Truth is still too scary for us. Aliens probably know it but won't share it because it could shatter our perception of existence. But think about it. There's a positive side to all this. If aliens are so advanced then they probably know just about anything about the universe and how something came from nothing. That is, if time isn't an illusion itself. It's very likely that they know the Truth but even as disillusioned with life as they are, they can still find enough meaning to keep living. They've probably developped everything there is to develop, both physical and spiritual. It appears there's something even beyond that. What keeps them going is what should keep us going. And it's not "why am I, me".

[@matthewtenney2898]

The question of meaning of life is found quite clearly in the book of Ecclesiastes: “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

[@someonesomeone25]

And yet that leaves me empty and sad.

[@themeaningoflifeexpert]

My free book has the answer....

[@kokonoeyuki5083]

THE SOUND IS SO WEAK..........BARELY HEAR AND THERE IS NO SUBTITLES

[@skerich7056]

Why would a human being bring another helpless human to this mess . question!

[@eshanaiyashankar]

27.6 m subscribers 21684 views 247 likes 30 comments 7.8 billon population and only a few are intersted in knowing about the very fundamental question of life you are running behind what?? nothing just impending death

[@user-qf2di6wy2d]

Nothing ahahhhahaahahahahahahahahaha

[@aizazbhatti2506]

His speech is so powerful but he missed one point. The purpose of life is to connect with your God because He is one created you and gives you a life. Be thankful to him and praise him. ❤️ I love is talk 👌

[@SuperAlphaKirby]

You missed the point.

[@shane7834]

I'm looking for a purpose in life not a religion

[@skybluepete7565]

He didn’t miss it it’s not his expertise He also didn’t dismiss it at all he recognised it

[@hgDftyuiolkbvcxzs]

Nobodys love is true unless you're a toddler because end of the day everybody is only going fill their tummy and find somebody to blame for the things that didn't go as they wanted.

[@nvmffs]

Everybody? I know I don't do that, there's probably a few other people on our planet who don't either

[@mrandersong1]

This guy is a terrible public speaker and his voice pisses me off

[@v.dargain1678]

@@ASWEEPEI Same . He is Finnish but speaks English very well .

[@learnwithmonika4923]

🤣🤣🤣