Meaning

In ordinary usage the word “meaning” implies intention, intention implies design, and design implies a designer. Any entity, any process, or definition of any word itself is put into play as a result of an intended consequence in the mind of the designer. This is the heart of the philosophical worldview of organized religions, and in particular their creation stories. Humanity, it assumes, exists for a purpose. Individuals have a purpose in being on Earth. Both humanity and individuals have meaning.

There is a second, broader way the word “meaning” is used and a very different worldview implied. It is that the accidents of history, not the intentions of a designer, are the source of meaning. There is no advance design, but instead overlapping networks of physical cause and effect. The unfolding of history is obedient only to the general laws of the Universe. Each event is random yet alters the probability of later events. During organic evolution, for example, the origin of one adaptation by natural selection makes the origin of certain other adaptations more likely. This concept of meaning, insofar as it illuminates humanity and the rest of life, is the worldview of science.

Whether in the cosmos or in the human condition, the second, more inclusive meaning exists in the evolution of present-day reality amid countless other possible realities.

Humanity … arose entirely on its own through an accumulated series of events during evolution. We are not predestined to reach any goal, nor are we answerable to any power but our own. Only wisdom based on self-understanding, not piety, will save us.

- E.O. Wilson on The meaning of human existence

All things Green

Regular readers of the blog (the imaginary/non-existent beings) know that I turned into a Nerdfighter and John Green fan after the TFioS book (and somewhat disappointing movie adaptation). But so much has happened since.

First, I fell in love with Vlogbrothers videos. This was a Youtube channel that John started with his brother Hank way back in the mesozoic era of 2007-08. The deal was that the brothers would communicate with each other (and the broader Nerdfighter community) through short videos that they posted once a week. There were some rules about length of videos, for instance < 4 mins but the topics covered everything from Hank's rendition of a song he wrote on Anglerfish to John talking about the healthcare system in Ethiopia.

Vlogbrothers led to Crash course and Sexplanations. John did a series on World History for Crash course, which if it was made 17 years ago might have changed my history. I was and still am a history buff and John and his teams' interpretation of the entire history of the world into bite-size packages is so creative, fascinating and educative, I would have embarked on a career following the Mongols if I had watched these videos in my teens.

Sexplanantions was awesome in that I had received no formal sex-education growing up in uber-conservative Chennai. Whatever I knew, I learnt from bits and pieces of information and misinformation from my peers. I wish I had a Lindsey teach me about sex in my teens. But more important than the anatomy or safe-sex lessons from Lindsey, it is the sex-positive atmosphere that I sorely lacked. I am, like so many people, ashamed to talk about sex in an open and curious way and thank the team at Sexplanations for shedding some of those inhibitions.

In the meantime, I also read other books by John Green. Post-TFioS, I started with a book titled 'An abundance of Katherines'. Brilliant doesn't begin to describe the book. I loved loved loved it. I was amused at how well I related to the characters in the book (esp Colin).

Then came, 'Looking for Alaska'. It was John's debut novel and it was as heartbreaking and heartwarming as TFioS. The Green binge was rounded up with 'Paper Towns'.

A common thread around all these novels is that it dealt with smart and curious teens who grappled with big questions about themselves and their place in the world. They read poetry, played pranks, rebelled against authority figures, fell in love, fell out of love and really loved learning. It was ok to be smart. Hell! it was awesome being smart. And that needed to be told.

Don't forget to be awesome

Damien Rice

I feel a little embarrassed when I watch Damien sing... it feels like I am peering into the soul of someone and seeing their scars. And I begin to wonder do I have any business being here. Can I do something to ease this pain? 

And when he plays at a bar or something, and there are people with their iphones and cameras. People! there is a man writhing in pain and you are just standing there taking pictures.

I've never loved.... I've never loved... I've never loved.... I remember it well... The first time that I saw....

Ohgod! why does it hurt so much.