I can't agree more, my own experience told me furthur, (Po Bronson also pointed out similarly), as long as one looks externally for what they want, e.g. recognition, status... as well as money, it probably won't solve the problem. After reading Gail Sheehy's New Passage, I think the essence of the issue is how to get beyond the EGO.
That's a liberating feeling, I could view everything so differently even if doing the same job I previously believed lacking meaning.
As John Chaffee suggested, first one must develop a set of values/beliefes (better be well founded using critical thinking) that one should live by every day, make sure they are adjusted as life experence and understandings accumulate. My addition to that is
if these beliefs are not so limited to self-interest only, they will more likely to enpower the person to see things and life events as meaningful.
I agree that reading philosophical essays can poke one w/ the questions that may otherwise been not given a thought at all, but more important is, as can be seen from the authors of these greate pieces, REFLECTION, or constantly examining oneself inwardly, without it, one can easily read without really understanding the implications.
I can relate to what you're saying, and supprisingly I went the same route, I became interested in psychology while I was trying to solve my boredom/happiness issues, but there are many branches of psychology, I explored them a little bit by researching on them, I probably would choose a conselor career. I feel encouraged to see someone sensibly pursue the life they enjoy.
As you pointed out, and also from the book, people who are smart likely to pursue mental challenge, and have more choices available to them, by picking any industry which has its own culture and sets of values, one could be influenced by the culture, if one's own values conflict w/ that of the industry, he then is potentially confronted w/ the happiness/meaning issue.
Among other causes that might promote the issue include Life crisis like losing jobs, and being poked by some circumstances like reading a book like this one.
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I can't agree more, my own experience told me furthur, (Po Bronson also pointed out similarly), as long as one looks externally for what they want, e.g. recognition, status ... as well as money, it probably won't solve the problem. After reading Gail Sheehy's New Passage, I think the essence of the issue is how to get beyond the EGO.
That's a liberating feeling, I could view everything so differently even if doing the same job I previously believed lacking meaning.
As John Chaffee suggested, first one must develop a set of values/beliefes (better be well founded using critical thinking) that one should live by every day, make sure they are adjusted as life experence and understandings accumulate. My addition to that is
if these beliefs are not so limited to self-interest only, they will more likely to enpower the person to see things and life events as meaningful.
I agree that reading philosophical essays can poke one w/ the questions that may otherwise been not given a thought at all, but more important is, as can be seen from the authors of these greate pieces, REFLECTION, or constantly examining oneself inwardly, without it, one can easily read without really understanding the implications.
I can relate to what you're saying, and supprisingly I went the same route, I became interested in psychology while I was trying to solve my boredom/happiness issues, but there are many branches of psychology, I explored them a little bit by researching on them, I probably would choose a conselor career. I feel encouraged to see someone sensibly pursue the life they enjoy.
As you pointed out, and also from the book, people who are smart likely to pursue mental challenge, and have more choices available to them, by picking any industry which has its own culture and sets of values, one could be influenced by the culture, if one's own values conflict w/ that of the industry, he then is potentially confronted w/ the happiness/meaning issue.
Among other causes that might promote the issue include Life crisis like losing jobs, and being poked by some circumstances like reading a book like this one.