If we compare modern life with old traditional life, we can see a huge difference, from material changes in land to psychological changes in human nature. Modern life feels different from the past, exciting but meaningless, whatever we have.
Why do I say meaningless?
In the past, people had limited wants. The survival things, food, clothes, and shelter, were enough. If the person had all three of these things in sufficient amounts, he felt the happiest person in the world.
But now, the list of basic needs has crossed its limit. Modern people fight for many things, and when they win one battle, they go for another without a rest. People spend all their lives collecting the trending basic needs, and at last they ask themselves a question: ‘For what, for whom, and why did I do all these things?’ No satisfaction. No happiness, although earning everything they had dreamed of one day.
If you ask, ‘Are you happy with your life?’ 99 out of 100 will reply ‘not fully’. Even wealthy, prosperous, and successful people hesitate to say they are happy.
Although having everything, it feels like something is missing, something is incomplete.
Why does this happen? Why has the 21st century made people unhappy and empty from the inside?
Reasons Modern life feels meaningless
1. The future has become predictable.
Today’s people feel life is pointless because there is no suspense left for the future. We already know how we will feel if we have this and that.
Let’s say you planned to book a trip to Bali, Indonesia. It is one of the beautiful places to visit. But before and after booking (pre-arrival), you watch all the documentaries about that place online. Before reaching there, you already feel half of the experience from home.
Similarly, kids of this generation know everything, even what happens after marriage. When a child can already feel the life of a teenager, adulthood, even old age, then tell me where the suspense of life is left.
Everything is revealed!
Yes, when you already know what will happen, you may be interested in it. But this feeling is temporary. Your interest dies suddenly after the purpose is fulfilled.
2. Influence and comparison
Being influenced and comparing oneself with others are also reasons modern life feels meaningless.
He is talented, good-looking, living a luxury life, respected, having name and fame; he has everything. But, but me, I have nothing. Why is my life not like his? Why am I like this?
When you compare your life with others’, you become the victim of self-doubt. This habit makes you a pessimistic person who cries over weakness instead of improving your strength. Comparison not only creates meaninglessness in modern life but also makes people competitive, who ignore peace.
Today, people don’t live to earn happiness but to get what others have, and they can sacrifice anything to get it.
Moreover, influence and comparison can make modern life impatient. Our life is limited, but we want to get many things at once. Most of the time, we have to work hard, even fight for it, and wait a long time to get it. We want the result immediately, to show off, to win a competition.
3. Money-oriented mindset
In this generation, people prioritise money over relationships. Modern society is finding happiness in money and materialistic things.
The bitter truth is, if you have money, you have love, respect, and power. In fact, although money can buy everything, it can’t buy real peace.
But the people’s mindset has become like this: If I earn money, I will get everything. Then they spend their whole life collecting it, no rest, no spirituality, no genuine connections, nothing. Without taking care of mental and physical health, the race is to earn money.
People are becoming strangers to each other. They help only if they will profit later.
After being successful, when they sit in the comfortable chair, they find no one around talking to them with genuine intimacy. Because all those people are attracted by money, not by emotional and time investment. That is why, although having everything, modern society feels empty and insecure.
4. Wide focus; many goals
Today’s kids grow up experiencing many things. Until they become adults, they carry thousands of pieces of information, much theoretical knowledge, and opinions.
For example, I have grown up watching movies, traveling, playing video games, studying, reading, watching, browsing, and many more. As a result, I have many hobbies in different fields. I want to continue everything, but I don’t have unlimited time. If I work in the office, I will miss other things. If I do other unconventional things, I will not have a stable career. Anyway, I have to sacrifice most of my interests and hobbies.
So, this is happening nowadays.
In the past, people had a reserved life. They didn’t have many things to explore due to a lack of technology, resources and finance. But nowadays, the scenario is completely different. People have many goals but no dedicated focus and experience dissatisfaction.
Although we achieved success, we feel we missed something; there is a lack of fulfillment.
5. Now people fight for different things.
People in modern life focus on money, and the core battle is to become important in someone’s life. To win this battle, a person does all the things. But unsatisfying humans don’t return the same love, care and respect.
There are millions of breakups, divorces, and violence stories on social media. You can see millions of people uploading sad stories with tears.
Why is this happening?
Because people seek happiness in others. They want a feeling of importance. 24/7, But unhealthy connection
People are searching for true relationships in modern life, and when they fail to find one for a long time, they feel lost, even though their bank account is full.
When you know whatever is roaming around you is fake, you lose that real interest in living a life. When you feel emotionally insecure, you don’t feel the real taste of life. This emotional insecurity is everywhere in the modern world.
Therefore, stop seeking happiness in others and stop fueling dopamine, as it is temporary satisfaction. Instead, engage in something that gives you happiness. Enhance your self-worth. Be the person with a product, and support others with your product.
6. Repetitive and boring Routine
Another reason modern life feels meaningless is that people are living like robots rather than humans.
You may ask this question: Am I born only for this? Only to this?
No, you came to the world to experience beyond that. But you have to make a change in that boring, repetitive routine.
The majority of people forget to give time to their family and friends, and they realise it when it is too late. The majority of youth don’t focus on personal development and health. They procrastinate good things. They do so because they are busy with their job and unnecessary activities.
It is good to work hard, but it is equally important to focus on other things, such as spending time with loved ones, adopting a new habit, engaging in recreational activities, travelling, and meeting new people.
Due to work pressure or other tensions, you may lose interest in these activities, but to live like a human, they are a must.
7. Realising that nothing lasts forever
Sometimes spirituality hits the heart, and we realize that one day we will die, and for what, for whom we are doing all these things. This happens when you lose something important from your life.
This kind of energy is good for spiritual growth, not to mention that life is pointless.
Yes, nothing is permanent, and that is a reason to search for the meaning in life. One day, we will go doesn’t mean we have to worry from today. Instead, until we live what we should do is the big question.
Most successful people have already realised this fact, and decided to leave their legacy so that people mention their name for centuries. Some people died helping thousands, some by giving employment to millions, and some by giving valuable lessons.
But modern society is less spiritual.
Final Words
People are unhappy today, and the main reason is social media. After the advent of social media, people have developed many habits that kill happiness.
People are in competition mode, and society also gives importance to those who win the race. They see a smiling face with expensive items and think that money is everything.
People don’t value their family; fathers and mothers who invested all their energy in them. They are lost living an influenced life rather than their original life.
Social media has revealed most aspects of life. People are finding love there and wasting valuable time pleasing others. They are revealing their personal lives and living real life with pressure.
In fact, life is not meaningless. It is full of meaning, only if you:
- Stop the competition and go ahead at your own speed.
- Don’t try to understand too many things.
- Stop seeking happiness in other people.
- Accept that nothing is real and permanent.
- Focus on the present and stay motivated for any circumstances.
- Connect with spirituality.
- Accept that happiness is a feeling, not a product you can buy or exchange for something.
- Let it go.
- Find the purpose and work on it with interest.
- Share your happiness and success with others.