Finding Meaning Alone

Eat. Sleep. Experience COVID-19.

By: David Ma

Humans are hardwired to need social connection, something which has been readily denied in recent weeks. With that isolation comes strange effects, and there are days where I go about my life in a robotic catatonia because there’s just nothing else to do. This really begs the question: what’s the point of it all? 

In the face of such isolation, is nihilism the answer? If everything is meaningless, what is there for us to do? 

Disclaimer: I am not a philosophy major. But I will pontificate about it regardless. 

One of the main schools of thought in response to nihilism is existentialism, which is perhaps somewhere we can look for guidance. Existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre claimed that “existence precedes essence.” In layman’s terms, this means that while there is no inherent meaning (essence) to life, an individual is defined by the actions (existence) that they choose for themselves. In application to our situation, while you have no choice but to stay home, you still have the freedom to create purpose amidst your new lifestyle.

All things considered, COVID-19 is an undeniable condition; the question is what to make of it. Now that we have been denied our friends and classes and perhaps even jobs and loved ones, we must create renewed meaning for ourselves.

Cook. Exercise. Call your mom. Find your little joys. Take solace in the fact that your seemingly insignificant act of staying home is saving lives. Marvel at the human spirit as others donate equipment, risk their lives, or sacrifice their careers to protect their employees. It is true that these are difficult times, and it is hard to feel like you have freedom. But do not give in to pure nihilism because it is only through your experiences and actions that you can find your own meaning.