What is a Meaningful Life?

November 8th, 2006 · 16 Comments
Discussion Topics

Does everybody have the opportunity to lead a meaningful life? Do celebrities have a greater power to lead meaningful lives because they have the publics attention? Address the discussion from todays class (November 6: Per. 4). If you have ideas that weren’t heard, address them here and let us know the context from which you are referring.

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16 responses so far ↓

1 Brianna // Nov 10, 2006 at 1:18 pm

Yes i do believe that everyone has the opportunity to lead a meaningful life because people have a choice on their own desteny and have the power to change their dreams and turn them into reality. I dont think they have a greater power because they are just like us. The only thing that is different is that their lifes are aired for the whole world to see and if they do one bad thing then the press/media would give out rumors and their lifes are also being in the public eye so their choices effect their true self.
2 Mr. Wegner // Nov 12, 2006 at 6:18 pm

Great response, Brianna.
3 Sindy // Nov 12, 2006 at 10:43 pm

I so agree with what Brianna said!!!! YES!!! Everyone can live a life that is meaningful, dosn’t matter if you rich, poor, or in the middle. Its what you choose that makes you life meaningful. No, i don’t think that celebrities have more power over a meaningful life. They think they do because they always have the public eye and everyone is watching every move they make. I think that people who don’t have as much can also have a meaningful life. It depends on every person and what they think a meaningful life is. For some people it’s all about the money, how much they make, how much they will make, and buy thing to show off the money they have. But for others it’s just the simple things like having a family with children or just getting to finish college. You see, it all depends on the person and what they think a meaningful life is.
4 luke salzarulo // Nov 13, 2006 at 3:42 pm

READ ME READ ME READ ME READ ME READ ME READ ME READ ME READ

Of course everyone has a right to lead a meaningful life. The only question is what people consider to be meaningful. To make an impact and to make a difference, one must serve others. Even in a high position of leadership, putting others first makes a great leader. Wealth, Status, education, or achievements no matter how great, are always forgotten, but a legacy, a living legacy makes the difference. What would cause someone to serve others and give themselves up for others? Mother Teresa said this
“Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.”

A good Father, a caring Mother, interested grandparents, close friends even a compassionate teacher can make the difference to someone else’s life. Many times this impact will go unnoticed, but we are all changing other people’s lives whether we like it or not. Remember the movie CRASH? If you have not seen it, I recommend it highly, but be aware that it is rated R. You have the choice to do the right thing and be a loving person, everyone has that responsibility.
5 Tabitha Espinoza // Nov 17, 2006 at 4:54 pm

Hello, this is one of your CSUN buddies…I like that you all are discussing this right now because this is a question that even adults struggle with “Is my life meaningful?” or “Why isn’t my life meaingful?” I agree with Sindy when she posted “it all depends on the person and what they think a meaningful life is.” I am studying to be a teacher. I feel as though I am at a huge advantage because I have a husband who takes care of me financially and so I do not HAVE to work if I don’t want to…I can stay home all day and watch tv, or go shopping all day. That used to sound good But I quickly realized that my life would have very little meaning if I stayed couped up in my house all day. Teaching, to me, is one of the most difficult tasks I will ever take on. I am not doing it for the money, or to fill up my time, but I am teaching because I like communicating with teenagers and because I like to create diverse and useful lessons that students can connect to.
6 Tabitha Espinoza // Nov 17, 2006 at 4:56 pm

So, I am CHOOSING to make my life meaningful…teaching is my idea of having a meaningful life because I hope to make a difference or at least leave some good ideas with the students that I come into contact with. How much meaning would my life have if I sat in front of a TV all day?!
7 moses banuelos // Nov 17, 2006 at 8:38 pm

Well Mr.Wegner many people see celebrities as Gods and other people think that there life’s aren’t worth nothing and doesn’t have a meaning to it. The way I see it is that yes of course celebrities do have meaningful life but what I don’t think its greater than anyone else’s just because there richer than most people or more beautiful than more people. When someone in this world is perfect then they could say how much more there life’s are more meaningful than other people. So to me everyone’s life has a great meaning to it. In addition some will say how come some people do drugs and junk like that didn’t you say “everyone’s life has a meaning”. Yes everyone’s life has a meaning it just depends on the person and which road they take, but this is just my opinion you could take it or leave it.
8 Silina Ouzounian // Nov 30, 2006 at 12:42 am

In my opinion a meaningful life is when you actually do something with my life. For instance get good education. Like Tabitha said sitting in front of the T.V the whole day isn’t gonna help you much. So i rather study and do something in my life rather than sitting around the whole day. Their are some people rather sit around the whole day and taht what meaningful life is to them, but to me is to get good education and study hard.
9 Julie Donnahoo // Dec 11, 2006 at 5:02 pm

It seems as though the posting to this blog has stopped… pick it back up! This is a huge idea. What makes life meaningful? I am interested in what all of you NAHS students have to say. What makes my life meaningful is my family, because they are loving, supporting, and entertaining; my fiance, because he is the sweetest person I know; and the other people I surround myself with because they make me want to be a better person. When I feel unsatisfied with my life it is generally because I do not have time to slow down and appreciate all that is around me (like right now, because finals are coming up), but I know in two weeks I will be back to being myself and I will enjoy the fact that I will only have one semester until graduation. I guess what I am saying is that there will be highs and lows, but to appreciate the good times you will have to accept and persevere through the difficult times… that is what creates meaning.
10 Jacquelynn Mondragon // Dec 15, 2006 at 3:19 pm

Even though I wasn’t part of the class discussion at Northridge Academy, I do believe everyone has the opportunity to lead a meaningful life. Opportunity is a chance for progress or advancement. We live in a great country where we are able to make our own personal decisions. Anyone choose the right or the wrong path, it all depends what that person seeks out of life. A meaningful life consists of contentment, being able to die tomorrow knowing that you tired to do everything possible to live a happy life. Anyone from celebrities, teachers, police officers, homemakers, executives, writers, engineers, laborers, and students have the opportunity to live a meaningful life. Celebrity status or being in the public eye doesn’t determine a greater meaning of life nor does one’s bank account. The quantity of money doesn’t determine who you are; it’s the people you impact along your path which determines a meaningful life. To have to the ability to affect someone positively is a change in the world and is the greater part of living. The only benefit from being a house hold name and have a great amount of money is that they have the ability to reach more people than an average family struggling month to month. It all goes back to what people consider a meaningful life. I am living my meaningful life. I’m the first in my family to have a college degree and I won’t stop until I receive my Ph.D. My meaningful life is success in the academic world. I believe that every student can be reached and with that said I hope in influence every student who enters my high school classroom.
11 Maryann Shamoon // Dec 17, 2006 at 2:11 am

This is actually a very interesting topic. Why is there a misconception that celebrities can lead more meaningful lives because they have the public’s attention and money? Personally, I think that things like attention, money, fame are all insignificant. Those are things in life that come and go. What makes my life meaningful are the people in it, and how they help me shape my own life. I am very very greatful for the people like my mom, my dad, my best friend, etc etc. They are what make my life meaningful. Sometimes the most popular or richest people in the world still feel empty inside because they lack love and relationships. I think it’s those things in lie that you can’t see that really make this life worth living and meaningful.
12 John Perfetti // Dec 18, 2006 at 5:31 am

Meaningful? What does iti mean to be meaningful, to lead a meaningful life, to have meaning? Its relevent to the iondividual author. Can a vagrant on the streets have just as meaningful an exsistance as a celebrity? More?
Each person, each individual gives his or her own life meaning according to waht it is that they belive to be meaning ful. If the vagrant on the streets feels as though living on the streets gives his/ her life meaning than yes, the vagrant does live a life full of meaning. to him/her, their life matters. It has a realized purpose. If the celebrity feels that his/her life is unfullfilling or is lacking meaning, or not fully living up to the potential then the vagrant does have more meaning in their life.
It is all relevant to the individual. If an individual feels as though saving the rainforest gives their life meaning, then that person needs to find the tools first to realizing this goal. Then, that person needs to learn how to use them. Our celebrity with these goals [rainforest saving] does stand a better chance at making an impact in the rainforest issue. They have a voice/ access to the public through the media, they have financial freedom, and hopefully influence with freinds in similar circumstances. The goal can then be achieved or come close, thus giving their life meaning.
But, consider this, what if our celebrity has a different goal. Let us suppose that our celebrity believes being a secret agent will give their life meaning. In this case, the celebrity is at a disadvantage, because they are easily recognizable becuase of hteir celebrity status.
Consider our homeless person. If their belief is that saving the rainforest will give their life meaning, they are at the disadvantage. Butif their goal is to spread the word of some religious gospel to the people of the streets they have the advantage. they are on the streets, and amongst the people they are trying to help.
then the answer is no, a celebrity does not have a better oppurtunity for living a meaningful life. Meaning is what you make it as it applies to you, the individual.
13 Stephanie Scott // Dec 18, 2006 at 1:43 pm

I definitely think that anyone can have a meaningful life. Having a meaningful life mean making a positive impact of the lives of others. One does not have to be a celebrity with excess amounts of money in order to impact the lives of others. Making a positive impact can be anything from volunteering, to teaching, to simply smiling at someone in an effort to brighten they day. Tehse are things that anyone can do to make his life meaningful without having to be a celebrity.
14 Sarene Kushdilian // Dec 18, 2006 at 4:48 pm

Of course everyone has the opportunity to lead a meaningful life. Like many of you posted earlier, the question is, “What makes a meaningful life?” This question can be answered in so many different ways by so many people. I find that living a meaningful life (though this may sound redundant) is just that: find a purpose! Why do you wake up every morning? What drives you? (I hope each of you have an answer to this.) Do you go to school because you HAVE to? Or do you actually want to learn and spend time with your friends? Though it may seem like we do all these things (go to school, participate in extracurricular activities, etc) because we are forced to, would we do things differently if we could? I remember being in high school and questioning everything: “what is the purpose of life?” “why am I wasting my time by going to school every day when I just don’t want to?!” But I have learned that this is when I have grown the most. Because I questioned the purpose of life, I realized that I was not making the most of every day.

I find purpose in being faithful to God and myself. Like Stephanie says in her post, having a meaningful life means making a positive impact on the lives of others. This is why teaching is so appealing to me. You don’t have to be a celebrity to be able to make this kind of impact. We can all make an impact, and find meaning in our lives, in our own ways–whether they are public or private.
15 Jeremy Strauss // Dec 18, 2006 at 6:08 pm

This topic is an interesting one, although I think the intent of the question has not been fully explored. We can all agree that the actions and attitude of an individual make up a so-called “meaningful life”, and thus is not dictated by wealth or fame.

However, I think it is important to realize that wealth and fame open doors in life that may have otherwise been closed. For one example, I have loved my time here at CSUN, and would recommend it to anyone. Through hardwork (and necessary sense of humor) I have made my experience here meaninful. I put a lot into my education, so I got a lot out of it in return.

But I could have never realisitcally gone to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, or any other Ivy League school. Even if my grades were up to par, my family could not afford such a financial burden. I am not saying that Harvard is necessarily better than a Cal State school, but it might be, and I would never know whether or not this were true.

Now take someone who is either wealthy or famous (they often go hand-in-hand). They, based on their social status, could go to Harvard OR CSUN. Whether or not their life is meaninful is still ultimately up to them as a person, but their experience in arriving at that meaningful life would be quite different from my own. Just a thought to chew on…
16 Danielle Baker // May 10, 2007 at 2:18 am

I was tempted to say “nope, not everyone can have a meaningful life.” but I suppose that would just be me being oppositional. In my heart I believe everyone is capable of having a meaningful life. I certainly think some people might have better situations in which they can feel that their life has more meaning. IAs for the celebrities, I’m not so sure that their fame and wealth really helps them. Personally, the thought of having everything I want would probably send me into a depression in which I would constantly move about, trying to find something productive to do. I suppose that’s why many celebrities start fund raisers and such.