The Meaning of Life

[Turk.]

By Derek Sivers 2014-05-05 AEST

Let's just figure out the meaning of life, once and for all, in under 20 minutes, OK?

This is a 19-minute talk I've given at four conferences in Ireland, Taiwan, India, and New Zealand. I've improved it after each, and finally consider it done, so this is now the best and final recording of it.

The video doesn't add much, so if you would rather just listen, download the MP3.

The video should be visible below, but if not, download the MP4 video.

Here's the full transcript, if you hate surprises and my charming voice:

Transcript:

There's a true story about the student who showed up late to math class. He copied the problem that was already written on the board, assuming it was homework, and solved it that week. Only afterwards did he find out the teacher put it on the board as an example of an unsolvable problem.

This question - ?What is the meaning of life?? - is the classic unsolvable problem. For thousands of years, people have been trying to figure it out. It's the punchline clich? of unanswerable questions.

But right now, let's be the naive ones that don't know it's considered unsolvable, and just figure out the meaning of life in under 20 minutes. OK?

LIFE IS __________

What word do you think goes in that blank? Life is what? Any ideas?

Let's look at some of the different options that philosophers and smarties have said.

LIFE IS TIME

Some say life is time. Life is all about time. The defintion of life is the time between when you're born and when you die. So the literal meaning of life is time.

So if life is time, the way to have a good life is to use time wisely.

How can you use time wisely? Five ways.
Full Transcript Source

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

good  summary :)

[Crisp]

But time flows at different speeds in different places. Does this mean I can make my life better?

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

42.