The Power of Meaning
Emily Esfahani Smith · book + TED talk
Emily Esfahani Smith's book and her 12-minute TED talk on why a meaningful life matters more than a happy one.
Why am I sharing this?
Minghan, a classmate in our community, sent me Emily Esfahani Smith's TED talk. I listened, then found her book, and I'd love for us to talk about it together. So it's our topic for Connection with Intention on Friday, Oct 30: what is happiness, and what is meaning?
Start with the talk
It's 12 minutes. Smith says that chasing happiness can leave us feeling emptier, and that what makes a life worth living is meaning. She finds four pillars of it: belonging, purpose, storytelling and transcendence.
Bring one thought on Friday
These three questions come from the Reader's Guide at the back of the book. Choose one and come with your answer.
- Smith argues that our culture is too focused on the pursuit of happiness. Do you agree?
- Which of the pillars (belonging, purpose, storytelling, or transcendence) brings you the most meaning?
- What does it mean to be a successful person?
The book is there if you want more. Each pillar gets a chapter of real people's stories, so read the one that speaks to you.
— Eric
社群里的茗涵给我推荐了 Emily Esfahani Smith 的这个 TED 演讲。我听完又找来了她的书，很想和大家一起聊聊。所以 10 月 30 日周五的 Connection with Intention，我们就聊这个：什么是 happy，什么是 meaning。
先看演讲
演讲 12 分钟。她说，一味追求快乐反而可能让人更空，真正让生活值得过的是意义。意义有四根支柱：归属、使命、讲述和超越。
周五带一个想法来
下面三个问题出自书末的读者指南。挑一个，带着你的回答来。
- 作者认为，我们的文化太执着于追求快乐。你同意吗？
- 归属、使命、讲述、超越这四根支柱里，哪一根给你的意义最多？
- 怎样才算一个成功的人？
书有兴趣再翻。每根支柱一章，都是真实的人和故事，挑你有感觉的那一章读就好。
— Eric