What is the meaning of Life?

We know it's 42, but what is the right question?

Here is some food for thought from Derek Sivers. Nice analysis, and I agree. He says,

"Life has no inherent meaning. Nothing has inherent meaning. Life is a blank slate. You're free to project any meaning that serves you. You're free to do with it, anything you want."

The meaning of life, then is within you - not outside. There is no absolute / inherent meaning in life, only what you project onto it.

The natural question now is how do you know what "serves you" or what you "want"? We want so many things, often conflicting things. We want different things as time progresses. The meaning that serves me now will not serve me forever. What if your future meaning is incompatible with your present meaning?

The inherent assumption in all this discussion is that a life with meaning, is more fulfilling than a life without meaning. If that is so, what about a life with meaning that keeps changing? Is that so bad?

My approach is this:

Widen your options, talk to people, and pick a meaning that makes sense now based on your current perception of life. A meaning that you think will hold true for you in the foreseeable future. And then set a tripwire - 2/5/10 years from now depending on how long term you feel the meaning will be.

Write down the meaning, this is your answer to life. Don't doubt it, go live it! Until the tripwire is triggered. At which point, repeat the process. Decide on a meaning you want to live by, based on your current situation, and go live it. Until the next tripwire!

Life now becomes a collection of sub-lives each with their own meaning. The right question then is

"What is your meaning of life, at this point in time?"

My answer? "8128"