Life’s Dual Reality: Uncovering Meaning in Suffering and Death
People often evaluate the quality and meaning of their lives through the prism of a system of values, symbols, and meanings that connect existence with the finiteness of being. In other words, many believe that life gains depth precisely when it manages to explain not only one’s own existence but also the inevitability of death. As stated in one source:"Because only that which gives meaning to death can give meaning to life. Unlike an animal, man lives in a double reality: a universe of symbols and meanings is open to him. And man is built in such a way that he can endure any pain, but only if he can justify it. That is the psychological task of religion – to introduce a dimension of meaning into man’s universe." (source: link txt)Thus, for many, the meaning of life is measured by the ability to find symbolic justification even in suffering and finiteness, which helps them cope with life’s inevitable hardships. Life is seen as something more than just the possession of wealth or material well-being; it becomes complete precisely when a person feels that every experience, including pain and loss, has its place in a unified system of meanings.
This idea is also reflected in the following reflection:"Do you not think that general prosperity will only intensify the aversion to life?... To give meaning to the coming and going of man, to birth, pain, and death. Because only that which gives meaning to death can give meaning to life. Unlike an animal, man lives in a double reality: a universe of symbols and meanings is open to him. And man is built in such a way that he can endure any pain, but only if he can justify it. That is the psychological task of religion – to introduce a dimension of meaning into man’s universe." (source: link txt)Thus, the criteria by which people measure the quality and meaning of their lives are not only material security or physical health, but above all the depth of symbolic, spiritual, and cultural meanings that allow them to justify the suffering they experience and to see a higher order in it. These criteria include the assessment of personal experience, an inner connection with the surrounding world, and the ability to perceive life in its dual reality, where every trial finds its place within a broader system of life’s meanings.