My new outlook on "meaning" is that it's felt, not rationalized. That is to say, we create our meaning but don't have much control over what feels meaningful to

My new outlook on "meaning" is that it's felt, not rationalized. That is to say, we create our meaning but don't have much control over what feels meaningful to us. If someone told you that a given dull, repetitive task would be good for humanity in a utilitarian sense, it wouldn't necessarily feel any more meaningful. There's a reason the strongest predictor of men's happiness is their work. We like to work on whatever happens to interest us and so much the better if that helps us engage with others, and shows impactful results. I think it's possible to find meaning in our work whether we pursue it relentlessly or leisurely, it comes down to preference. Some people are content to live each day like the last and lead low-stress lives.