Meaning and the good life

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Bioethics Civic life Cultural diversity Ethics Fairness and equality Human rights and justice Meaning and the good life Nature and the environment Neurodiversity Progress and the future Race and ethnicity Values and beliefs Virtues and vices Wisdom

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Photo of a brown earthworm on rough grey asphalt in sunlight.

Bioethics

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Why, in a universe of pain, I’m saving stranded earthworms

Any action can seem futile amid so much suffering. I’ve realised the important thing is to stop despairing and do something

by Claire E Schultz

Photo of sunlit green leaves and branches against a bright blue sky.

Wonder and the sublime

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The most profound wonder is stirred by what is most ordinary

Rare moments of wonder at the mere existence of things – rather than the dramatic or new – involve perceiving with the soul

by Maria Balaska

A person watering plants in an urban garden with buildings in the background on a cloudy day.

Meaning and the good life

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How to make your life feel more meaningful

Existential psychology offers specific ways to find meaning, giving you a buffer against despair in these anxious times

by Steven Heine

A rake with a wooden handle rakes through sand dunes, its trail mixing with shadows from a line of multicoloured flags.

Meaning and the good life

film

An artist captures the joys of solitude amid a month living in a beach shack

Directed by Lynne Sachs

Impressionist painting of a family in a garden, with a child learning to walk, assisted by an adult, as another adult crouches down with outstretched arms.

Values and beliefs

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A philosophical approach can help you identify what truly matters

We’re often taught to live according to our values, but this is easier said than done without pausing to reflect deeply

by Valerie Tiberius

Play

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The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play

This is about more than a self-help switch – it will take structural changes to reject capitalism’s productivity obsession

by Alec Stubbs

Photo of nine matches in a row, progressing from unused to completely burnt.

Mental health

guide

How to recover from burnout

Feeling worn down, checked out, or bitter about work? The answer is not to ‘just work harder’. Try these steps instead

by Debbie Sorensen

Silhouette of a person surrounded by a burst of white, glowing particles against a dark background.

Dissociation and detachment

film

Using his body as a canvas, Jean-François recalls getting lost in unreality

Directed by Jean-François Boisvenue

Photo of a man working at a desk with multiple monitors, backed by a large mountain mural, in an office setting.

Work and vocation

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Why do so many people think they are in a bullshit job?

Researchers continue to debate whether some jobs are inherently useless – but all agree it’s harmful to see your job this way

by Shayla Love

Photo of two people on a ledge under an umbrella during dusk overlooking a cityscape and the sea.

Meaning and the good life

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You can be a materialist and find meaning in the universe

My hard-nosed materialism led me to an existential crisis, but then I realised the difference between science and scientism

by Jessica Tracy

Black and white photo of a person wearing a jacket, eyes closed, with a foggy forest background and tree branches above.

Spirituality and religion

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How to find new spiritual practices

Even if religion isn’t for you, there’s a world of rituals and tools to lift yourself up and connect to something greater

by Morgan Shipley

Abstract orange background with two stick figures amidst geometric shapes and lines.

Progress and the future

film

Stick figures meet existential angst in this acclaimed, darkly comedic short

Directed by Don Hertzfeldt