Value and meaning. These terms, when applied to the question of human existence and experience, underlie some of the perennial questions of philosophy. What makes a person valuable? What makes life meaningful? It is important to note that, although these questions are related, that is to say they are not independent of one another, they are not the same question.
What makes a person valuable has been, and continues to be, a hotly debated question. Roughly speaking, however, there are generally three kinds of answers to this question. Some argue value is granted, others say that value can be earned, lastly some think value is illusory.
If value is granted, granted by whom? By God? By the state? If value is granted then is that value absolute? Is it conditional or unconditional? If human value is granted by the state then it is only as good as the state granting it. It is also obvious that value granted by the state would be conditional because the same state which could grant value to human life can decide not to grant it any longer, or grant it to some persons but not others, or grant it to all but be conquered by another state which does not grant it at all.
If, on the other hand, human value is a thing granted by God then that value is absolute because he who grants it is absolute. Value granted to human beings by God cannot be corrupted nor revoked, God’s perfections of power and character assure us of this, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29 ESV) This is, in fact, a central idea in Jewish and Christian faith, man is made in God’s own image (Genesis 1:26-27) and is therefore inherently valuable.
Some have, of course, argued that human value is earned rather than granted. Of course one could easily argue that the basis for granting value to a person (by the state) is whether a person shows themselves worthy through their work. So these two ideas can be related. But others insist that they can make themselves valuable without reference to anything outside of themselves granting them value. “I am valuable because I have X quality” or “I have completed X accomplishments” or whatever else such thing. Some people fancy themselves as being valuable because they are beautiful, others because they are intelligent, others still because they have produced great art or accomplished a humanitarian effort of importance, etc. The problem is obvious, or at least it ought to be. Beauty fades, Alzheimer’s occurs, you’re only as great as your last great painting or song, and what you call humanitarian effort others call “colonization” (there is no pleasing everyone). If this is value then such value is fleeting and not able to be maintained. If human value is rooted in mutable (i.e. changeable) qualities or in our ability to be productive then our value is always in peril. A person could be valuable at one moment and worthless the next.
Some have said human value is completely illusory to begin with. Certain existentialist philosophers who have grappled with these questions have concluded, for similar reasons to those I have just mentioned, that there is no real ultimate human value. Value is, at best, subjective and relative to each person. Nietzsche argued that men “will to power” and impose meaning and value on life by an act of will. But ultimately his view of the world led him to die alone in an asylum after having been driven insane by syphilis which he contracted living out his own atheistic worldview. He certainly lost the will to power in the end.
If there is no God then it is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is also no objective value or meaning.
Value. Things of value are cherished, protected, and loved. Things with no value are ignored, discarded, and despised. What you believe about human value makes an incredible difference as to how you treat each person you meet.
But value is only one issue. What about meaning? It seems perfectly coherent to conceive that a person might be valuable and yet fail to live a meaningful life. An analogy might be if you had $1,000,000,000 but never spent a dime of it. Money has value but that is meaningless unless you actually spend it. Limitless money does you no good if you just hoard it in a vault like Scrooge McDuck.
In the same way, even if we grant that every human life is inherently valuable, it certainly does not follow that every life will be meaningful. Because of the fact that we are image bearers, we are valuable, we are packed with amazing potential, but there is no guarantee that this potential will not be squandered. In fact, a person could live a comfortable life, a life that some would carelessly call “a good life”, but in reality they will have lived a meaningless life. What makes life meaningful?
Again, some will rush to a utilitarian answer and will say, “Life is made meaningful by work, by productivity.” And while it is not to say that there is nothing to that, for work can be very meaningful. Work is part of the creation mandate (Genesis 2:15) but it should not be confused with man’s purpose. If man’s chief end is to be productive then the life of a baby, or many a senior citizen, is meaningless and valueless. It may come as a complete surprise to many to hear this but it is actually the “useless” things in life which are most meaningful and which impart meaning to us.
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” - C. S. Lewis (The Four Loves)
Lewis’ quote touches on this idea of the meaningfulness of useless things. Useless, does not mean valueless. Useless means it doesn’t get you anything else. Anything you love, truly love, you don’t love for the sake of some other end. You love it for its own sake. Your wife, your child, a beautiful painting, truth itself, you don’t want to use them, trade them, for something better. You want them. They are useless.1
Trying to find meaning and value in fleeting qualities or productivity is the last place you will find true value and meaning.
Every great thinker of note has touched on these crucial questions. From Plato to Nietzsche and everywhere in between. Volumes upon volumes of philosophical and religious texts have tried to address these questions. So where to start? I know of no better way to start someone on the road to thinking about the ideas of human value and meaning than through the power of story. I know of no better story to introduce these particular ideas than Lois Lowry’s The Giver.2
Set in an unknown time in the future, in an undisclosed part of the world, lies a community. In that community is a male child named Jonas. (Why didn’t I just say a boy?)
Jonas has everything. He has Mother and Father, a sister names Lily (she is a Seven), in short, he has a family unit. He has friends to play with who enjoy him. He has a safe, warm, home without fear of any physical dangers from the outside world. He always has plenty of food to eat, no one in the community is ever starving. He receives a rigorous education which gives him hope of a career where he bring valued services to his community. Everyone has their place in the community. Jonas is very content with life in the community, as everyone is. Why shouldn’t he be? He has everything.
But Jonas has nothing. He just doesn’t know it. Then he meets the Giver.
The Giver is the first in a series of four books followed by Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son. I cannot commend the whole series to you strongly enough. Lois Lowry is an award winning author who has written quite a few other books worthy of your attention, Number The Stars being one of note. Below you will find a study guide to this first great book of The Giver Quartet. The links will become live as each new section is posted. Pick up a copy today and start reading!
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gentlemen, despite the truth of this statement, I heartily recommend not telling your wife how useless you find her.
Another great place to go for a story which wrestles with these themes, however, is The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy. The giver might be a better starting spot as it is an easier read, but both are excellent.