Tergel: Meaning of Life

The 21st century is marked by its information revolution. With mobile devices and omnipresent high speed internet, the masses have infinite amounts of information and content at their fingertips. But, to me one of the most interesting things that changed the art world is the #hashtag. 

The hashtag allows people to direct their audience outside of their social circle of followers. Recently, art exhibits have become hotspots for hashtagging. One specific instance is the popularity of the #artbasel hashtag this year. Many people who are famous have thousands or millions of followers on instagram, Facebook, or any other social media. By marking their presence at a show like #artbasel or #moma, they are able to spread the reach of high art to people who wouldn't have encountered it otherwise. 

Relevant article by a Rochester studio art alum who graduated in 2012 (Cait Munro) who works in the art industry in NYC:  https://news.artnet.com/art-world/6-popular-art-exhibitions-instagram-ever-324959

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To me, success is the act of doing something well. It is the successful application of your energy towards a field or task that you carry to its most highest possible form. Success is doing the best that you can with the resources you were given (intelligence, familial wealth, education, perseverance, stubbornness, creative talent, caring heart... etc)

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Life is meaningless. When we ascribe meaning to life, we develop an attachment to the discovery of that meaning. You set yourself up for suffering when you believe that life has meaning. 

I personally don't like suffering. I believe that all suffering arises from developing attachments... attachments to family, attachments to money, status, education, people, animals, identity... etc. 

If you live life from moment to moment, not developing attachments to the elements in your environment, you do not suffer. In order to rid yourself of all attachments, you must rid yourself of the belief that life has meaning.