As a nation, we Americans thrive on what’s new. It seems to be the engine of our economy and the goal of our pursuit of happiness. Businesses and social networks seem dedicated to helping us pursue this elusive pursuit of happiness.
Commercials tout the latest and greatest clothing style, car, or “big meal deal” that we must go out and buy. I mean, how can one live without such things? With all we have, shouldn’t we be happy?
And yet… more people than ever are medicated for depression and anxiety, while suicide rates soar. This accelerated in the Covid-era and continues to this day. Our collective pursuit of happiness is an elusive, never-ending effort, which leaves most people empty-handed.
The news media wait like vultures for the latest tragedy, disaster, or terrorist attack, then flood us with repeated images and sound bites. The inundation of the news media and social media tends to leave us overwhelmed and numb.
And yet, all of this is nothing new. Ancient wisdom tells us this. Could we be looking for the wrong kind of happiness in the wrong places and in the wrong way? This is the point, more or less, of the book of Ecclesiastes. King Solomon is a prime example of this fruitless pursuit of worldly happiness.
King Solomon amassed great wealth, hundreds of wives and concubines, and was well-learned about many things. But he viewed all of this as a futile and pointless exercise.
What would bring him to that view of life? That’s a long story, but it leads to the wisdom found in Ecclesiastes. It gives us an opportunity to learn from Solomon’s failures.
This book is written in an ancient philosophical form called speculative wisdom. Solomon often contrasts worldliness with godly wisdom in the books of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs by using figurative language.
Figurative language is used to illustrate or relate what is unfamiliar or not easily understood, by connecting a thought or concept with something in real life or something familiar in a physical sense or object.
Solomon speaks of the transitory nature of generations of lives on earth with the constancy of the earth itself. He speaks of the continuing cycles of the sun rising and setting, the directions of the wind, and the flow of rain, streams, and the ocean as endless cycles.
These are his examples of the pointlessness of life, as he says— “Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless.” (Eccl 1:2, GW)
Solomon spoke of the redundancy of life itself.
Whatever has happened before will happen again. Whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. (Eccl 1:9–10, GW)
Nothing is as new as we think
All we do in life, no matter how new or special it may seem to us, has been done before. Solomon drives home this cynical and pessimistic view of life by returning to various generations of people who come and go and then forgotten.
Perhaps this is why we don’t seem to learn from history. History seems to repeat itself because we lack awareness or remembrance of past events and stories of former generations. Later generations lose perspective or can’t relate to even cataclysmic events.
We try to keep what’s historically significant alive through holidays and events set aside to remind us of them. Yet, after a few generations, even these lose their impact on younger generations wrapped up in current events and concerns.
Existential reflections
We are creatures of habit in some way or another. Some of us maintain a daily routine or schedule, while others don’t appear to have a rigid or set schedule yet with a pattern of doing the same things day in and day out.
We all need some kind of order in our lives and the world around us. No one does well with chaos. Sustained chaotic and jumbled thoughts and actions may be indicators of mental illness or a serious physical condition.
On the other hand, unbroken routines become monotonous and decrease our creativity, energy, and resolve. This is why breaks, recreation, and vacations are valuable!
When it comes to the broader view of the meaning and purpose of our lives and how we fit in the greater scheme of the world and universe, well, it’s complicated.
Our worldview—how we view the world and our place in it all—is a very personal and subjective issue. What makes it complicated is our individuality, and how we are distinct and unique from others.
And yet, the basis for how we view the world can bring simplicity. Our worldview affects our sense of meaning and purpose in life. This is the crux of the book of Ecclesiastes. When our worldview is earthbound and based on human nature, it’s easy to develop a cynical or pessimistic worldview.
However, if we believe God is the Creator and Lord of all, we are more likely to see an order and purpose in our life that rises above the cynical and pessimistic view so often presented by those who don’t believe or trust in God.
What is your worldview based on? Do you see life on earth as boring and pointless or as having meaning and purpose? How you answer these questions is important!
