How the Meaning of Life Affects Your Brain: Part 2 of 3

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Mar 23, 2026

They link rising anxiety and depression in young people to a growing sense of meaninglessness. They explore Zen examples and unanswerable questions as a way to reshape the mind. They compare right- and left-brain ways of knowing and show how tech narrows our mental life. They offer simple practices like scheduled contemplation and walking to reopen the right brain.

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INSIGHT

Meaninglessness Explains Youth Mental Health Trends

Rising depression and anxiety in young adults track increases in reported life meaninglessness.
Monitoring the Future data shows spikes in people saying their life feels meaningless closely mirror mental health declines since 2008.

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ANECDOTE

Learning Zen Through Archery Practice

Arthur C. Brooks recounts reading Zen in the Art of Archery and studying how a German philosopher learned Zen by practicing archery.
Eugene Herrigel studied archery in Japan for five years to learn Zen, illustrating learning through practice.

insights

INSIGHT

Right Brain Asks Why Left Brain Solves How

Hemispheric lateralization frames two cognitive modes: the right hemisphere asks big why questions, the left hemisphere finds analytic how answers.
Ian McGilchrist's Master and His Emissary describes right as master and left as emissary.

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The Meaning Crisis and Rising Mental Illness

01:34 • 3min

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Why Young Adults Say Life Feels Empty

Learning from Zen: Aporia and Practice

08:10 • 3min

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Unanswerable Questions Build Understanding

11:00 • 6min

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Hemispheric Lateralization: Right vs Left Brain

17:21 • 3min

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Complicated Versus Complex Problems

20:34 • 6min

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Why Technology Narrows Our Brains

26:35 • 2min

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Traditional Practices to Open the Right Brain

28:42 • 6min

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Two Practical Steps: Schedule and Walk

34:20 • 3min

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Applying These Practices and Book Plug

37:18 • 1min

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Q&A: Combatting Contempt with Loving-Kindness

38:23 • 3min

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Q&A: Travel Protocols Teaser

The Sound of One Hand

281 Zen Koans with Answers

Yoel Hoffmann

Hakuin

This book compiles 281 Zen koans originally assembled by Hakuin Ekaku, a pivotal Rinzai Zen master, including his renowned koan: 'Two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand? ' Edited and translated by Yoel Hoffmann, it reveals the answers and insights from Zen tradition, which caused a scandal upon its 1916 Japanese publication due to unveiling secretive practices. The koans challenge dualistic thinking, guiding practitioners toward enlightenment by collapsing distinctions like sound and silence.

#1830

• Mentioned in 24 episodes

Zen and the art of archery

Eugen Herrigel

#1810

• Mentioned in 24 episodes

Love Your Enemies

How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt

Arthur C Brooks

In 'Love Your Enemies,' Arthur C. Brooks argues that the current culture of contempt in America, fueled by divisive politics and social media, is not a path to lasting success. Instead, he proposes a strategy based on bridging divides and mending relationships. Brooks combines behavioral research, ancient wisdom, and his experience leading a top policy think tank to offer unconventional prescriptions for bringing America together. He emphasizes that disagreement is essential for excellence and that civility and tolerance are insufficient goals; what matters most is how we choose to act towards those we disagree with.

#1617

• Mentioned in 26 episodes

The Meaning of Your Life

Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness

Arthur C. Brooks

#110

• Mentioned in 164 episodes

The master and his emissary

The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

Iain McGilchrist

This book argues that the division of the brain into two hemispheres is essential to human existence, allowing for two incompatible versions of the world. The left hemisphere is detail-oriented, prefers mechanisms to living things, and is inclined to self-interest, while the right hemisphere has greater breadth, flexibility, and generosity. McGilchrist takes the reader on a journey through the history of Western culture, illustrating the tension between these two worlds as revealed in the thought and belief of thinkers and artists from ancient to modern times. He argues that the increasing dominance of the left hemisphere in today’s world has potentially disastrous consequences.

Don’t miss The Meaning of Your Life Virtual Experience, my free live global book launch event this Friday (3/27), where I’m joined by an extraordinary lineup of guests to dive into all things meaning. Learn more at themeaningofyourlife.com.

This is Part Two of my series on meaning, where I explore the science behind the meaning crisis, a central theme in my upcoming book, The Meaning of Your Life (out March 31).

In the last episode, we looked at boredom. Today, I dive into the link between a lack of meaning and rising anxiety and depression—and why avoiding life’s biggest questions may be part of the problem. Why do we avoid the questions that matter most? Easy: These questions are uncomfortable—they don’t have clear answers and can’t be solved “once and for all.” However, the process of asking these unanswerable, ineffable questions changes the way we understand our lives, even if we cannot neatly articulate that understanding. As always, I share practical steps to get you to the “right” side of your brain, so that you can start building a life with greater meaning.

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Where to find Arthur Brooks:

• Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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