The Symptoms of the Crisis
The Meaning Crisis is a pervasive condition in the modern world characterized by a widespread loss of meaning. Its symptoms include growing rates of nihilism, a sense of absurdity, and feelings of alienation. People feel disconnected from themselves, from each other, and from a coherent worldview. In the absence of traditional meaning-making structures, many are drawn to pseudo-religious ideologies, such as conspiracy theories or radical political movements, which offer a sense of purpose but often lead to further fragmentation. This breakdown is not a failure of intellect, but a failure of our fundamental cognitive process of Relevance Realization, which has been undermined by historical and cultural forces, leaving us unable to discern what is significant and valuable.
The Diagnosis of Disconnectedness
The root cause of the Meaning Crisis is a loss of what Vervaeke calls “religio.” This term refers not to organized religion, but to the set of practices and beliefs that bind us into a coherent reality. It is the web of connections that links us to ourselves, to others, and to the world. Historically, this “religio” was provided by cultural and religious frameworks. However, forces like the scientific revolution and secularization, while bringing immense benefits, have also eroded these traditional binding structures. This has resulted in a profound breakdown of the Agent-Arena Relationship. The agent (the individual) no longer feels “at home” in the arena (the world), leading to a sense of being adrift and disconnected.
The Prescription for Re-connection
The solution to the Meaning Crisis is not to invent a new set of beliefs or return to old dogmas. Instead, the prescription is to cultivate an Ecology of Practices. This is a personalized, integrated set of psycho-technologies—like meditation, dialectic, and contemplation—designed to systematically enhance our cognitive and existential functioning. The goal of these practices is to cultivate Wisdom, which is the ability to overcome self-deception and foster profound connectedness. By engaging in these practices, we can begin to repair the broken “religio” and restore the vital connections that make life feel deeply meaningful.