WHY AM I HERE?

In the years to come, as work becomes more hybrid (in office and/or online), and gig-work becomes more common, will we see history-reversing migrant flow-from the big cities to small towns, may be even villages? This may well become reality, as more people ponder: "Why am I here?"

- Kiran Karnik

FOR MILLENNIA, philosophers thinkers and have pondered on the reason for life. Why do we exist? Are we here to fulfil some mission and, if so, what is that? Does life have a goal or are humans on earth as a random occurrence? Does existence have a larger goal or are we programmed to merely seek to survive and procreate, as biologists may aver? If the survival instinct is built into our DNA, what explains altruism or the willingness to sacrifice one's life to save others? Mahatma Gandhi said, "Find purpose and the means will follow", implying the need for each individual to discover or create a purpose.

In corporate circles, the buzz word now is purpose. Overtaking its cousin, vision, Purpose (with an emphatic upper-case P) is the key word in the business lexicon. Objectives and goals, though sometimes considered similar if not synonymous - with vision are now mundane and so last-century. Purpose, many leaders feel, is the magnet that draws investors, customers, and talent, while driving valuation. Little wonder, then, that much effort goes into crafting and refining the organisation's purpose which is its raison d'etre. It also answers, for the corporate, the question we started with, articulating why the organisation is here.

AN EXISTENTIAL CONUNDRUM

For individuals, the question is a deeply existential conundrum, at one level. Deep thinkers and worriers suffer many a sleepless night trying to find a satisfying answer. For some, the purpose is doing good; for many, it is doing well. For a few unfortunate souls - the searchers the answer is elusive; to most, though, there are too many other pressing, here-and-now concerns, to spend mental energy worrying about such philosophical matters.