Postmodernity: Where has Meaning & Purpose Gone?

Postmodernity: Where has Meaning & Purpose Gone?

In today's postmodern society, we find ourselves grappling with a profound question: where has meaning and purpose gone? Throughout history, great societies have passed down their culture from one generation to the next, and in doing so, they have instilled a certain amount of meaning and purpose into the lives of individuals. Culture has always played a crucial role in shaping our identities and giving us a sense of belonging.

However, in recent times, there has been a rejection of culture, leading to what some scholars have termed as an "inward homelessness." This cultural collapse is not happening externally, but within ourselves. We are losing the very essence of our identity, which was once rooted in faith and spirituality. As we reject the religious stories and traditions that have shaped us, we are also losing the meaning and purpose that they brought into our lives.

The loss of culture and the subsequent diminishment of our identity is a significant concern. When a society fails to pass on its heritage and values to the next generation, it is essentially saying that those principles and experiences are no longer valid. As a result, purpose becomes defined solely through asserting our individual identity, rather than understanding who gave us that identity and why.

This shift in our understanding of identity has given rise to a search for new meaning and purpose. People are trying to fill the void left by the abandonment of traditional cultural values. While this quest for personal identity is understandable, it is essential to recognize that culture has always been a source of collective meaning and purpose. We cannot escape the fact that we are part of a larger whole, and our identities are intertwined with the cultures we belong to.

In the midst of this cultural crisis, we are also witnessing the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. According to Gartner, the worldwide AI software market is projected to reach $62.5 billion in 2022, with a 21.3% increase from the previous year. While AI offers exciting possibilities in various domains, its long-term trajectory will depend on our ability to advance our AI maturity as enterprises.

Interestingly, there is a connection between the search for meaning and purpose in our personal lives and the demand for AI technologies. As we grapple with questions of identity and belonging, we are turning to AI systems for assistance. The top five use case categories for AI software spending in 2022, as identified by Gartner, are knowledge management, virtual assistants, autonomous vehicles, digital workplace, and crowdsourced data. These use cases reflect our desire to find answers, guidance, and efficiency in a rapidly changing world.