SEARCHING (for life-purpose)

The Paired Statements for Searching:

“I am looking for something that makes my life meaningful.
I am always looking for my life’s purpose”.

Figure 1. SEARCHING espousers

In broad demographic terms there is over-indexing among females, with no significant differences by age or socio-economic groups; and under-indexing among males and those over 65.

Many different forms of philosophical/religious discipline and psychology/social psychology make assumptions and provide structures for thinking about or practicing a search for meaning – often as a basic human desire or form of ‘consciousness’. Our research provides data to help understand how this is being defined in today’s world.

This general profile highlights ‘searching’ as form of stasis – a frustrated orientation among people who are, first, looking for a greater source of meaning in life and, second, feeling that they haven’t found it yet.

Recent CDSM data has shown that 30% of the population espouses this orientation – giving some credence to commentators who believe that not all people are concerned with this aspect of life; i.e. something that is of more concern to urban elites, the chattering classes, or people who have too much time on their hands –as opposed to ‘hard-working’ people struggling to get-by, or hard-headed pragmatists who just get on with life.

Interestingly, our data shows that, although 32% of the population firmly rejects the Searching statements, the description of those people does not line up with social commentator characterisations – another subject altogether.

Among those who do espouse Searching, the element of being stuck in their search - and life in general - is the most correlated Attribute. It is over-indexed at 155; i.e. 55% more likely to be espoused than in the population as a whole. It is quite likely that the feeling is complemented by another highly correlated Attribute that measures the extent to which people are Self-critical; ‘beating-up’ on themselves and being disturbed about their own negative thoughts. Searching espousers over-index on this factor, and this likely contributes to their self-perceived lack of progress in their quest.

‘Self-perceived’ is the main factor in this dissatisfaction. They have high standards for themselves. They feel that there is a goal to be achieved, and that the goal is to make a lasting difference. This relates to what’s measured in our ‘Meaningful Life’ Attribute.

High aspiration and high self-doubt can be a caustic mix in other people, but the Searching espouser group has another facet to their values-set that mitigates some of these tendencies, while also actively driving a way of thinking that carries them forward, beyond Stuck. This is their love of learning and wanting to know more about their life and the lives of others. This extends to the whole world around them, feeling that they can learn a lot from other cultures, not just their own. For them, searching for meaning and purpose is not just an introspective search – they feel that their search can be charged and reinforced through an extended awareness and embracing of the world in which they live.

In this expanded consciousness beyond their own community, they are likely to find more opportunities to celebrate the successes of others; a feeling of joy in the achievements of others. This aspect of their values-system is measured at 33% more likely among Searching espousers than it is in the general population.

Though feeling stuck they are not likely to stay stuck – expanded awareness and high standards tend to break down most psychological barriers that prevent life’s journey from moving forward.

Now let’s breakdown this general profile into Maslow Groups.

Maslow group Population (base) % Attribute % Index
Pioneers 37.7 37.7 100
Prospectors 36.8 40.1 109
Settlers 25.5 22.2 87


Though the Prospectors are the most over-indexed among all Maslow Groups, it is by less than 10% and is not considered a significant difference. Nevertheless, if we dive into the data for each Maslow group separately, there is still much to learn.


Figure 2. SEARCHING espousers - Pioneers

There is virtually no differentiation by gender or socio-economic group. Only the 18-21 age group is significantly over-indexed and no age group is significantly under-indexed.

The Pioneers espousing Searching are 84% more likely than the rest of the population to feel they have a lot to learn from other cultures. This doesn’t mean they need to go to other countries to get a different view – they are the most likely, among people in the UK, to choose to live in communities with mixed ethnicities. Brexit is likely to have some psychological impact on their search.

Their awareness of other cultures is not limited to their experiences in the UK. They recognize their own advantage to be born into a relatively rich culture, and they are awake to the poverty and disadvantages to those not living in the UK. They do feel a sense of responsibility, as fellow human beings, for pushing their country to aid more disadvantaged countries – from better working conditions for individuals to full economic reorganization at the nation level.

They have a sense of justice that extends beyond self-interest and want everyone in the world to be treated equally. Given their insights into other cultures they understand that they can help and support others to redefine their own legal and cultural systems. They understand that many other countries have adopted legal systems from British and European cultures. These systems may or may not be appropriate for the indigenous culture that has existed much longer than the British/European influences. In efforts to create better systems of justice, the Pioneer Searching espouser is likely to come to an extended awareness of the strengths and weakness of British/European systems of justice – and be energize by the insights.

Faced with their wider understanding, they know that part of their search is to interact with others who do not share their viewpoints, and to listen and spend time to make sure they understand other’s opinions.

They take responsibility for many aspects of their life and exhibit a willingness to take care of the environment - not just leaving it to others or corporations or governments to practice caring behaviours. This is just another form of personal responsibility which drives their journey towards their goal - a meaningful life.

Conclusions:

These Pioneer espousers are on an active search for meaning and a desire to live a life of purpose. They know they have not achieved this yet, but they have a moral and intellectual roadmap to guide their ‘lived ethics’ and create a more just and equitable world for themselves, their children and those in other culture. They know the more they work for change the more they will learn about themselves and how to play their own part to create innovative and hybrid solutions to legal and social systems that are no longer appropriate for the 21st Century.


How do the Prospectors espousing Searching people compare to them?

Figure 3. SEARCHING espousers - Prospectors


Demographically these Prospectors over-index on Females, and in the 25-34 age group. There is no significant difference by socio-economic group.

Other than being driven, among their peers, to make a lasting difference - but with a very high bar to success - they are quite unlike the Pioneer espousers of Searching.

Their search is more focused on ‘material display’ at both the macro-level of their homes and the micro-level of self-enhancement; to look good in any social setting. In terms of a hierarchy of life-change, this is a stage of development that precedes acquiring a meaningful life in the general sense of behaving within a purpose that brings meaning to life.

Prospectors espousing this orientation do have genuinely high aspirations - having not yet reached their self-defined goals – but these goals are likely to less global and abstract, and to be more concrete and personal. They are still Prospectors and ‘ME’ oriented. They are more than 50% more likely than the general population to want to learn a new art or craft - a new skill set - and take great satisfaction in making or doing things themselves. Their search involves doing real things, so that they can display them to others and gain a sense of social identity as a doer, a hard-working citizen to be admired by others.

This is a relatively high energy and materialist search, very focused on behaviours that create ‘high displays’ as a road to self-identity and should provide a great engine for continuing their journey of self-discovery. Except … they have a feeling of being stuck on the journey. Their exuberant approach to life is stymied when confronted with events and situation that they can’t control. This ‘out of control’ sensation tends to result in negative feelings and thought that they find difficult to overcome.

Conclusions:

These Prospectors’ high standards for performance are likely to result in some form of material success, that then funds other sources of satisfaction in yet more forms of material success. The display of one of the prime social symbols of success in the UK, their home, is extended to self -display and looking good. Searching for ‘more in life’ has a materialist edge to it, in contrast to the Pioneers. Though motivated to achieve the esteem of others and their hard-won self-esteem, they currently feel stuck in a groove and are not too sure how they will get out of the rut they feel is preventing them from getting to the ‘next level’ of whatever they aspire ‘to become’.

The Prospector search is very Prospector!


The last Maslow Group espouser of Searching are the Settlers and we will see they look and feel like truly uncomfortable Settlers, and unlike other espousers of Searching.


Figure 4. SEARCHING espousers - Settlers


Demographically there is little difference among standard variables – no significant differentiation by age or gender – but over-indexed among DE’s and under-indexed in AB’s.

These Settlers are almost twice as likely to say their lives are stuck and unable to even conceive of a way forward, even though they want to. Their extremely high over-indexing on pessimism indicates this is not a pleasant state of mind.

They haven’t given up hope yet, nor on the dream of a better time, which is likely to be some form of romanticised past rather than a new way of adapting to life, like the Pioneers and Prospectors.

Their search is constantly being attacked by their own mind beating them up for not living up to their own expectations. Though this can be seen as some form of self-responsibility, it is more likely to be felt as self-doubt.

This creates a situation where they become people who are likely to seek to have some form of stability in the ambiguous situations caused by their search for something more. They take firm positions on concepts that allay their feelings of failure in more material and social aspects of their life. They feel scared and lash out in support of extreme punishments for those who have breached rules of law.

Conclusions:

Searching for meaning and purpose is leading to stress and a sense of pessimism that permeates these Settlers’ lives. In a culture where more tens of thousands of people believe that the journey of discovery and enlightenment is worth it, the Settlers are the least like to accept this - and if they do, it is a journey that makes them very uncomfortable.