“Man can find meaning in life, short and perilous as it is, only through devoting himself to society.”
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Source: Why Socialism?, 1949
About this quote
Meaning is framed here as contribution rather than private accumulation or status. The finite and vulnerable character of life makes service to other people a practical source of purpose.
When to use it
- A retired engineer mentors students and finds renewed purpose in passing on hard-won knowledge.
- A neighbor organizes food deliveries for people isolated during a local emergency.
- A business owner measures success partly by whether employees and customers genuinely benefit.

