The making of the meaning in Chapter 10 of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Flow, explains that sportsmen and artists can be joyful when performing their activities and differ when in their artistic or sporty world. He states that “the flow in a single occasion never essentially guarantees that it will be carried over to the rest of their lives” (Csíkszentmihályi 214). The author explains the approaches he uses in the making of life in various parts. They comprise the meaning of means, the purpose of cultivating, forging resolve, harmony recovery, and the unification of themes in life (Csíkszentmihályi 214-241). The author argues that meaning is complex since any creation of meaning might result in being circular.
By asking the question “How do we talk about the meaning of meaning itself?” the author provides three methods that can be associated with meaning (Csíkszentmihályi 215). First, he argues that the creation of meaning entails having the elements of the mind in order by joining activities into a combined flow of experience (Csíkszentmihályi 216). Second, meaning is a way that can be used to express intentions by someone. Finally, he suggests that one ought to pursue a goal with a motion.
The author explains that one needs to observe various steps to make every minute of their life sensible. The first part of his theory is cultivating purpose; this is because challenges that a person is required to face are defined by the goals set ahead (Csíkszentmihályi 220). The author argues that every culture of human beings has a meaning which serves as a general-purpose through which people classify their goals (Csíkszentmihályi 220). For instance, the author explains that in an ideational culture, the body is valued as a sign of some abstract principle of spiritual perfection related to the idea of the ‘Aryan race’ or ‘Roman valor.’
In forging resolve, the author explains that purpose offers direction to efforts made by a person but never makes life easy. Also, goals create problems that might make a person desire to quit at a certain point (Csíkszentmihályi 225). He hints that when one alters his goal, believing that he or she might attain a better life, sometimes they ends up gaining no experience. Therefore, the author argues that every goal has its challenges and if one is not ready to struggle with them, then the goal is useless.
In Recovering Harmony, the author argues that initially, the capacity of human beings to have reflective consciousness was a condition of their minds before being disrupted by danger, pain, sexuality, and hunger. In the unification of meaning in life themes, the author believes that; rather than concurring with the unity of purpose offered by the conventions of the society, the main challenge that human beings have is creating harmony based on choice and reason (Csíkszentmihályi 229). Therefore, one ought to respect the flow of experience to make life enjoyable because the game of life is determined by different rules.
Finally, the author states that for people to value science, and its role in the life of humans, it needs to change so that it relates to the life of human beings. He concludes his essay by stating that the “next centuries and decades have to recognize that complexity involves integration and differentiation,” which is a concept of the human mind that is immature (Csíkszentmihályi 238). Therefore, just the way people have learned to separate themselves from one another, they also need to learn to reunite themselves with other entities without losing their hard-earned individuality (Csíkszentmihályi 238). He recommends that it is necessary to combine our dreams with the laws of life if we desire to achieve our goals in a safe environment.
Reference
Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály. “Chapter10: Making of meaning.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow. Chicago: UP, 1990. 214-241.