We have so much, yet we still feel empty — why? Because we have solved the problem of "how to live" but forgotten the question of "why to live." Being "rich" is not the same as being "meaningful." Material abundance cannot answer the question "why do I live."
Written in plain, accessible language, this book explains the essence of meaning and value: meaning is not a property of things themselves but a relationship between things and "me"; value is not "how much it costs" but "what is worth devoting my life to."
In three parts — what meaning is, what value is, and how meaning-value plays out in life — it weaves together the three levels of meaning (survival, social, existential) and the three dimensions of value (use, exchange, meaning), grounded in the everyday settings of work, consumption, and relationships. Rich with everyday examples, comparison tables, and hand-drawn illustrations, it requires no specialized knowledge — anyone can grasp what meaning and value truly are, and re-read their own life and choices through the lens of meaning.
