Think Twice About The Meaning of Your Life with Arthur C. Brooks

Think Twice About The Meaning of Your Life with Arthur C. Brooks

From Open to Debate by Open to Debate

April 2, 2026 · 53 min

About this episode

Arthur C. Brooks discusses the challenges of finding meaning in modern life and offers insights from his research on purpose and connection.

At some point, we all ask: “Is this what I’m meant to do?” In this "Think Twice" episode, social scientist Arthur C. Brooks joins Open to Debate's CEO Lia Matthow to explore why meaning feels harder to find. Drawing on research from his book "The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness," Brooks argues modern life pushes us toward shallow solutions that miss deeper human needs, and offers a path back to purpose, connection, and a life that truly feels lived. Our Guest: Arthur C. Brooks, New York Times Bestselling Author of "The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness"; Professor at Harvard University; Columnist at The Free Press Lia Matthow, CEO of Open to Debate, is the guest moderator. Join the conversation on Substack - share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated insights from our debaters, moderators, and staff. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and TikTok to stay connected with our mission and ongoing debates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Lia Matthow

Guest: Arthur C. Brooks

Topics covered

  • meaning of life
  • purpose
  • human connection
  • social science
  • modern life

Keywords

  • meaning
  • purpose
  • connection
  • social science
  • Arthur C. Brooks

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Harvard University, The Free Press, Open to Debate

Books & works: The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness

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