If there is one defining crisis of our times, it is not economic, political, or even ecological—it is a crisis of meaning.
Humans are driven by the search for purpose. When this need goes unmet, life feels shallow or empty. Earlier societies didn’t wrestle with this in the same way. Traditions, communities, and moral codes provided an unquestioned framework of meaning. Medieval peasants rarely asked about the purpose of their work; it was woven into their daily reality.
Today, however, most people lack this embeddedness. Modern life, shaped by the Enlightenment and scientific revolution, eroded the religious and philosophical frameworks that once gave society depth.
Symptoms of a Meaning-Deprived Society
The signs are everywhere:
- Obsession with health and fear of death
- Diseases of meaning: cancer, depression, fatigue, addictions
- Escapism through consumerism and immediate pleasure
- Jobs seen as mere survival or money-making, not vocation
- A lack of imagination and refusal to confront existential threats
Many feel like they are living without direction, trapped in what Zohar calls a spiritually dumb culture.
The Historical Shift
In Nepal or in traditional rural societies, meaning is still embedded in daily life, rituals, and community. In contrast, modern urban cultures, especially in the West, have lost these frameworks.
This loss can be traced back to the 17th-century scientific revolution, which prioritized rational analysis while eroding spiritual traditions. Enlightenment thinkers replaced religious values with material ones, leaving individuals alone with existential questions they often lack the tools to answer.
Why SQ Matters Now
This is where SQ comes in. Rational intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ) are not enough to deal with existential emptiness. Only SQ—the ability to unify, contextualize, and give meaning—can address this gap.
We must all, Zohar says, learn to draw on our deepest inner resources, to connect with the centre of ourselves, and bring forth the unique “music” each life is capable of contributing.
In other words, SQ is not a luxury—it is a survival skill for the soul.
👉 In the next blog, we’ll turn to the science behind SQ: how the brain’s “God spot,” neural oscillations, and the lotus model of the self show us a new way of understanding human intelligence.
