Mystery of Being

Silhouette of a person holding their head against a starry sky background
Confronted with the infinite universe, frozen by the smallness of oneself and fear of the unknown.
Faith & Philosophy

Description

The Mystery of Being is humanity’s supreme magic trick to conceal its anxieties. The more you try to rationalize it, the more it slips through your fingers; the more poetically you describe it, the more emptiness you reveal. Is it a quest for truth or mere self-indulgence? Everyone eventually grows bored and forgets it, yet it inexplicably returns as the eternal theme.

Definitions

  • A universal device that instantly makes anxiety sound poetic.
  • A catchphrase for coolly talking up anything inexplicable.
  • A double kick to the conclusion section of any academic paper.
  • Uttered by philosophers, yet no one ever offers an answer.
  • A symbol of concepts that vanish like sand in the palm.
  • A poet’s over-the-top panacea for relief.
  • An epic drama of fragments of truth lost in the river of forgetfulness.
  • A mystery show inviting you to stare into the abyss and then never show anything.
  • An amusement park ride trapping you in an infinite loop of questions.
  • A welcoming party of emptiness awaiting travelers chasing meaning.

Examples

  • “Mystery of Being? It’s that moment you overhear your neighbor sigh dramatically in a meeting.”
  • “Why does the universe exist? It’s just a magic trick called the Mystery of Being.”
  • “Those who unravel the Mystery of Being always go viral on social media, incidentally.”
  • “Before discussing the Mystery of Being, survive the microcosm of waking up.”
  • “The only time I ponder the Mystery of Being is during that cup noodles’ three-minute wait.”
  • “He lectured on the Mystery of Being, then forgot why he came to the room.”
  • “She chased the Mystery of Being, but ended up buying a relationship horoscope.”
  • “Meditating on the Mystery of Being? Five minutes before a phone notification snaps you back.”
  • “The Mystery of Being… or perhaps your own existence is questionable.”
  • “Chasing the Mystery of Being? Don’t forget your talk can become a meme.”
  • “Just utter the Mystery of Being and you automatically become a deep thinker.”
  • “Want to know the Mystery of Being? Start by erasing gaps in your resume.”
  • “Before you discuss essence or the Mystery of Being, clean your desk.”
  • “He dove into the Mystery of Being, dropped his phone into the abyss.”
  • “There’s nothing more futile than a meeting on the Mystery of Being.”
  • “Those who boast about the Mystery of Being usually understand nothing.”
  • “Pursuing the Mystery of Being ultimately leads to gatekeeping your schedule.”
  • “Mystery of Being? I wish deadlines would vanish like magic too.”
  • “Moments to feel the Mystery of Being: exactly 30 seconds of lunch break.”
  • “The Mystery of Being? Just a four-character buzzword mafia.”

Narratives

  • The Mystery of Being is the collective name for those fleeting hallucinatory moments when a shadow in your room looks like a ghost at midnight.
  • People discuss the Mystery of Being to mask their anxieties and inadvertently rack up likes on social media.
  • Academics attempt to unravel the Mystery of Being in papers, only to conclude with the inevitable plea for further research.
  • The quest for the Mystery of Being is a never-ending marathon, with no finishers in sight.
  • Mention the Mystery of Being in a meeting, and watch it head straight to the minutes’ trash bin.
  • Those who embark on a journey to find the Mystery of Being are usually betrayed by poor Wi-Fi signals.
  • Meditation apps promise to harness the Mystery of Being, but ultimately only lure you into clicking ads.
  • Those most engrossed in the Mystery of Being often can’t even decide what to have for lunch.
  • Philosophy tomes on the Mystery of Being, with their musty pages, become shelf fodder, unread.
  • Artists strive to paint the Mystery of Being, yet end up with mere abstract patterns.
  • Students chasing the Mystery of Being fall asleep in libraries, only to dream new mysteries.
  • When explaining the Mystery of Being, people typically just string together poetic platitudes.
  • Gaze at the night sky from a deserted park, and clouds seem to contain the Mystery of Being—until sunrise erases the illusion.
  • The Mystery of Being slips through the mesh of language like grains of sand.
  • Self-help books teach you to achieve the Mystery of Being—if only anyone knew what achievement meant.
  • Debates on the Mystery of Being are delivered at breakneck speed, with neither cheers nor applause at the end.
  • Symposiums on the Mystery of Being collapse in real time, courtesy of attendees live-tweeting.
  • Seeing neon reflections on skyscrapers might suggest the Mystery of Being lives in concrete, but it’s just another trick of light.
  • Retreats promising the Mystery of Being generally hand out nothing but a cafe’s Wi-Fi password.
  • Google searches on the Mystery of Being yield not a single millimeter of progress.

Aliases

  • Existence Trick
  • Bag of Endless Mysteries
  • Philosophy Firework
  • Black Hole of Thought
  • Labyrinth of Consciousness
  • Toy of Nihilism
  • Lost Tag of Mind
  • Cosmic Prank
  • Hide-and-Seek of Truth
  • Jungle of Meaning
  • Existence Thief
  • Stand-up of Thought
  • Mystery Machine
  • Nursery of Ignorance
  • Escape-proof Game
  • Fairy of Abstraction
  • Monster of Imagination
  • Puzzle of Significance
  • Infinite Loop of Inquiry
  • Endless Quiz

Synonyms

  • Ontological Phantom
  • Detective of Meaning
  • Endless Topic Spinner
  • Feast of Illusions
  • Truth Hunter
  • Whim of Concepts
  • Thinking Amusement Park
  • Brain Rollercoaster
  • Philosophy Cafe
  • Meaning Maze
  • Existence Express
  • Souvenir of Mystery
  • Parade of Emptiness
  • Beast of Concepts
  • Symphony of Questions
  • Lost in Thought
  • Spice of Nihilism
  • Logic Trick
  • Unending Oration
  • Treasure Trove of Uselessness

Keywords