Some fear that accepting that the way we think, feel, and behave are the result of determinants which are ultimately unchosen would make life feel as if nothing really mattered, but such fear is unwarranted. Metawareness provides a sense of connectedness to all that preceded us as well as all that will follow. That our actions are causally connected to everything that preceded them is vastly more meaningful than the illogical notion that our brains can originate actions indifferent to, or even contrary to causation. The way human behavior reflects the same cause and effect continuity which governs our cosmos is both splendid and satisfying.
Recognizing that what we think, feel and do is always constrained by the preceding determinants does not make life feel less meaningful, however, it can lead to a change in what we consider to be important. When we understand that given the determinants, whatever the outcome is, it is always the only result possible, outcomes can feel less important than the process through which they are achieved. Rather than subscribing to the popular axiom “the end justifies the means” a naturalistic humanist is more likely to think that “the means are the end.”
This concept is brought into stark relief when we recognize that “the end” we will all eventually face is our own demise. Ultimately, what matters is not as much the end, as it is how we conducted ourselves in the pursuit of our goals. Rather than focusing on the destination, what matters the most is our journey there. The primacy of the journey is also crucial when thinking about societal change. We cannot hope to become a just, loving, peaceful, and egalitarian society if our path there is filled with hatred and violence.