Jim Rutt defines the "meaning crisis" as a societal and individual phenomenon where traditional sources of meaning, such as religion, community, and long-standing cultural narratives, have eroded, leaving a void that modern secular and materialistic frameworks struggle to fill. This crisis manifests in widespread existential angst, mental health issues, and a sense of disconnection from larger purposes and values. In Rutt's view, the meaning crisis is a byproduct of rapid technological advancements and socio-economic changes that have outpaced our ability to adapt psychologically and spiritually. The crisis calls for a reevaluation of how we construct meaning in a rapidly changing world, urging a search for new narratives and systems that can provide the depth of purpose and connection once found in more traditional settings.

See also: evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, emergence, evolution, integrated information theory