[jkaunisv1]

I really don't think a world devoid of meaning is the main cause of depression. I would be much more inclined to look at more immediate, physical stressors as the causes of depression: working too much, working a job you hate, worrying about paying the bills, being socially isolated, not exercising enough, relationship problems, not getting enough sun, having a chemical imbalance in your brain, etc.

Stoicism (the actual Greek philosophy, not the pop culture perception) is very much concerned with the practical aspects of living a meaningful, enjoyable life. It's helped me immensely in dealing with the mental habits of depression. But it pales in comparison to the benefits of a steady job I like, a little pink pill, a loving partner, and playing sports regularly.

[mercer]

I agree, or rather I think that the 'meaning' religion offers is not a cause but more of a facilitator for all the good things you mention at the end of your comment.

So it's not the meaning itself primarily, but everything that comes from having a strong community based on a shared 'myth'.

Or to put it differently: religion is like an opinionated framework, and the non-religious world many of us live in now is like the node/express.js ecosystem.

For many of us (perhaps especially in the HN world), the latter is preferable. We can do our research and pick and choose what we like, and the end result might work as well or better than the framework, even if it might be a bit unorthodox. We figure out the things in life that make us happy, and stick with them.

But for others (and perhaps for many of us too), the freedom and the requirement to do your own research might not work so well.

Some end up with a bug-riddled system that crashes or is insecure. This may lead to depression or other (mental) health issues, or even worse, they get hacked and go straight to a cult solution (I've seen it happen, what with my background denomination being border-line cultish).

And some don't even get that far and spend their life paralyzed, agonizing over best practices, project structure, and whatnot, leading to anxiety, loneliness, and an almost permanent state of anhomie.

I've been in all these situations to various degrees, and sometimes I am almost seriously considering returning to the church-going life that provided me with structure, good habits, friendships, meaning, community, and a somewhat clearer and more solid worldview that was supported by everyone around me and not just the somewhat ad-hoc and unique framework that I've created myself.

I won't, for the same reasons that I'm currently building my own CMS over using Rails: it's more fun, and for some reason I just can't be part of something that I don't intellectually stand behind or that I can't always justify or understand (Rails 'magic').

tl;dr: many people do not have the ability, time, toolset or courage to figure out how to live 'the good life', so buying into a strong community built on some form of 'meaning' that encompasses all aspects of life is perhaps the best alternative.