Few stories are as iconic as Citizen Kane, and there’s no better way to explore the difference between meaning and purpose—and how they shape our happiness—than through this masterpiece. The film’s central character, Charles Foster Kane, is a powerful, wealthy newspaper mogul who dies alone in his grand mansion. His last word, “Rosebud,” becomes the key mystery of the film, driving a reporter to investigate its significance. What the reporter uncovers is a profound story that sheds light on our human condition—one that has the power to transform how we think about meaning, purpose, and happiness.
But what makes Citizen Kane so compelling isn’t just the plot, but what it tells us about the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves.
The Mystery of Rosebud
At the core of Citizen Kane is a mystery that haunts the character of Kane long after his death. “Rosebud,” his final word, becomes a question that echoes throughout the narrative. Initially, we may think of it as a mere word—a random utterance from an old man on his deathbed. But as the story unfolds, the truth behind “Rosebud” unravels: it was the name of a sled Kane had as a child. This sled symbolizes a time in his life when he was innocent, loved, and connected to his family, before he was abruptly taken away and thrust into a life of wealth and power.
The loss of Rosebud, the sled, represents something far deeper: the loss of happiness, safety, and the genuine connections Kane once had. And it reveals the central theme of the film: the impact of early trauma on a person’s life and the elusive nature of happiness.
The Rosebud Phenomenon: Meaning vs. Purpose
Kane’s life story is an exploration of what is I call the Rosebud Phenomenon. This phenomenon explains how past trauma or loss becomes the nucleus of what drives us to succeed—yet, paradoxically, also keeps us from achieving true happiness. It’s a powerful lens through which we can understand the complex relationship between meaning and purpose.
The difference between meaning and purpose is crucial. Meaning is the story we tell ourselves about ourselves. It’s how we interpret and make sense of our past. Purpose, on the other hand, is about the present and future. It’s about the actions we take to fulfill a particular goal or mission.
For Kane, his past trauma—symbolized by the loss of his family and his beloved sled—became the meaning of his life. He told himself a story about a great loss, a great trauma, that shaped his identity. In essence, he was never enough. The story Kane crafted about himself was one of inadequacy and abandonment. And as he moved through his life, this narrative drove him to prove his worth by becoming a successful businessman and media mogul.
But here’s the catch: despite his monumental success, Kane was never happy. He was constantly striving for more—more power, more control, more influence—and yet, this insatiable drive never filled the emptiness inside him. He was still trapped in the same story he had told himself about being “not enough.”
The Problem With Meaning
What Kane’s life reveals is that when the story we tell ourselves about our past is rooted in trauma—whether it’s loss, rejection, or fear of inadequacy—it can distort our sense of meaning. And when we carry that meaning into the future, it often leads us to pursue goals that are not about fulfillment but about proving ourselves.
This is where the Rosebud Phenomenon strikes a chord with many of us. Just like Kane, many of us carry unresolved trauma or past hurts—something we haven’t healed from. And often, the story we tell ourselves is that we’re not enough. So, we try to fill that emptiness by achieving things, whether it’s professional success, wealth, or accolades. We chase after purpose in an effort to make ourselves feel whole, but the problem is that the hole created by that trauma is unfillable by external achievements.
As Kane’s life demonstrates, no matter how much we accumulate or accomplish, if we are driven by a story that we are fundamentally inadequate, the pursuit of purpose will never bring us the satisfaction we’re seeking. It’s an unfillable hole.
Healing the Meaning Issue
So, how do we resolve the “meaning problem” that plagues us? How do we break free from the cycle of trying to prove our worth through achievement?
Happiness Essential Reads
In my view, the solution lies in reframing the story we tell ourselves about our past. We have to go back and acknowledge that the loss we experienced—the metaphorical Rosebud—wasn’t our fault. The trauma wasn’t something we caused, and it doesn’t define us. We were good people in bad situations, and we no longer need to prove our worthiness through external accomplishments.
For Charles Foster Kane, healing would have meant accepting that the loss of his childhood and his family wasn’t his fault. He didn’t need to amass an empire to prove his worth. Instead, he could have reframed his past and recognized that he was always enough, just as he was.
We all have our own version of Rosebud. It could be a moment of loss, a rejection, or a deep-rooted fear of not being good enough. But the key to overcoming the Rosebud Phenomenon is not to try to fill that emptiness with more success or accomplishments. It’s about going back and rewriting the story we tell ourselves—about realizing that we were always enough, and that our worth is not tied to what we achieve, but to who we are.
The Rosebud Phenomenon in Real Life
The Rosebud Phenomenon is not confined to fictional characters like Kane. It’s all around us, in real life, and we see it reflected in pop culture, too. Look at the celebrities, billionaires, and high-powered executives who seem to have it all, yet are often unhappy, lonely, or searching for something deeper. What’s their Rosebud? What past trauma are they trying to fill with their success? And more importantly, will that success ever be enough to make them truly happy?
The answer, unfortunately, is likely no. If they haven’t healed their internal wounds, no amount of money or fame will fill the hole that remains. The key to happiness isn’t in what we accomplish, but in how we come to terms with our past and rewrite the stories we tell ourselves.
Conclusion
The story of Citizen Kane isn’t just a tale of wealth and power; it’s a story about the meaning we give to our lives and how it affects our pursuit of purpose. Kane’s inability to find happiness, despite his success, serves as a stark reminder that true fulfillment comes from healing our past and accepting that we are enough—just as we are. Only then can we find peace, no matter how much we achieve.
