Great responses thus far. :rolli:
I don't think there is a purpose in the way we normally think of "purpose." Purpose normally implies a goal that something was designed for. Example, the purpose of the can opener is to open cans. As far as I can tell, humanity has no designer aside from nature, and even nature has no real intended goal except maybe preservation, though preservation/evolution is more of a byproduct of the natural laws of this universe than anything consciously intended, like the guy who created the can opener.
My opinion is that people feel disconnected from themselves, their people, their world, and ultimately, the entire universe because they don't give themselves time to sit and reflect, always chasing pleasure and avoiding pain, asking "how do I get out of this mess I'm in?" instead of saying "what's really going on here?" Merging with rest of one's surroundings (by connecting to our insides, ironically) makes that existential angst disappear because you start to appreciate the role of that angst.