The Answer to 42 is Not 41, and That's the Problem

According to the great mathematicians of the 20th century, the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is, of course, 42.

But have you ever stopped to think, why 42? Why not 41? Why not 37? Why not 13?

It's all well and good to say that 42 is the answer, but what's the reasoning behind it? Is it because 42 is just a nice, round number? Is it because Douglas Adams liked the sound of it?

Or is it because, deep down, we're all just trying to avoid the existential dread of facing the meaninglessness of life, and so we cling to a nice, comforting answer like a security blanket?

Why Is 42 the Right Answer?