Existentialism: Discovering Meaning in an Absurd World

 Finding a Meaning 

To many of us finding meaning in our lives is essential as it makes our lives, meaningful. Regardless of religion, atheism, or any ideology, we want to have a sense of purpose. We crave and need a sense of meaning and nobody can blame us for that.

If we take a second and observe our surroundings, we notice that we devote a great deal of time and energy toward our quest for fulfillment. Whether it's by praying to God, protesting for social causes, teaching people, or searching for an answer.

Existentialists tell us that through these conquests we can give our lives fulfillment, but at the same time, they claim that none of these can truly provide it to us. They emphasize that genuine fulfillment comes from within oneself, through personal reflection, authenticity, and a search for meaning in the face of life's uncertainties.

In today's post, we are going to talk about the philosophy of Existentialism, how authenticity plays a big role in it, and some of its dissenting opinions.

The Philosophy of Existentialism

Back in ancient Greek, Aristotle and Plato say we all have an essence that we are born with, a certain set of core properties that are necessary for us to be who we are, known to be called Essentialism. For example, an item such as a pencil can be made from plastic or metal, and it would still serve its purpose which is to write. However, if it did not have a nib, it would not serve its purpose as there is a missing property that doesn't allow it to be able to write.

In more modern times, particularly in the 1800s, this kind of belief was challenged by German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche who embraced Nihilism; the belief in meaninglessness. This paved the way later for Jean Sartre to question whether we exist first and then we make our own essence, contrary to what Plato and Aristotle embraced.

This became Existentialism as we know it today. The core of its philosophy lies in Sartre's profound assertion that "Man is condemned to be free," it expresses the notion that we are burdened with the responsibility of making choices and owning up for our actions. In this context, with us having the freedom to shape our lives, comes great responsibility that goes along with such freedom.

It is important to note that Existentialism is not equivalent to Atheism. While many Existentialists are atheists, there are others who are theists. Most notably, Kierkegaard, who is widely considered the first Existentialist philosopher.

The Authentic Notion

Living in alignment with one's true self, desires, and values is an essential part of Existentialism. Becoming totally responsible for what we do, and having no excuses for our actions, makes our consciousness and values harmonize with its essence. According to this philosophy, authenticity is the extent to which our behaviors are consistent with our ideals in spite of external pressures to conform to societal norms. 

Existentialists often believe that we are accountable for both the course of our own lives and the way the world around us appears. As Sartre famously said, "because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does." This highlights the Existentialist view that our responsibility extends not only to our choices but also to the way we see and interact with the world around us. 

Existentialists also argue that we can find meaning in:

Accepting Life for its Uncertainty: By not fearing the uncertainty in life and embracing it, we worry less about the inevitable unpredictability that comes with it. As Kierkegaard once said, "Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards."

Self-Reflection: Reflecting makes us understand ourselves in a deeper way, and helps us choose and pursue what we truly want to accomplish. Because once we grasp who we are, we can align ourselves with our desires which leads to a fulfilling life.

Personal Relationships: Since we are defined by our existence, which in turn is defined by our surroundings, relationships with other people are important in shaping our meaning of life. Empathy and companionship foster a deeper sense of purposefulness and belonging.

Living in the Present: We fully interact with our experiences, relationships, and surroundings when we live in the present. Being present allows us to gain an appreciation for things that we might otherwise dismiss as unimportant leading to a deeper sense of meaning and fulfillment.

Dissenting Opinions

As with any other philosophy and ideology in general, Existentialism can be misinterpreted and misunderstood, it's not without its critiques. Comprehending these concerns is beneficial for a balanced perspective, which is an important aspect of Existentialism. The following are some of the critiques of it:

Context: Existentialism may overlook the limitations that people experience within historical or social settings because of its emphasis on freedom and responsibility. What people are capable of accomplishing might be constrained by historical and societal aspects. Therefore, while addressing existentialism, putting the situation in context becomes essential.

Proneness to Nihilism: Some people may view Nihilism and Existentialism similarly, as it lacks the inherent meaning that some theists argue we are born with. Additionally, this could lead to a sense of despair and moral flexibility, which would therefore lead to a struggle in decision-making in an ethical climate.

Absence of External Meaning:  Similarly, the critique points out that existentialism overlooks the potential for a divine purpose that spirituality can provide. By neglecting the realm of the spiritual, existentialism fails to acknowledge the possibility of an ultimate meaning that surpasses human comprehension.

Concluding Thoughts

Even if we were not born with one, Existentialism reminds us that our lives can have meaning. It is up to us to choose it. Its criticism comes from a place of extreme, as when Existentialism is fully understood, it reminds us that we are the ones who assign purpose to our lives. And nobody can take that away from us.

Sartre's philosophical concept of bad faith or mauvaise foi in French tells us that following someone else's path or evading our freedom and the responsibility that comes with it by pretending that we do not control our actions leads to a lack of personal agency and the inability to shape our own lives.

We can discover and cultivate meaning within the absurdity of our existence through various ways, such as artistic expressions, relationships, and the pursuit of knowledge. Algerian-French philosopher Albert Camus captured this sentiment as he stated: "The literal meaning of life is whatever you're doing that prevents you from killing yourself."

Existentialism, Nihilism, and Absurdism share comparable topics yet give different interpretations of those themes. Each philosophy presents unique viewpoints on our existence. We will get to discuss the other two separately on different topics with respect to their dense content.

Thank you for reading. 

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