I Am an Existentialist Essay

From the beginning of time people have pondered existence and what it means to truly “Be’, indeed the most important questions that one can ask are those of a metaphysical nature. The deeper questions that seek to explain the reason we’re here in the first place, if for any reason at all. It’s easy to get lost in the many differing theories proposed from Determinism to Rationalism to Solipsism to Absurdism the possible theories one can ascribe as correct are endless. But the ones that try to answer those big questions in the most general of terms are the ones that seem to hold the most verisimilitude. Existentialism, Nihilism, and Objectivism are the most general, and although quite different they are also quite similar. But existentialism seems to be the one which offers the most hope for optimism or any concern for altruism and personal growth.

It is within these novels that Morrison probes black life through the themes of existentialism. Existentialism itself is a difficult concept to understand. As a movement, it asks: "What does it mean to exist?" and it seeks to provide some answers. Existentialists believe that man is the only creature born with the ability to think and reason; therefore, he has free will, which is considered one reason for existence. "Existentialism seeks to explain the significance of the freedom of an individual being within their time on earth" ("Existentialism"). Existentialists believe that man is born into a void, or into the "mud." They believe that he has the freedom and the liberty to remain in the mud, in a passive, supine existence. However, it is believed that in this state one is not self-aware, and therefore life has no meaning. Existentialists also believe, though, that man has the freedom to drag himself out of the mud, and to choose to exist. Only through exercising this power of choice can he give meaning to his life. This is the first major theme of existentialism (Eiermann).

Existentialists find value in a personal point of view (thou rather than it). Like atheistic existentialists they hold a distinction between the subjective and objective worlds.

Existentialism is a Humanism by Jean-Paul Sartre, was published in 1945 at the height of Existentialism's cultural resurgence. As Sartre states in his opening line, his purpose is to “offer a defence of existentialism against some charges that have been brought against it.” (Sartre, 1945) At a time where Existentialism was heavily associated with wearing black and smoking (Fahlenbrach, 2012) Sartre felt the need to draw attention to its philosophical and more meaningful aspects, beyond it simply being a passing trend. Sartre outlines, “Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself. That is the first principle of existentialism” (Sartre, 1945) This is rooted in what Sartre believes to be the basis of all Existential

The world is a simple place but often at times, it seems more complicated than it really is. People exist in a world where others do not know of them because the world is so big. Existentialism is the belief that a person creates one’s self with the influence of external factors. However, more importantly, it is how a person is able to cope with these factors that allow a person to live their life. Existentialism is a key factor that is prominent throughout the story. The main characters in the book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, are all influenced by outside factors that include a pregnancy substitute to make babies and pre-plan their futures, living in a controlled environment and by making the citizens live in a constant hallucination of “happiness”.

Existentialism is prominently seen in literature through the minds of geniuses like Kierkegaard, Heidegger and Sartre. The Concept of Anxiety by Kierkegaard helps to explain the true definition of anxiety and why it exists. “Learning to understand anxiety is an adventure” (Kierkegaard). Anxiety is having fear for the unknown, so there is nothing truly there to fear. (www.uri.edu)The dark causes great fear but the fear is of something that cannot be seen. The darkness in this case would be the endless violence and death that swarms the air with its foul stench. Anxiety is seldom an object of consciousness that we can focus on but more of an inner state of being which makes it known through conceptual thought. When things such as war or mass genocide erupt “In angst we confront the fundamental precariousness of existence” (Park) until anxiety burst out of the bubble it is placed in and renders us helpless. Even though anxiety seems deathly

The human condition is full of fear, hatred, violence and destruction. It is factual that oppression surrounds the Earth in which the human population is aware. Whether it is oppression of social class, gender, race, religion, individuals with a disability, or other groups, the oppression is caused by our own existence. Since oppression is caused by ourselves, it can be put to an end. If oppression cannot completely end, it can at least be considerably less severe. Existentialists go between explaining how violent the human condition is and how pleasurable the world can be. However, they begin with analyzing the disturbances of the human condition before recognizing the ability for prosperity. If the disturbances of the human condition are

  Existentialism is a philosophy dealing with man's aloneness in the universe. Either there is no God or else God stands apart from man, leaving him free will to make his own choices. From this basic idea of man being alone in an uncertain and purposeless world, many related ideas have developed. One great worry of existentialist writers is that life is becoming too complicated and too impersonal. People become more and more involved with their work, which is taking them away from their friends, family, and culture. However, these provide the only "meaning" that life could possibly have. One author prominently known for his work with existential ideas was Franz

Perhaps the most telling symptom of existentialist philosophers is their ever-divergent theories on the fundamental characteristics of human life and their steadfast refusal to assign an explicit meaning or reason to our existence at all. Contrary to criticism which therefore labels the movement cynically nihilistic, existentialism justifies life with reasoning similar to that of Zen Buddhism. Specifically, the notions of hopelessness and absurdity can be gleaned from Buddhism in a manner helpful to the understanding of existentialist viewpoints on the same.

The existentialist is one who is concerned only with that intense moment of awareness with only his senses at his disposal, never looking to the future – the most living awareness. McCandles, the protagonist, in Into the Wild has come to the realization that existence is already being dead and accepting the fact that life is absurd and marvelous. He embraced the sublime absurdity of existence by renouncing the language games society plays. What is so enticing about the existentialist is that he is not concerned with the pressure of appearances and small talk which society employs to lie about what they think and feel. Existentialism is accepting the inevitability of death and living life for the moment without entertaining hope or falsities that distract one from living and accepting truth. The existentialist sees the simplicity in life and the absurdity of complicating it with pretences and lies, the existentialist is a naked man, he is one who becomes one with the rest of creation in accepting his fate on this earth and not hoping for anything more – he simply exists.

The Merriam – Webster Dictionary defines existentialism as a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad (Merriam, 2011). In other words, an existentialist believes that our natures are the natures we make for ourselves, the meaning of our existence is that we just exist and there may or may not be a meaning for the existence, and we have to individually decide what is right or wrong and good or bad for ourselves. No one can answer any of those things for us. A good

In his 1946 essay Existentialism, Jean-Paul Sartre undertakes the task of defending existentialism against what he defines as “charges” (341) brought against it. Sartre begins to outline the “charges” brought against existentialism and further, existentialists. Following the medieval quaestio-form, Sartre begins with the statement of the objection, a short discussion, and then his reply to each.

Sartre’s atheist existentialism presented in his lecture mainly states that there is no human nature in which man can place his trust; therefore, man is free to choose and is the definer of himself through his own choices and actions. Sartre begins by listing some prevalent oppositions against existentialism. For example, the Communists blame it for inducing “quietism and despair,” because the idea that there is no code of ethics to tell man what he ought to do and become generates fear that might discourage people from committing themselves to action. Christians reproach existentialism for

Jean Paul Sartre is a philosopher that supports the philosophy of existentialism. Existentialism is a twentieth century philosophy that denies any crucial human nature and embraces that each of us produces our own essence through our free actions. Existentialists like Sartre believe there isn’t a God that determines people’s nature. So, existentialists believe that humans have no purpose or nature except the ones that they create for themselves. We are free and responsible for what we are and our engagements; even though we are mindful that this can cause agony.

Existentialism developed in the more extensive feeling to twentieth century rationality that is focused upon the investigation about presence and of the best approach people discover themselves existing or their existence as a whole. Existentialism takes its name from those philosophical topic of 'existence ', this doesn 't involve that there will be homogeneity in the way presence will be on be comprehended. On simpler terms, existentialism will be an logic worried for finding self and the intending from claiming an aggregation through spare will, choice and also personage obligation. Existentialism turned into prominent following those Second World War. In spite of seeing its philosophical viewpoint is little spot complex,