Existentialism

This blog  task is assigned by Dillip Barad Sir.

Video :1 Existentialism : Existence Before Essence

                                 Existentialism is a powerful philosophical idea that tells us: we exist first, and only later define who we are. Life doesn’t hand us a ready-made purpose — we must create it through our choices and actions.

                   The roots of existentialism go back to Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish thinker often called the first existentialist. He believed that life’s meaning is not given, but found through personal struggle, choices, and even faith.

               Later philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus explored themes such as:


- Freedom and Choice  

- Individualism  

- Anguish and Despair  

- Absurdity  

- Death  


At its core, existentialism teaches us:  

                     Freedom leads to choice, and choice shapes identity.  

                      In a world without fixed meaning, the real question is not “What is the meaning of life?” but “What meaning will I create for myself?”


Video:2 The Myth of Sisyphus

                   Albert Camus — The Myth of Sisyphus: An Absurd Reasoning

                     Camus argues that life is absurd because humans search for meaning in a meaningless universe. This creates a deep conflict, which leads people to ask: "If life has no meaning, why not commit suicide?"

But Camus makes it clear:  

                  Absurdity does not lead to suicide.  

                     Instead, he says the right response is to accept the absurd and live fully without false hopes or escape. 

            He uses the story of Sisyphus, who is forced to roll a boulder uphill forever, as a symbol of this attitude. Even in his endless, meaningless task, Sisyphus finds freedom by embracing it.


Camus' message:  

                   Life has no fixed meaning, but that’s exactly why we must live it bravely and passionately.


Video: 3 The Myth of Sisyphus: the notion of philosophical suicide

               Albert Camus — The Notion of Philosophical Suicide 

In this part of The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus explains the idea of philosophical suicide — which isn’t about ending life, but about ending honest thinking.

When people face the Absurd (the gap between our search for meaning and the world's silence), many try to escape it by inventing higher meanings — like religious faith, false hopes, or grand explanations.

This, for Camus, is "philosophical suicide" because it avoids the truth rather than facing it.

Camus believes real strength lies in: 

  • Not renouncing life, even when there’s no hope.

  • Rejecting false meaning and still choosing to live.

  • Accepting life as it is — full of absurdity — and creating personal meaning through action and awareness.

In short:

  • Philosophical suicide = escaping the absurd through illusions.
  • True freedom = embracing absurdity and living with full awareness.


Video:4 Dadaism, Nihilism and Existentialism



                           Dadaism was born in 1916 as a rebellious response to the horrors of World War I. It wasn’t just an art movement — it was a protest against the values and systems that had led to global destruction. Artists like Hugo Ball, Tristan Tzara, and Marcel Duchamp rejected traditional ideas of beauty, logic, and meaning.  

                Dada wasn’t about creating art for admiration — it was about questioning everything. Even language and social values were seen as part of the problem. Through absurd, random, and often shocking works, Dadaists forced people to rethink what art, truth, and society really meant.

               Dadaism wasn’t about making meaning — it was about breaking free from the false meanings others had forced upon the world.


Video 5: Existentialism - a gloomy philosophy

- Existentialism faces harsh truths:  

   → Anxiety (freedom is scary)  

   → Despair (no fixed meaning)  

→ Absurdity (universe is indifferent).  

- But it’s not just gloom — it promotes courage and authenticity.  

- Nietzsche’s idea "Become who you are" shows that life is an open project:  

   → We are not born with meaning, we have to create it.  

- Existentialism teaches us: despite suffering, life can still be full of purpose if we make it so.


Video 6: Existentialism and Nihilism: Is it one and the same?



- Big Question: Are existentialism and nihilism the same?  

   → Answer: NO.  

- Nihilism: loss of belief in values, no meaning, leads to despair and passivity.  

   → Nietzsche: "The highest values devaluate themselves."  

- Existentialism: starts from the same place (no meaning), but leads to action.  

   → Meaning is not given, it must be created by individuals through free choice and responsibility.  

- Camus connects this to Rebellion: understanding life’s absurdity but choosing to live with defiant joy.


Video 7: Let us introduce Existentialism again!



- Existentialism is best understood as a movement, not just a single philosophy.  

- It grew as a reaction to modern life’s alienation, the collapse of religious certainty, and the chaos of the 20th century.  

- Focuses on:  

   → Individual Freedom  

   → Personal Responsibility  

   → Authenticity over Conformity  

- Life has no fixed meaning — the power and responsibility to create meaning belongs to each person.  

- Existentialism encourages us to live with awareness and self-honesty, even in an uncertain world.


Video 8: Explain like I'm Five: Existentialism and Nietzsche:



                              This video offered a simplified glimpse, using Nietzsche's idea of "Do whatever you want" as a basic way to convey the core of individual freedom and self-determination, even if it's a starting point for a much deeper concept.


Video 9: Why I like Existentialism?



                      Finally, this video shared a personal perspective, highlighting the appeal of existentialism as a way of life that values honesty in confronting the difficult aspects of existence (anxiety and the absurd) and dealing with the reality of death.

                 This journey through these videos has been incredibly thought-provoking. It's challenged me to think deeply about my own freedom, responsibility.


Suffering:

  • "Learning is a gift. Even when pain is your teacher."
  • "Suffering is not our enemy. It is our call to greatness." - H. Rollins

                             These quotes offer a perspective on suffering as a potential catalyst for growth and learning. They suggest that challenges and pain, while difficult, can ultimately lead to strength and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world.


Wisdom - Limiting Beliefs


                This section appears to be a list of points related to gaining wisdom by challenging "limiting beliefs":


  • Question what you've been sold.
  • Crash relating to the big picture.
  • Honor life's difficult experiences.
  • Lay claim to your power in life.
  • See how free you can be.
  • Learn to live with passion.
  • Inhabit the present moment.
  • Recover the ability to play.
  • Build responsible community.
  • Remember that you are born to a brilliant and terrifying universe.


Video 10: From Essentialism to Existentialism



         Essentialism vs. Existentialism: Essentialism suggests that life has a pre-defined essence, with each being having a specific purpose. Existentialism, on the other hand, stresses that we are not born with an inherent essence and are free to define ourselves through our choices and actions.

           Existentialism = Hope: Despite its focus on freedom and the burden of choice, existentialism offers hope by empowering individuals to create meaning in a world without inherent purpose.


My Favourite Video


Video 9: "Why I Like Existentialism" by Eric Dodson.

                        Because this video moves existentialism beyond just abstract theory and shows how it applies to real life. Dodson highlights that existentialism isn’t just about complex ideas like “existence precedes essence” or the anxiety of freedom, but about living honestly, facing life's uncertainties, and finding meaning even in suffering, absurdity, and death. It shows existentialism as a philosophy for living — not just for thinking — which makes it both human and deeply inspiring.


Assess Your Learning Outcome

1. Has your comprehension of Existentialist philosophy improved?

                Yes, my understanding has improved a lot. I now clearly know that Existentialism is about creating meaning in life through personal choices, not following a fixed, pre-decided purpose.


2. Do you feel more confident discussing or writing about it?

             Yes, I feel more confident now. I can explain the core ideas, name important philosophers, and discuss how existentialism applies to real life, not just theory.


3. Has this exercise brought clarity to any previously unclear concepts?

              Yes, concepts like “Existence precedes Essence,” the difference between Essentialism and Existentialism, and the idea of suffering as personal growth are now very clear to me.


Ask Thought-Provoking Questions


1. If existence truly precedes essence, how do you personally decide what gives your life meaning — is it shaped more by freedom, responsibility, or relationships?


2. Do you think embracing suffering as a part of personal growth (as existentialists suggest) is always possible, or are there limits to how much meaning can be created from pain?


3. If there is no fixed purpose to life, does that make human freedom a gift or a burden — or both? Why?


4. How do existentialist ideas challenge modern society's obsession with comfort, routine, and pre-defined success?


5. Can existentialism help people lead more authentic lives in an age dominated by social media and external validation? Why or why not?

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