A crash course in existentialism

Cosmo

Cosmo

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A crash course in existentialism


This crash course video is something I stumbled upon today, and upon watching it, was shocked to realize that this has been my own world view for quite a long time.

I consider my vocabulary to be a bit larger than most, but the word "existential" wasn't something I'd ever really heard outside the context of "existential crisis" - Something I took to mean a general crisis of existence.While that definition is true in a very broad sense, I neglected to think about what that really means.

Existentialism is the school of thought in which nothing is imbued with any real meaning. God didn't put us here as part of the plan, the universe isn't here for a reason, and ultimately, there is zero intrinsic value to anything. That sounds pessimistic until you realize that WE are the ones who give existence meaning through our actions, passions and choices. We are free to make the choices we wish to make, and we are the ones who get to ascribe value to literally everything.

To some, that idea is terrifying because this means that there are no guidelines. Nobody has any answers, and if there are no "true" guidelines then each of us is forced to design our own moral code to live by.

So, the idea is either bleak and depressing for some, or empowering and exhilarating for others. Which is it for you?

See this post on the main site.

 
So it's a bit of both for me.

It's a great freedom to realise that nearly everything in modern life is a human construct, and therefore can be made more or less important by perspective alone.

However, being in society means that it's not just my own views that I have to take into account. This is the sobering part. Real change in my existence relies on my ability to navigate the social landscape, and things like income, housing or living costs won't change just because I want them to.

 
"All preordained

A prisoner in chains"

"A planet of playthings

We dance on the strings

Of powers we cannot perceive"...................................

 
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