I am pretty sure that all of us are familiar with the term “existentialism” and might even use it at least twice every month. From being Instagram bios to a response to questions about our well-being, existentialism (and the related concept existential crisis) has become a staple in our vocabulary. But what does this concept of existentialism mean?
Existentialism, as a philosophical movement, began during nineteenth-century Europe, with the philosophies of the likes of Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, who are considered to be the precursors to this movement. It rose to prominence during the mid-twentieth century, especially after the Second World War. Influential existentialists of this period include Martin Heidegger, Albert Camus, Franz Kafka, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Simone de Beauvoir and perhaps the most popular of them all, Jean-Paul Sartre. Despite varying in their respective philosophies and sometimes actively disowning the title of ‘existentialist’, these philosophers are tied together by their deep concern for the nature of life and the human condition.
“Existence Precedes Essence”
The statement “existence precedes essence” was famously said by Jean-Paul Sartre in his 1945 lecture, Existentialism is a Humanism, and forms the central claim of existentialism. It reverses the traditional philosophical view that the nature or essence of a being is unchanging, and is more fundamental than the mere fact of its existence. Existential philosophers oppose the notion (religious and philosophical) that humans are born with a preordained purpose and oppose doctrines that give definitive answers to life’s questions. They say that humans are born free without any pre-designed motive and are thrown into existence. Humans create their own essence through their actions and how they live their life. As Sartre says, “man first of all exists, encounters himself, surges up in the world and defines himself afterwards”.
Since there is no preordained purpose or pre-planned design, human existence can be described as absurd. Existential Philosophers say that human beings should be aware of and confront this absurdity. As Robert Solomon said, “Existential attitude begins with a disoriented individual facing a confused world that he cannot accept”. When human beings recognise this condition – that they are actually on their own without any absolute law backing them up – it creates what is known as anguish or anxiety. This can be understood by the feeling that we get during a 3 AM revelation that we have no idea what we are doing with our lives, there is no purpose and wonder why we are even alive. I bet I gave you another existential crisis right now. Related to this is the concept of authenticity. An authentic being is someone who is able to confront the absurdity of existence and exercise their freedom to create their own essence, which according to existentialists is the nature of existence. People usually find it easier to resort to doctrines that give absolute answers to life’s questions as it shifts the burden from them. Jean-Paul Sartre calls fleeing from one’s freedom as inauthenticity or bad faith. Freedom, here, means our ability to define our own life in the absence of any pre-existing laws determining our life. However, this doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we want. This freedom entails responsibility for ourselves and our actions and we alone are responsible for our life. This freedom takes place in a particular context. Our historical situatedness, circumstances and conditions determine our freedom. It throws light on the possibilities we have and the choices that we can make. “This is what makes freedom meaningful”.
Existentialism and Gender
It is also socially situated as our actions show how we view others and other’s actions tell us how they see us. This is related to Hegel’s view on the moment of recognition articulated in his Phenomenology of Spirit. Hence, our freedom is always situated with respect to the judgement of others. Our actions should not deny the ability of others to exercise their freedom. This is what Simone de Beauvoir meant in her book, The Ethics of Ambiguity, “A freedom which is interested only in denying freedom must be denied”. Simone de Beauvoir extends this idea of existentialism into her 1949 book, The Second Sex, as easily identifiable in the famous phrase “One is not born, rather becomes, woman”. In response to the question of what is woman, Beauvoir says that there is no definite answer as women were always defined (by themselves and others) through men. Women’s complicity in this situation can be understood by Sartre’s notion of bad faith and a socio-cultural environment that denies women the possibility of personal development. Another reason she gives is the inability of women to align with other women and aligning with their class or race. Her book later became one of the founding texts of Second Wave Feminism.
The philosophical enquiry of existentialism continues to play an important role in contemporary thought. Even though existentialism has a tendency to fall into nihilistic tendencies, it can be seen as something that opens up immense possibilities and freedom, but with responsibilities. In a very simplified and romantic way, it encourages us to weave our own symbolic red thread of destiny, albeit with a lot of existential anguish. As Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote, “If God does not exist, everything is permitted”.
For more on Existentialism: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Crash Course Philosophy
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