What is Existentialism?
Existentialism is a 19th and 20th-century philosophical movement that focuses on the individual’s experience of freedom, responsibility, and the struggle to find meaning in an indifferent or “absurd” universe. Unlike traditional philosophy, which often sought universal truths or objective moral laws, existentialism begins with the “existing individual”—the unique, subjective human being.
The movement gained immense popularity after World War II, a time when traditional religious and political structures seemed to have failed, leaving people in a state of deep anxiety (Angst).
Existence Precedes Essence
The most famous slogan of existentialism, coined by Jean-Paul Sartre, is “Existence precedes essence.”
To understand this, consider a paper-knife. Before it is made, the artisan has a concept of it (its “essence”). Its purpose and nature are defined before it exists. Sartre argued that for humans, it is the opposite. We are born (“thrown”) into the world without a pre-defined purpose, nature, or destiny. We simply exist. It is only through our choices and actions that we define who we are. We “create” our own essence.
Radical Freedom and Absolute Responsibility
If there is no God and no “human nature” to tell us how to live, then we are condemned to be free.
- Radical Freedom: We are always free to choose, even in the most restricted circumstances. We can choose how we react to our situation.
- Absolute Responsibility: If we choose our own path, we cannot blame our genetics, our parents, or society for who we become. We are entirely responsible for our own lives.
Bad Faith (Mauvaise Foi)
Because this total freedom is terrifying, many people try to escape it. Sartre called this Bad Faith. Bad faith is the act of lying to oneself, pretending that you “have no choice” or that you are a “thing” defined by your social role.
- Example: A waiter who acts “too much” like a waiter, believing that being a waiter is his essence rather than a role he is choosing to play. To live authentically is to accept your freedom and the anxiety that comes with it.
Albert Camus and the Absurd
While Sartre focused on freedom, Albert Camus focused on the Absurd: the conflict between the human desire for meaning and the “silent,” meaningless universe.
In his essay The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus compares human life to the Greek hero Sisyphus, who was condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity, only for it to roll back down every time. Camus argues that we have three choices in the face of the absurd:
- Suicide: (Rejected as a cowardly escape).
- Philosophical Suicide (Faith): Denying reason to find meaning in religion. (Rejected as a denial of reality).
- Rebellion: Accepting that life is meaningless but living it with passion and defiance anyway. “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”
Simone de Beauvoir: The Ethics of Ambiguity
Sartre’s partner, Simone de Beauvoir, expanded existentialism into the realm of social and feminist philosophy. In The Ethics of Ambiguity, she argued that our freedom is inextricably linked to the freedom of others. I cannot be truly free if I am an oppressor, as I am defining myself through the subjection of another.
In her landmark work The Second Sex, she applied the “existence precedes essence” principle to gender: “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.” She argued that society imposes a “feminine essence” on women to limit their freedom, and that liberation requires the rejection of these imposed roles.
Existentialism and Meaning
Is existentialism a “depressing” philosophy? To the existentialists, the answer is no. If the universe has no inherent meaning, that means you are not a pawn in some grand cosmic plan. You are the architect of your own values.
The meaning of life is whatever you decide it is. Whether it is through art, love, political struggle, or simple daily work, the existentialist hero is the one who faces the void without flinching and says, “I am here, and I will create myself.”
Key Existentialist Themes (Summary)
- Angst (Dread): The feeling which arises from the realization of our own total freedom.
- The Other: How our sense of self is challenged or defined by the gaze of other people.
- Facticity: The things we cannot change (where we were born, our height), which form the “background” of our choices.
- Authenticity: Living in a way that is true to one’s own freedom and values.
Existentialism remains a powerful call to personal integrity and a reminder that, in the end, we are the ones who must give our lives their worth.