Contemplating Existentialism
In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl talks about giving a directional meaning to one’s own life. He explains how he himself survived the Nazi Concentration Camps by attaching himself to an idea bigger than himself. Frankl talks about the power of love, sacrifice and devotion towards an idea worth living for. To fill your existential vacuum with a goal, an ambition and a path. This is the simplest book you can find to begin as an Existentialist.
Existentialism is the act of finding meaning in the insufferable chaos of life. It is the obsession one has to not only believe that life has meaning, but to find one’s own. To find a path that has been pre-decided for one’s life and live by it, to believe that your life, is not just an ordinary one but that it constitutes a meaning bigger than yourself and perhaps many others’. An average Existentialist knows that there is chaos in the world, but he chooses to give this ‘search’ an honest effort.
Kierkegaard, in the nineteenth century, dealt with Existentialism in a very interesting way. He, being one of the most noteworthy philosophers, maintained a borderline approach between Nihilism and Existentialism. He embraced the chaos and wrote papers urging people to disregard any other approach while at the same time, gave no shit about their concerns. He once said, “I see it all perfectly; there are two possible situations — one can either do this or that. My honest opinion and my friendly advice is this: do it or do not do it — you will regret both.” And being honest, this is what speaks the most about him to me. I see it, I see why Existentialism rings true with most situations.
Personally, having led a roller-coaster of a life where the highs are very highs and the lows are two floors above hell, I get it. I get what these Existentialists rant about. I have even been one.
Attaching yourself to a higher purpose, a ‘calling’ if you will, is a great way to live life. You lose yourself in the music, moment, you own it, you better never let it go. You believe you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow-this opportunity comes once in a lifetime for a human. You believe yourself to be a vessel of purpose and generosity. You want to be a better human than your peers and you whole-heartedly think that you are going to be one. But then again, you are not. You are not Truman Burbank, you are not the Centre of the Universe and you are not important.
We are tiny Carbon-based life forms, on a small planet revolving around an average sized star going millions of miles an hour through the Universe and no one is ever going to remember our existence. We will all die in vain and nothing really matters.
So, you tell me, is Purpose and Meaning really worth the hype?
