So what is existentialism?

Unlike a lot of the titles of my older posts, I didn't just arbitrarily pick a title for this blog. In recent years I've been trying to explore a few complex questions and I really liked a lot of the ideas from thinkers often labeled under existentialists. Existentialism is a word you probably hear every now and then but might not know exactly what it means, so I'm going to probably post a few times about what existentialism means to me, and why I find it a very comforting way of looking at life.

Perhaps a good way to start is to explain what existentialism involves and what it doesn't include. Existentialism is a philosophical school of though that includes certain views on human free will, and often philosophers talk about people becoming better when struggling against their individual nature and fighting for life. Existentialists believe that decisions are often difficult and have consequences, so personal responsibility and discipline is important. It is viewed that society and other social constructs are arbitrary and a lot of things are not rational.

Above are some of concepts that existentialism involves. It does not however involve the value of wealth, pleasure or honor in life. Social values and structures can serve to control the individual. Existentialism does not preach the idea that people should accept things for what they are and that this is enough in life, it doesn't include the idea that people are basically good but tainted by external forces. It doesn't believe that science will make things better. You should also never say "but I wanted X and Y" or "it's not my fault".

Maybe I'm just being confusing, so here is one definition of what existentialism is:

"Existentialism is a 20th century philosophy that focuses in the analysis of human existence from many angles. It focuses on humans as individuals, each one spending a lifetime changing their essence. Existentialists are concerned with finding themselves and finding meanings in life through choices and personal responsibility. Personal choices are unique without the need for an objective form of truth."

I love most of the ideas involved in Existentialism, but I just wish to note that I don't agree with everything in it. I suppose a true existentialist wouldn't :). In particular, religion is often dismissed by existentialists, and a lot of these philosophers happen to be atheists. However, religion and existentialism to me are very much complementary to each other, so much so that the father of existentialism was the christian philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard. I also don't necessarily disregard of the general need for methods to control people, as these shouldn't be seen as constraints for personal development, but they are just part of the environment presented to the individual.