Call it a brief review over a philosophical movement. Think of it as a turning point. Consider it an awakening. Disregard it as nonsense. Be upset by the illogical reasoning. Thank me if you find it interesting. Flee me if it scares you.
.: End of Disclaimer :.
.: Start of shameless theft from wikipedia and other sources :.
Existentialism claims that individual human beings create the meanings and essence of their own lives. Existentialism stresses that people are entirely free and therefore responsible for what they make of themselves. With this responsibility comes a profound Anguish or Dread. The same topic as the infamous Angst.
Two forerunners of the movement were Nietzsche and Kirkegaard, connected to this movement are also writers like Dostoevsky and Sartre.
(The Swedish wikipedia-page on "Existentialism" holds an interesting writeup with focus on Sartre.)
I realized aloud in the midst of saying it that even when we die we probably don't find out the answer as to why were we ever alive. Even the avowed atheist probably thinks than in death he'll get some answer. I mean God will be there, or there won't be anything at all.
'But that's just it,' I said, 'we don't make any discovery at that moment! We merely stop! We pass into nonexistence without ever knowing a thing.' I saw the universe, a vision of the sun, the planets, the stars, black night going on forever. And I began to laugh.
'Do you realise that! We'll never know why the hell any of it happened, not even when it's over! We're going to die and not even know. We'll never know, and all this meaninglessness will just go on and on and on. And we won't any longer be witnesses to it. We won't have even that little bit of power to give meaning to it in our minds. We'll just be gone, dead, dead, dead, without ever knowing!'
"The Dark Moment", passage from Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat
How did I get into the world? Why was I not asked about it and why was I not informed of the rules and regulations but just thrust into the ranks as if I had been bought by a peddling shanghaier of human beings? How did I get involved in this big enterprise called actuality? Why should I be involved? Isn't it a matter of choice? And if I am compelled to be involved, where is the manager—I have something to say about this. Is there no manager? To whom shall I make my complaint?
Repetition, Kirkegaard
.: I feel I am just opening the lid of Pandora's infamous Box here and can't get to a wrap-up at this point :.
You always have a c h o i c e. You are always responsible
To c h o o s e not to act is also an act.
Whatever we choose to do we are always responsible
To shift blame to not see our responsibility is not an option.
You can never lie to yourself
And just to repeat myself ...
Existentialism claims that individual human beings create the meanings and essence of their own lives.Grasping that one to its fullest width holds some interesting consequences. No other philosophical movement makes sense to me. I don't want to put my faith in the hands of a maker - a man with a plan. I don't want to be a set of cells on a predefined course through life, neither do I want to be a victim of animalistic needs and instincts that would navigate me.
But again - freedom is the bless and the curse of it.
Y o u are held responsible:
F r i h e t _ u n d e r _ a n s v a r
This topic will be continued. If I c h o o s e to do so.
This message was posted incomplete since I c h o o s e to do so.
Wrapping it up with a Banksy.
The "Art Terrorist" has several facebook groups in addition to his www.banksy.co.uk. The one named "Banksy" for instance holds some 300+ pics.
