Saturday, April 8, 2017
Causes of existentialism
The existential belief came to fruition during WWII because of a disenchantment with the way things were because of harsh conditions and high death rates. France did not incur these conditions as prevalently as other countries because they did not put up much of a fight and simply let themselves be occupied. French citizens felt weak because of their country's decision, which developed into a strong form of existentialism.
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6 comments:
The existentialists believe existence precedes essence meaning that one is not born with a personality or soul rather develops these over time. One's existence, however, is innately apart of them and cannot be created or destroyed.
I actually kind of agree with existential ideas. It states that your choices shape who you are and define your identity. I believe this to be true. I don't, however, agree that one choice totally changes your identity.
I also agree in existence precedes essence. You are not an overall good person if your choices are not good. Just like Estelle is not a good person like she thinks she is because she killed her baby
I think the main thing that led to the idea of existentialism was a greater appreciation for the ability to make your own decisions. The French surrendered easily, but that doesn't mean that every Frenchman would have made that decision. Therefore, a philosophy that emphasizes your own personal self and how you behave would have been very favorable.
I agree that existence precedes essence. How are you supposed to be a good or bad persons when you haven't made any decisions to support it. You must become who you are by making decisions, but humans are imperfect. I don't think that One mistake does not make you a bad person. People make mistakes every day. Studies have proven that people tell at least one lie everyday. But that doesn't mean that they are bad people just because they do a bad thing. It's the repeated mistake over and over again that makes someone a bad person.
Existentialism is a sort of defiance from the status quo. Instead of being grouped in with others, existentialism is more representative of the individual. It puts more emphasis on how your own decisions impact how your own life will turn out, hence "existence precedes essence". I agree with Luke, in that the French were trying to separate themselves from the decisions of their country.
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