To Live Existentially

November 9, 2016 — existentialism, Jean-Paul Sartre, philosophy, responsibility

orchids

“Everything has been figured out, except how to live.”
― Jean-Paul Sartre

From the post war philosophers and artists who created the existential movement to Woody Allen who made movies designed to parody the literary and philosophical culture, existentialism flourished.  Jean-Paul Sartre coined the title.  He was a French writer who is known for philosophical as well as fictional books. He and his contemporaries were concerned with the individual’s freedom and responsibility  rather than social or political issues.  They concluded that to understand the human nature science and morals were insufficient.  They were obsessed with how to live life by taking responsibility for creating reality.  They believed that every individual action taken changes the world to some degree.  Each act must therefore be done in full awareness and with precision.  Our acts, not particularly our thoughts, make the atmosphere we inhabit what it is.  The personal power and responsibility to act wisely belongs to each individual.  The sum of all these individual actions creates the entire world.

Existential therapy deals with the inevitability of death, freedom and its attendant responsibility, existential isolation, and finally meaninglessness. This remedy aims to answer the big questions such as “What is the meaning of life?” in each individual life.  This is an extension of the philosophy focuses on helping clients make good choices and thorough evaluations of all the options available.  I always liked this way of thinking.  Now is a perfect time to take stock and evaluate how we are creating the world around us.  This life is a limited time offer.  We never know how limited until it ends…and then there will be nothing else.

“You are — your life, and nothing else.”
― Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit

Sartre