What Are Some Examples of Existentialism?
One example of existentialism would be the idea that when something does not work out or a person does not achieve what they set out to achieve, then this is not because God did not want it to be that way or because of destiny, but rather because the person chose to do something different. In existentialism, it is believed that there is no God and that “man makes himself” through what he chooses to be.
If a person is apathetic or lacks initiative, it is because the person has chosen to be that way. Another example of existentialism comes in the form of essence. An example of existentialism would be when a person makes a decision about their life, follows through or does not follow through on that decision and begins to create their “essence.” It is said in existentialism that existence comes first and essence comes second. The idea in existentialism is that a person will create their essence over their lifetime and it will never truly be finished or fully formed.
Existentialism is a form of philosophy that rose to prominence during the cultural period in the 1940s and 1950s in Europe. The existentialists focused on the importance of the individual and what it means to be a human being as well as on the importance of a person’s set of choices in their life. It also looked at the anxiety that occurs in life and especially in regards to death.
