Seminar Paper – Existentialism, The Stranger etc
The existentialist approach is an attempt to find value and
meaning in the face of an absurd world. Our existence is defined by our
choices; we have the power to shape our own lives.
Nietzsche’s proclamation that ‘God is dead’ gives us
complete freedom. The lack of a higher power means a lack of instruction or
certainty, leaving us to become our own God, dictating the course of our own
lives. As Nietzsche did not believe in a universal human nature this allows for
each man to find his own morality, and make his own choices. Choice is a
crucial concept in Existentialism.
In Being and Time, Heidegger introduced the concept of
‘Dasein’. Dasein is the root of each of us, and refers to our engagement with
the world. This is Heidegger’s response to the approach of Cartesian Dualism,
which he found absurd, believing we cannot come to understand ourselves if we
draw a divide between the mind and body. Dasein must exist in the world, and so
the Cartesian approach cannot be taken, as it separates the mind from the
physical world. Our Dasein is our root selves as it is our engagement with the
world, and it is that which defines us.
Heidegger did not believe that we are defined by
characteristics that we are born with, rather that our personalities can
constantly develop and change. In this way, it can be suggested that our
Dasein, our engagement with the world, can alter over time.
Despite this, Heidegger does claim that there are elements
of our being which we cannot choose, that cannot change. He calls this our
‘Facticity’. For example, we cannot choose where or when we were born, we are
thrown into the world, and it is from this position that we must then move
forward.
Heidegger claimed that when we talk of ourselves, we rarely
discuss our ‘authentic’ selves, we present an ‘inauthentic’ self, one which is
affected by outside influences. Heidegger calls this ‘das man self’, a social
construct of ourselves, not consistent with our true selves. In order to live a
truly authentic life, we must overcome our facticity.
From an existential viewpoint, the most important choice you
will ever make is the next one. It is the future that is crucial, not your
past, as it cannot be changed. Hakuna Matata, you might say.
Sartre’s central concept was that ‘existence precedes
essence’. We create our own purpose. Again, this links to the idea of choice,
we shape our own purpose through our choices. Sartre claimed that the need to
choose is inescapable; it is the only certainty is that we must make choices.
Sartre saw the world as absurd and without purpose, and it is for this reason
that our choices create our purpose. Through these choices we are able to
recreate ourselves; however, some will find themselves in fear of this freedom
and try to avoid it. This, Sartre calls ‘bad faith’. For Sartre, bad faith is a
metaphysical mistake, allowing our role or status to confine us, denying that
we are ‘radically free’ and instead believing that our past defines our future.
Sartre’s approach to humanity comprises of three aspects:
Abandonment – God is dead. Therefore we are alone, without
rules outside of ourselves.
Anguish – We are “condemned to be free”. We cannot alter our
facticity, but we alone are responsible for our choices, and they will define
us.
Despair – Whilst we make our own choices, we cannot control
how the world will react to our choices, and we may be prevented from getting
what we want.
Sartre also famously claimed “hell is other people”, an
observation from his play ‘No Exit’, in which three people are condemned to
spend eternity in one room with each other. This statement brings into focus
one of the central difficulties of existentialism. We are defined by our
choices, and responsible for our own purpose, however we are forced to
compromise by the expectations of others, and the realities of engaging with a
world which has its own expectations of us, ‘Despair’ in his model. This conundrum
is the theme of ‘The Outsider’ by Albert Camus.
Throughout the novel, Meursault appears devoid of emotion or
sentimentality, making his own choices with little consideration for the
opinions of others. The death of his mother provokes little in the way of
emotional response from him.
“I felt like having a smoke. But I hesitated, because I
didn’t know if I could do it with maman right there. I thought about it; it
didn’t matter.”
Even in the few moments where Meursault shows a
consideration of others, he still does not allow it to affect his decision.
Choices such as this eventually contribute to his sentencing, however he shows
no regret.
“She asked me if I loved her. I told her it didn’t mean
anything but that I didn’t think so.”
Meursault’s constant belief that things ‘don’t matter’ or
‘don’t mean anything’ reflect an existential perspective. He appears to view
existence as pointless, and his reaction to this knowledge is to make his own
choices, and largely ignore the desires or opinions of others.
Eventually he is condemned to death for showing no despair
at his mothers passing, and he refuses to act as though he was saddened at her
death, even though this would be the only way for his name to be cleared. Meursault
refuses to be influenced by others and instead continues to make his own
choices. If existence is pointless, why should he lie simply in order to
prolong his own existence?
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