Existential Ideas Worksheet
Existential Ideas Worksheet
Existential Ideas Worksheet
1. Existence precedes essence. In other words, we create meaning from our lives as
we live. Doesnt sound like much of a key idea, does it? However, lets rephrase the
statement. Its saying that there is no grand plan for us before we were born, and there is
no grand plan for us as we live. No entity has a roadmap laid out for us. In fact, the
famous phrase I think, therefore I am, offered by Descartes, is turned around. Sartre
would say, I am, and then I think.
2. Freedom. In every aspect of our lives, we have choices. We can choose whether to wear
the blue shirt or the green; whether to attend school; whether to kick the dog, ignore him,
or hug him; whether to drive 25 mph or 107 mph on the highway. Even when society
argues against our choice (or legislates against our choice), it is still our choice.
3. Angst. We feel angst when we become aware of our complete freedom. Sure, there are
laws, and there are cultural codes, but we have the freedom to follow themor not. Even
when our culture tries to tell us that we dont have the choice, we still do. And that
knowledge is scary, because we have complete control over ourselves.
4. Authenticity. If we accept our freedom, and we make conscious choices about our
actions, then we are living authentic lives. So, consider the following example: we help
the lady across the street because society tells us to. This is an inauthentic response. But
when we help the lady across the street because we choose to, we have completed an
authentic response.
5. Despair. Most of us, when asked to describe who we are, start with a series of labels:
student, child, athlete. But existentialists argue that our identity does not actually depend
on those labels, that our identity is based on the choices we make and have made. So
when we rely too heavily on the labels, we are either in potential despair, or actual
despair. Think of the star basketball player who defines herself by her ability to dribble
and shoot a ball. One torn ACL and a botched surgery later, she is experiencing despair.
She has defined herself by a term, but because she no longer fulfills those terms, she has
no self-definition.
6. The Look. Too often, we depend on others to define ourselves. We depend on something
or someone outside of ourselves to establish our identity. Consider the example of a body
builder. Does he define himself as muscular if no one sees his physique? He needs
someone to see him in order to feel that he exists. Existentialism argues that we should
do our best to not depend on The Look.
7. The Absurd. Items in our world have no inherent meaning, other than the meanings we
give them. A snake is just a snake, until we decide that its a sneaky, sinful creature.
When we realize we give meanings, we can start to see the disconnect between the object
and our interpretation of the object. Often, that disconnect feels odd or silly. Say the word
mud fifteen times quickly, and youll experience the absurd, the understanding that we
have assigned this group of sounds a particular meaning.
Now, look at the following eight scenarios. For each scenario, identify the existential concept
thats being illustrated. Do this individually for homework, and then we will discuss it
together in class.
1.
Bob is standing at the edge of a ravine, looking down the steep face. He feels
exhilarating terror, knowing that he could jump, or he could stay, but its his decision.
Key idea______________ freedom
2. Broomhilda feels secure when shes making jokes in the front of the classroom, drawing all
her classmates attention.
Key idea______________ the look
3. Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, informs us that Belgium
is actually a very nasty word, according to most non-Earthlings.
Key idea______________ absurd
4. Samuel Smellings, on his second night at college, feels a vague despair when he realizes
that neither his mother nor Principal Snyder is there to tell him not to eat a gallon of
moose track ice cream and join in the all-night card game with his roommates.
Key idea______________ angst
5. Mr. Mollet decides that he doesnt care what society dictates, he will become an itinerant
cartoonist, wandering the countryside and drawing charcoal caricatures outside buildings;
its his choice.
Key idea______________ freedom
6. Guiseppe earns straight As because his dad said thats the way to Harvard. Guillermo
earns As because he loves learning the material.
Key idea______________ authenticity
7. Donald Grumples becomes a father at the age of 21. He thought he was mostly a student,
but with his new role, hes not sure who he is.
Key idea______________despair
8. Young Sally worries that, because her father is the meanest teacher in the county, she will
become a mean instructor when she joins the workforce.
Key idea______________
Authenticity (and inauthenticity) is a huge part of our culture, and we can combine the idea of
authenticity with the idea of The Look. If society is looking on, most people feel the need to
act differently than they would if no one was watching. For example, if an offering plate is
passed around in church, a person is often more likely to donate money as everyone looks on
than if they were asked to make an anonymous donation. As humans, we want the things we
do to be appreciate; we crave and revere attention and approval from others. Without people
to appreciate our actions, we dont feel the need to be good people as strongly if people will
think better of us for what we do. As for the idea of authenticity, it is impossible to be
authentic if you are doing something for the sole purpose of impressing others or if it is a
societal constraint.