So, I’m reading about existentialism for my personality psychology class, and man I am lovin it. It is interesting to say the least. It is actually what had gotten me interested in psychology and philosophy in the first place and plays a huge role in my own life. Most of all, I love the connection between psychology and philosophy that existentialism provides. Existentialism came about as a reaction against European rationalism, science, and the industrial revolution. The progression of these ideas and trends were thought to lose touch with human experience. And I absolutely agree. It is what Ive been saying all along, my whole life. People need to just stop. It can be described as simply being, or existing at a particular moment in time and space, but the key is: how does it feel? and what does it mean? Conscious experience is a basic mystery of life.

“We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.” –The Talmud

Which is kind of ironic, because before I started reading up on this stuff, I was about to post a blog about something I wrote down recently: “You are not listening to what I am saying, you are hearing what you want to hear.”

And then theres this concept of forlornness. That nothing and no one–no God, no unquestionable set of “rules” or values–can guide your choices or let you off the hook for what you have decided. Your choices are yours, and yours alone. Even if there is a “God” to tell you what to do, you still need to decide whether or not to do what God says–and so are still alone in your choice. There is no escape from existential solitude; you are forlorn with your existential choices.

Theres also the concept of despair. That any aware person realizes that there are some important outcomes that they cannot hope to change, or even affect, such as death. “If you are honest in acknowledging this momentous and regrettable fact, then you also will feel despair at your in ability to change all aspects of the world. This inability only redoubles your responsibility to affect those aspects of the world that you can influence.”

You know, I think this has been my problem all along. I think that every time I have a problem or any kind of trouble, this is the underlying cause.

What do you do about these negative experiences? According to Jean-Paul Sartre, you face them directly. “It is a moral imperative to face the facts of your own mortality and the apparent meaninglessness of life, and to seek meaning for your existence nonetheless. This is your existential responsibility, which requires existential courage, or ‘optimistic toughness.’ On the other hand, there is a way out: simply avoid the topic and problem all together. Quit worrying about what life means, get a good job, buy a big car, and advance your social status. Do not try to think about fundamental issues for yourself. Instead, simply do as you are told by society, convention, your peer group, political propaganda, religious dogma, and advertising. Lead the unexamined life.”

Except, not only is that living a cowardly lie, it is immoral and amounts to selling your soul for comfort. “If you surrender your experience of self, you might as well not be alive. Existentially speaking, you might as well be a rock.” Even more, doing this, surrendering our choices to external authorities, is still a choice.

Maslow thought that just anyone could become a “fully functioning person living in authentic existence:” one that contains clear awareness of reality and of yourself, and perceives everything in the world accurately and without neurotic distortion, and takes responsibility for the choices made in life. Carl Rogers thought that if you havent had “unconditional positive regard” from the important people in your life, you cant be a “fully funtioning person.” (I do not think I believe this either. I think it definately helps, but i dont think it is a prerequisite) If you come to feel that other people value you only if you are smart, successful, attractive, or good, then you develop “conditions of worth.” These things limit your freedom to act and to think. If you believe that you are valuable only if certain things are true, then you will distort your perception of reality to believe that those things are true, even if they are not.

It all just makes so much sense to me….