Existentialism 101

Things to bear in mind while we read Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis':

What Existentialism Does Not Claim:

· The good life is one of wealth, pleasure, or honor
· Social approval and social structure trump the individual
· Accept what is and that is enough in life
· Science can and will make everything better
· People are good by nature, ruined by society or external forces

What Existentialism Does Claim:
· Mankind has free will
· Life is a series of choices which create stress
· Few decisions are without any negative consequences
· Some things are irrational and absurd, without explanation
· If one makes a decision, they must follow it through


Definition (Sort of): Existentialism, broadly defined, is a set of philosophical systems concerned with free will, choice, and personal responsibility. Because we make choices based on our experiences, beliefs, and biases, those choices are unique to us—and made without an objective form of truth. There are no “universal” guidelines for most decisions, existentialists believe.

The existentialists conclude that human choice is subjective, because individuals finally must make their own choices without help from external standards such as laws, ethical rules, or traditions. Since individuals make their own choices, they are free; but because they freely choose, they are completely responsible for their choices. The existentialists emphasize that freedom is necessarily accompanied by responsibility. Furthermore, since individuals are forced to choose for themselves, they have their freedom—and therefore their responsibility—thrust upon them. They are “condemned to be free.”

For existentialism, responsibility is the dark side of freedom. When individuals realize that they are completely responsible for their decisions, actions, and beliefs, they are overcome by anxiety. They try to escape from this anxiety by ignoring or denying their freedom and their responsibility. But because this amounts to ignoring or denying their actual situation, they succeed only in deceiving themselves. The existentialists criticize this flight from freedom and responsibility into self-deception. They insist that individuals must accept full responsibility for their behavior, no matter how difficult. If an individual is to live meaningfully and authentically, he or she must become fully aware of the true character of the human situation and bravely accept it.

Ivan Soll, PhD, Professor of Philosophy, University of Wisconsin, Madison
(World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia)