People tend to associate the word 'Existentialism' with french philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, but when asked they are seldom able to define this particular current.

In my first review, I hope to convey you the meaning of some of his most important teachings as plainly as I can. Most of them are exposed in one of his best and most comprehensible works: 'Existentialism and Humanism'.

EXISTENCE PRECEDES ESSENCE

Sartre claims human beings are different from things in that the latter have an essence before they come into existence. This does not happen in humans. For example, the characteristics and properties of a table -its essence- are to be found in the mind of its creator. Thus, the essence comes before its existence. On the contrary, humans exist first and then they decide what they want to be.

FREEDOM AND ANGUISH

Actually everyone decides what he or she wants to be. Existentialism does not believe in deterministic factors in the shaping of a particular thinking. When you claim to be a smoker just because everybody smokes at home, you are searching an excuse for your failure which is go on smoking. Hence what you are doing is avoid your own responsibilities by making others responsible for what you are.

This does not happen to true existentialists who are always responsible for what they are. If you believe in other factors conditioning you is just to escape responsibility.
People who believe in God believe in what they want to believe. Somebody can knock at my door and tell me there is a goat in the sky that is watching our behaviors. Why should I believe what that person tells me? If I believe is just because I want to believe. In Sartre's words, Man is condemned to FREEDOM.

But this freedom brings about a sense of responsibility for each decision one takes. Through every single decision that I take I do not only choose myself but I also choose mankind. Because to choose is to want. I choose democracy because I want it.
Thus knowing that my decisions have strong influences upon others I act with anguish, the anguish of wondering if what I choose is the right thing to do.

ABSURD

The existence is absurd in that one is free to chose and no one can tell you what to do.

That is why I am such a strong enemy of religions because they impose you a dogma and they do not give you freedom to choose. They are control.
Christian commandments claim "you shall not kill". But what if a murder or a robber threatens to kill my family if I do not deliver him one million dollars? Shall I not kill him if I have an opportunity to do so?
Then let us try and think how moral codes are non-valid for this world. They cannot tell us what to do because they cannot predict either in which situations we are going to be involved. What religions and politics do is generalize, but you have to deal with every particular case to tell what is to be done in each situation.

Go ahead! You are free to choose! Nobody can help you to choose! Now how do you feel?

Recommended: Yes