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Existentialism Made Simple...(sort of) NOTE: This document explains things from the standpoint of the existentialist.

The Meaning of Life

Life is meaningless. Not only does life have no meaning, it also has no value. The entire concept of 

"value" is a human made thing. For example, money is only worth something because people agree that it

has that worth. The same is true for everything -- trading cards, cars, pictures, etc. That being said,

however, many things have personal value. So studying philosophy, biology -- or even the meaninglessnature of life -- can have value to the individual.

Key concept: value and meaning is determined by the individual through his or her own existence

The Senses

Since there is no “meaning” to life, the individual must make sense of life through his or her existence.

The only way to understand existence is through the senses.

Key concept: the 5 senses are the only way to understand existence and the world

Freedom

Because life has no meaning, and because the individual in the only one who can define personalmeaning, people are completely free to do what they want. Laws, rules and peer pressure are man-

made things that have no real meaning. So again, people are free to do what they want. The only

problem is that with complete freedom comes complete responsibility.

Key concept: the individual is completely free AND completely responsible

The Afterlife

Mankind is the only known animal, according to earth-bound existentialists, that defines itself through

the act of living. In other words, first a man or woman exists, then the individual spends a lifetime

changing his or her essence (who they are). Without life there can be no meaning; the search for meaning

in existentialism is the search for self. In other words, we define ourselves by living; suicide would

indicate you have chosen to have no meaning.

Existentialists believe in living -- and in fact fighting for life. Camus and other existentialists were

involved in various wars because they believed so passionately in fighting for the survival of their nations

and peoples – in other words, fighting for the right for people to exists and make their own meaning.

Key concept: Void -- Life -- Void

Boiling It All Down

Read this slowly and carefully:

1. Because there is no such thing as absolute value or meaning, humans are free to do whatever they

want.2. Life has no meaning except that meaning which is made through experiencing one's own

experiences.

3. Life is a series of choices. Every time you have a choice you are free to decide what you want.

4. Because you are free to decide, all these choices create stress.

5. More stress is created because society puts tremendous pressure on the individual to conform to

its arbitrary, artificial rules (remember, though, because of #1, the rules are meaningless).

6. This stress is made greater because very few decisions are without any negative consequences.

7. If one makes a decision, he or she must follow through, because by making the decision because

life can only be defined by the individual and the individual's choices are the only things that are

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"real."

8. Because of all the above, life causes despair.

Questions Christianity ExistentialismAfterlife? Yes, heaven or hell. No. Only your existence.

Pre-defined rules? Yes, 10 commandments, for

example.

No. Only what you choose –

even society’s rules are fake.

How is value determined? By God. There is no such thing as value.Does life have intrinsic(inherited) meaning?

Yes. God makes it so. No. It’s yours to make.

Why live? To serve God. To make personal meaning.

How does one make lifemeaningful?

By serving God. Live fully through your senses.

What is most important: thepast, present or the future?

The future (getting to heaven

through good deeds done now).

The present – live life day-to-day

and through the senses.

What is most important? God. Your existence.

Are you free? No, God controls your destiny

(based on your actions).

Yes. You are free to do what you

want, but all actions have

consequences.What’s wrong with suicide? You have betrayed God – you are

one of his creations.

You chose to make your life have

no meaning.