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The notion of existentialism was developed from 1813-1855 by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, although he was deeply religious. It wasn't until after World War II did the atheist French philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre, brought existentialism to the spotlight. Especially during the 1950s, the "Beat Generation," a group of American writers started to emphasize the ideals of existentialism in their writing. These ideals ultimately bled into the 1960s, an era of massive consumerism.

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Jean-Paul Sartre, one of the most renowned existentialist French philosophers, wrote, "We are condemned to be free." In other words, he talks about how everybody has to make a choice no matter what--doing nothing is also a choice. One of his most famous books was "Being and Nothingness (1943)," which was popular because people didn't fully understand his ideals yet; how odd. Additionally, Sartre had a lifelong interest in Marxism, believing that Capitalism limits people's freedoms. Sartre also participated in many protests in Paris during the 60s, being arrested but later pardoned by the president. Whether we know it or not, his influence has appeared in our lives before, such as in the famous Spiderman quote: "With great power comes great responsibility."

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The idea of "existence before essence" challenges the notion of a predetermined destiny for individuals. Founded by Jean-Paul Sartre, the idea emphasizes on how individuals do not possess a predetermined variable that dictates who they are from the moment of creation, rather they exist through the individual's choices, actions, and experiences. Essentially, individuals exist first, then they are able to determine their "essence" through their life experiences.

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The idea of absurdity explores the existence of human beings, their search for meaning in life, and the meaningless nature of the world. Being associated with Albert Camus, the idea of absurdity recognizes the desire of humans to search for meaning of life, yet also understands that the universe doesn't give any kind of meaning or purpose. The entire idea derives from the recognition that it is ultimately futile for humans to attempt to find meaning in a irrational world. Existentialism accepts this absurdity and encourages its followers to embrace it in order to find peace.

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Albert Camus was a French existentialist philosopher that lived from 1913 to 1960. He explored the ideas of absurdity in existentialism and its relationship with the meaning of life. In his essay, "The Myth of Sisyphus," Camus refers to the idea of the absurd, a conflict between humanity, its search for the meaning of life, and the universe. His argument for the absurd describes how life is inherently absurd as individuals attempt to seek meaning in their lives as the world lacks an inherent purpose. Even with the idea of absurdity, Camus believed that people could find comfort and freedom by embracing the absurdity of the world.

Work Cited
Cruickshank, John. "Friedrich Nietzsche". Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Albert-Camus
Accessed 11 May 2023.

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The idea of an existential crisis is a period of time when an individual questions their identity and the meaning of life. There are key factors when it comes to an existential crisis as the first revolves around the realization of things and their "true nature". This true nature that is revealed is always much more disturbing and uncanny compared to what is seen upfront. Individuals begin to question the world around them and begin to understand the amount of freedom and options they have in life. The second main factor is anxiety. This factor essentially explains why people begin to feel anxious and nervous when they realize that everything is much more disturbing and uncanny than it seems. The idea of freedom brings much more anxiety as individuals realize the amount of time that has been wasted. The third is heightened awareness. This allows the individual to fully understand and embrace the disturbing truth of the world. Now with this new sense of awareness, individuals are able to make the right decisions and create the correct path for themselves.

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In essence, existentialism focuses on the denial of the existence of God. Existentialists believe that people have to give their own lives meaning, to make decisions and actions that make a change, which is different than most philosophies that believe that everybody's life has meaning. Nobody controls our lives; instead, it is dictated by the free choices we make based on our morality. As a result, we are also responsible for our own choices and subsequently suffer the consequences if it is a wrong choice. For example, it is not the tobacco company's fault for selling more tobacco and influencing people to buy it; instead, it is the person's fault for giving into habits and making the initial decision.

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Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, was known for his extension of existentialism, nihilism. Nihilism is the philosophy that human life does not have meaning at all. He claimed that morality is nothing more than a mere creation of humans and does not exist naturally. He wrote many narratives such as Also sprach Zarathustra and Zur Genealogie der Moral.  However, his works did not get a lot of attention from the general public. Unfortunately, Nietzsche completely lost his mental faculties in 1889 and lived the rest of his life in mental darkness, requiring him to be admitted to the Basel asylum, Naumburg, and Weimar.

Work Cited
Magnus, Bernd. "Friedrich Nietzsche". Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Friedrich-Nietzsche. Accessed 11 May 2023.