I've been reading quite a bit about Kierkegaard/Nietzsche and Existentialism. I sort of directed myself that way through Ayn Rand's philosophy. Just a road of random discovery mostly.
Honestly, I think I am an Existentialist (I'm hoping that's a word...) mostly due to the fact that I believe we create the meanings and truths in our lives. I can't fathom putting the entire faith and essence of myself inside a person or thing. Humans fail, humans cheat and they lie. Whether that sounds selfish or arrogant, I honestly really don't know. And at the same time, I honestly don't care.
Regarding my own life, there's not a chance in hell I'll forgo my own personal beliefs, my dreams and the essence of myself, in order to make someone else happy and content. Whether it be my parents, siblings, or friendships. Selfish? Probably. But we all live our lives according to our own selfish desires. I'm just blatant about it.
Regarding Existentialism, the only easy to understand definition I can find is this:
"A philosophical movement embracing the view that the suffering individual must create meaning in an unknowable, chaotic, and seemingly empty universe."
"If man, as the existentialist conceives him, is indefinable, it is because at first he is nothing. Only afterward will he be something, and he himself will have made what he will be."
I quite enjoy that quote...
I suppose my parents are far from Existentialists, as their "meaning", I'm assuming as Christians, comes from God above. I'm torn between knowing if the fact that someone is a Christian can deter them from Existentialism.
After a quick nice wiki search, it seems Christian Existentialism does indeed exist, mostly professed by Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard. Interesting.
I have much reading to do on the subject, and I am far from fully understanding.
I do like how Kafka was an Existentialist. He fascinates me probably more than he should.
I've jumped back and forth between different stages of thought, and have now come to this conclusion:
I am not merely an Existentialist, but also an Objectivist.
From my limited (very limited mind you) understanding, Objectivism is... and I quote wikipedia on this instance:
"Objectivism holds that there is a mind-independent reality; that individual persons are in contact with this reality through sensory perception; that human beings gain objective knowledge from perception by measurement and form valid concepts by measurement omission; that the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or "rational self-interest"; that the only social system consistent with this morality is full respect for individual rights, embodied in pure, consensual laissez-faire capitalism; and that the role of art in human life is to transform abstract knowledge, by selective reproduction of reality, into a physical form—a work of art—that one can comprehend and respond to with the whole of one's consciousness."
"...the proper moral purpose of one's life is the pursuit of one's own happiness or 'rational self interest.'" and if then followed by Existentialism... "...the suffering individual must create meaning in an unknowable, chaotic, and seemingly empty universe.""
Taking what I quoted above, I do believe the purpose of my life is to find my own unique happinesses, and in doing that, it will create meaning in an unknowable, chaotic, etc. universe. Whether the two philosophies clash in any major ways, I haven't figured out yet.
But the essence of my beliefs rest on those two major concepts.
The Fountainhead is glaring at me; I think I'll read it.
My random philosophical rants are probably boring to most people, but any comments are always appreciated.
Mmm.. Existentialism... Objectivism...
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