What is the Meaning of Life: Existentialism Answers Life's Biggest Question

At 3 AM, Alex lies awake in their San Francisco apartment, successful by every measure—six-figure tech job, beautiful partner, Instagram-worthy life. Yet a voice whispers: "Is this it? Wake up, code, sleep, repeat until death?" The question that floods in during sleepless nights, quarter-life crises, and global pandemics: What's the point of it all? This isn't depression talking—it's the human condition asserting itself. For centuries, religion provided ready answers. But in our secular age, many find themselves facing the universe's silence alone. Enter existentialism, the philosophy that stares into meaninglessness and somehow finds freedom, authenticity, and even joy. From Kierkegaard's leap of faith to Sartre's radical freedom, from Camus's absurd rebellion to de Beauvoir's ethics of ambiguity, existentialism doesn't offer easy comfort. Instead, it provides tools for creating meaning in a universe that offers none. This chapter explores life's biggest question through existentialist eyes.

The Existentialist Starting Point: Existence Before Essence

Traditional philosophy asked "What is human nature?" Existentialism flips the question.

Philosophy in 60 Seconds: Existentialism argues humans have no predetermined essence or purpose. We exist first, then create who we are through choices. You're not born with meaning—you make it. This terrifying freedom is both burden and liberation. Core Existentialist Ideas: 1. Existence Precedes Essence: You exist before you have purpose 2. Radical Freedom: You're condemned to be free 3. Authenticity: Live according to your own values 4. Anxiety/Angst: Freedom's weight causes existential anxiety 5. Absurdity: Life has no inherent meaning 6. Bad Faith: Denying freedom by pretending you have no choice Why Existentialism Emerged: - Traditional certainties (God, reason, progress) collapsed - World wars shattered optimism about human nature - Industrialization made individuals feel insignificant - Science explained how but not why - Modern life felt increasingly meaningless Think About It: When have you felt most "authentic"? When most like you're playing a role? The gap between these reveals existentialist territory.

The Pioneers: Kierkegaard and Nietzsche

Two 19th-century thinkers laid existentialism's groundwork by attacking comfortable assumptions.

Philosopher Spotlight - Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855): Danish philosopher who rejected systematic philosophy for passionate, personal truth. Famous for breaking engagement because he couldn't bear imposing his melancholy on another. Kierkegaard's Key Ideas: - Subjective Truth: What matters is what's true for you - Leap of Faith: Reason can't reach ultimate meaning - Three Life Stages: Aesthetic, ethical, religious - Anxiety of Freedom: Possibility creates dizziness - Authentic Christianity: Not rules but passionate commitment Modern Application: Choosing career/partner/lifestyle without guarantees requires Kierkegaardian leap Philosopher Spotlight - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900): German philosopher who declared "God is dead" and challenged all values. Went insane at 44, possibly from syphilis, after embracing a beaten horse. Nietzsche's Revolutionary Ideas: - God Is Dead: Traditional meaning sources collapsed - Will to Power: Life's driving force is creative self-assertion - Eternal Recurrence: Live as if you'd repeat life infinitely - Übermensch: Create your own values - Amor Fati: Love your fate, even suffering Modern Relevance: Self-help's "be your best self" is watered-down Nietzsche Common Misconceptions: - Nietzsche wasn't nihilist—he fought nihilism - "God is dead" was observation, not celebration - Übermensch isn't about domination but self-overcoming - He'd hate how Nazis misused his ideas - Existentialism isn't necessarily atheistic

Sartre and Beauvoir: Freedom and Responsibility

The power couple of existentialism developed its most influential formulations.

Philosopher Spotlight - Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980): French philosopher who rejected Nobel Prize, lived openly with de Beauvoir, and wrote in cafés. His "Being and Nothingness" defined existentialism. Sartre's Core Philosophy: - "Condemned to Be Free": No escape from choosing - "Hell Is Other People": Others' judgments trap us - Bad Faith: Pretending we're not free - Radical Responsibility: You're responsible for everything - Existence Precedes Essence: No human nature Practical Examples: - Waiter Playing Waiter: Hiding behind role to avoid freedom - Woman on Date: Acting coquettish to avoid decision - Revolutionary: Choosing values through action - Coward: Made, not born—could choose courage Philosopher Spotlight - Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986): Often overshadowed by Sartre but equally brilliant. "The Second Sex" founded modern feminism, while "The Ethics of Ambiguity" solved existentialism's ethics problem. De Beauvoir's Contributions: - Situated Freedom: Freedom always within constraints - Ethics of Ambiguity: Must will freedom for all - Becoming Woman: Gender as existential situation - Authentic Love: Recognizing other's freedom - Political Engagement: Freedom requires fighting oppression Modern Applications: - Career changes at any age (rejecting "essence") - Gender as performance, not destiny - Taking responsibility for privilege - Creating relationships beyond scripts - Political action as self-creation

Camus and the Absurd: Finding Joy in Meaninglessness

Not technically existentialist but closely related, Camus offers unique approach.

Philosopher Spotlight - Albert Camus (1913-1960): French-Algerian writer who won Nobel Prize for literature. Died in car crash at 46 with unused train ticket in pocket—perfectly absurd ending. The Absurd Condition: - Humans need meaning - Universe provides none - This collision creates the absurd - Neither hope nor despair appropriate - Must live fully anyway Three Responses to Absurdity: 1. Suicide: Camus rejects—it's philosophical defeat 2. Philosophical Suicide: False hopes (religion, ideology) 3. Acceptance: Embrace absurd, live fully anyway The Myth of Sisyphus: Sisyphus condemned to push boulder up mountain eternally. Camus: "We must imagine Sisyphus happy." Why? He owns his fate, finds meaning in struggle itself. Modern Sisyphean Tasks: - Daily commute - Exercise routines - Career advancement - Parenting challenges - Fighting climate change

The point: Find joy in the struggle, not imaginary endpoint.

Try This at Home: Identify your "boulder"—repetitive, seemingly meaningless task. Can you find Camusian joy in it?

Creating Meaning: Practical Existentialism

Existentialism isn't just theory—it's lived philosophy. Here's how to apply it:

Step 1: Recognize Your Freedom

- List current constraints - Identify which are real vs. assumed - Notice where you claim "no choice" - Acknowledge anxiety this creates - Embrace responsibility

Step 2: Identify Bad Faith Patterns

- "I have to..." (do you really?) - "That's just who I am" (is it?) - "Society expects..." (so what?) - "I can't because..." (won't?) - "Everyone does..." (relevance?)

Step 3: Choose Authentically

- What would you do if no one judged? - What matters on deathbed? - When do you feel most alive? - What would you repeat eternally? - How create your own values?

Step 4: Act Despite Absurdity

- Accept no cosmic meaning - Create local, human meaning - Engage fully anyway - Help others' freedom - Rebel against absurd

Step 5: Build Existentialist Life

- Morning: Choose day's meaning - Decisions: Own them fully - Setbacks: No excuses, just responses - Relationships: Honor others' freedom - Evening: Reflect on authenticity

Philosophy in Action: Next excuse you make, stop. Rephrase as choice. "I can't go" becomes "I choose not to go." Feel the freedom—and responsibility.

Common Existentialist Themes in Modern Life

Existentialism addresses contemporary challenges directly:

Quarter-Life/Midlife Crises

- Traditional life script feels empty - Success doesn't bring meaning - Freedom to reinvent terrifies - Authenticity vs. expectations - Solution: Embrace crisis as awakening

Social Media and Authenticity

- Curated selves vs. real existence - Others' gaze shapes identity - Performance becomes prison - Likes as bad faith validation - Solution: Conscious construction of online self

Career and Meaning

- Work doesn't define essence - Bullshit jobs and absurdity - Creating meaning within constraints - Choosing engagement level - Solution: Sisyphean acceptance or authentic change

Relationships and Freedom

- Love without possessing - Honoring partner's freedom - Creating relationship consciously - Rejecting social scripts - Solution: Authentic commitment

Death and Finitude

- Mortality gives urgency - No afterlife safety net - Each moment precious - Legacy self-created - Solution: Live as if eternal recurrence

Criticisms and Limitations of Existentialism

Understanding objections helps refine application:

"It's Too Individualistic"

- Ignores social structures - Privileges free choice - Response: De Beauvoir addresses situated freedom

"It's Depressing"

- Focuses on anxiety, death - Removes comforting illusions - Response: Freedom ultimately liberating

"It's Impractical"

- Can't constantly choose authentically - Society requires conformity - Response: Awareness itself transforms

"It's Elitist"

- Requires privilege to consider - Survival trumps authenticity - Response: Political engagement essential

"It Leads to Nihilism"

- If nothing matters, why care? - Anything permitted? - Response: Must create values responsibly

Debate Points: Is authentic life possible in capitalist society? Some say system forces bad faith. Others find freedom within constraints. Both may be right.

Living the Questions: An Existentialist Life

Rather than answering meaning of life, existentialism teaches living meaningfully:

Daily Practices: - Morning: "How will I create meaning today?" - Choices: "Am I choosing or pretending?" - Anxiety: "What freedom am I avoiding?" - Evening: "Did I live authentically?" - Weekly: "What would I repeat forever?" Long-Term Orientations: - Projects over achievements - Process over outcomes - Creation over consumption - Engagement over detachment - Questions over answers Existentialist Community: - Find others questioning - Share authentic struggles - Support each other's freedom - Create meaning together - Rebel against absurd collectively Common Questions Answered:

"If life has no meaning, why not do whatever?"

Creating meaning requires values. Authentic existence includes ethical responsibility to others' freedom.

"Isn't this just privileged navel-gazing?"

Material security enables deeper questions, but anyone can live more authentically within constraints.

"How is this different from 'YOLO'?"

YOLO often means escapism. Existentialism demands full responsibility for choices and consequences.

"Can religious people be existentialist?"

Yes—Kierkegaard was Christian. Religious existentialists choose faith authentically, not from tradition.

"Does this mean nothing matters?"

No—it means everything matters because you choose what matters. Ultimate responsibility.

Remember: Alex, lying awake questioning life's point, stands at existentialism's threshold. The answer isn't coming from outside—no cosmic purpose will be revealed, no ultimate meaning discovered. Instead, existentialism whispers: "You are free. Terrifyingly, magnificently free. Your life means exactly what you make it mean." This isn't consolation prize for universe's silence—it's the ultimate human dignity. You're not puppet playing predetermined role but author writing your story. Yes, you'll die. Yes, universe doesn't care. Yes, your freedom causes anxiety. But within these constraints lies radical possibility: creating authentic existence, choosing values, building meaning, helping others do same. The meaning of life? There isn't one. There are billions—one for each person brave enough to create their own. Your move, fellow human. What will you make of this absurd, beautiful, meaningless, precious existence?