“The Existentialist” Meaning
Three years ago now (2019) I launched The Existentialist website on Wordpress, what I like to call my online art/writing portal and still do. It started out as a beginners blog with a basic layout, but it’s not just a blog to me anymore. I’ve been making more of my art behind the scenes and have been redesigning the gallery so it’s updated with new works. My plan was to have the entire website redesigned by the new year but we all know how life can be. That of course did not happen and I’m still working on it.
Over these years I’ve changed a lot, the people I lost and left behind taught me a lot. My environment changed and so did my perspective. The worlds I’ve had the opportunity to see I’m grateful for it all. These changes have pushed me to move forward with my art and my writing, just not on the public level… until now. Writers block plays a huge part too because some writers want their words to be seen and others write for their own sanity, for no one else’s opinion.
“At the end of the day, I have to keep moving forward with something because it’s better than nothing. I fear nothing, hence The Existentialist motto; through philosophy and art... fear nothing.”
KEWB, 2022
The Existentialist Meaning
“Life is what we make of it.”
existentialism
Very cliché to say, when the truth is hard to handle and most of the times we don’t know what to make of life. Living ain’t easy. In my mind that’s the reason philosophy was born, people had nothing much to do except learn to survive and live in the world around them. To know or to believe. The battle between science and religion that’s never-ending.
We still do that today, on a more modern level which is why most of us forget the fact that “me and the people around me, the strangers I see on the street, driving, biking, walking, we are all doing what we need to do to live and I need to let that be. We are all just trying to survive in a system built on destruction.” - KEWB, 2022
The Existentialist meaning can be simplified into that very quote. The foundation of existentialism relies on our own individual life experiences, thoughts and actions that determine the meaning to our existence. For some, God is the meaning to their life and the do their best (or claim to) live by God’s destiny that is predetermined for them. For others, art and music may be the driving force that gives an individual meaning to their existence. Humans are complex as we all know, we can find meaning in anything that will give us the (free) will to live.
When I was deciding on what to call my website I knew I wanted it to be something related to philosophy, I never thought I would stick with The Existentialist until I realized how much of a conversation starter it is. It’s a tongue twister at first for some, but it allowed me to talk to customers (at art markets) about how philosophy—existentialism—particularly helped me get out of a very dark nihilistic way of life and helped me create art again. After all existentialism is similar to nihilsim but it is not the same. People who have heard about existentialism or nihilism may recognize the names Søren Kierkegaard (existentialism) and Friedrich Nietzsche (nihilism) since they are often regarded as the ‘fathers’ of these philosophies.
They were both religious more or less, so the idea of a God or ominpotent being was not uncommon in their works. Nietzsche being famous for his quote, “God is Dead.” in a time when religion was very much running the show, not science, and especially not philosophy unless it was in favor of the christians god. Søren himself also struggled with the idea of a christian identity leaving it, and going back to it, but never calling himself a christian. I often like to think he was fighting between the meaning of life, to become christian or to study all theologies and philosophies to find “truth” as he called it, in other words a true meaning to his life with or without a religion.
Going back to the quote, “Life is what you make of it,” it’s a hard pill to swallow. Scholars and scientists know that humans are very complex beings, and our brains like to solve problems, we want to find answers to problems and at the very least, find a meaning to our own life. For me, that is writing, creating stories, art, music and learning about philosophy, along with other things of course to give my life meaning. You and I may find meaning in those things, but for others that doesn’t do it for them.
An old coworker I used to work with found out that I liked to write short stories and would read them on breaks sometimes. I remember him saying how he could never write, but he loves to read about anything, big book and film nerd—no shame—he was a great guy. Just to him, writing was not that meaningful and he found meaning to his life through reading other people’s experiences, or watching documentaries.
The Existentialist meaning is whatever you make it, ironic but true. Our thoughts are powerful and just like I mentioned in the beginning of this post, “My environment changed and so did my perspective.” What life means to me 10 years ago is not the same as it is now, as I would consider that a positive change. I’m sure what you thought of your life even last year is not exactly the same as it is now, and to me, The Existentialist, that is a beautifully human thing. Change should be embraced, so long as you are not harming others or yourself in the process. <3
Well, that’s the end of this post.
Thank you for reading.
As always, Stay Rad.
KEWB
*art coming soon*
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Through philosophy and art… fear nothing.