People often think of existentialism as nihilistic, but I think that is the wrong emphasis and not even really correct per se. One aspect for sure, but not the important one.
The importance of existentialism, IMO, is that in its understanding is the key to personal freedom.
Existentialism is not necessarily nihilistic. The nihilistic arm of existentialism is more associated with Sartre's ideas. Camus always rejected nihilism, as do I.
E.g. I feel kindness is the only truth I ever found, and is a truth that would be pervasive with sentient beings throughout the universe. As an aside, isn't it interesting that evolution is based on everything killing everything to survive. Just the opposite of kindness. Sort of an equation of symmetry.
I told my two very sweet daughters-lol, when they entered college, the most important concept they could every understand was existentialism. They did not have to believe it, just understand it.
Simply put, existentialism is important, IMO, because if one understands it, and embraces it, it allows for a complete freedom, of all dogma thrust on almost everyone from birth, which usually prevents to a great degree, manifest destiny and self actualization.
But existentialism also has a practical side to it as well. Problems are divided into two kinds. Problems with logical solutions and dilemmas, which have no correct solution, but only a decision to be made.
For example (from Tin Drum by Gunther Grass) a young man in France during WWII was taking care of his 85 year old grandmother when the Nazi's invaded. He wanted to go fight the Nazi's, but had to take care of his grandmother. So what was the right thing to do?
Existentialism, would recognize that problem as a dilemma and say there is no right or wrong answer. Whichever decision you make is the correct one.
Existentialism says we have the right to make any decisions we want, but then have to take responsibility for them. That does put the individual at odds with society, which can be a sticky wicket. Also, that one's validity as a human being is dependent upon how they live their life.
Just my take on the subject.
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