SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Politics : Actual left/right wing discussion
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Oeconomicus who wrote (8933)12/14/2010 6:15:18 PM
From: koan  Read Replies (2) of 10087
 
Existentialism has been misunderstood a lot, IMO, because it is such a hard concept for humans to grasp.

Forget about all ideological existentialism e.g.Kierkegaard or even Sartre, Camus or Grass, for that matter.

Existentialism is kin to Zen. It is an abstract concept, nothing more, but takes a long time of intense education to see and understand. Humans can engage in abstract thinking but are much more comfortable with concrete thinking.

But let me comment a bit on Kierkegaard, Sartre and Camus.

Kierkegaard was brilliant, but he lived in the early 19th century and like Jefferson he hit very big nails not quite on the head (as Tom wolff said about Mashall Macluen).

Kierkegaard was light years ahead of his peers of the time though.

Kierkegaard had glimpses of the dignity of the individual and championed that (like socrates). I think that is how he gets to be called an existentialist. But he had no understanding of it in the modern sense. Just as Jefferson had no modern idea of slavery.

Kierkegaard had no knowledge of evolution and Jefferson was not even aware enough to fully appreciate the concept of slavery. Which is that one should be horrified at the idea-lol. George Washington's wife bought a slave girl for his birthday. There goes the cherry tree myth, would tell a lie, but had no problem with owning slaves-lol.

I would say the earliest person to sort of get existentialim correct would be Nietzche. But he also knew about Darwin.

Sarte, Camus and Grass really did nothing more than state the obvious and write about great ideas. but just sophisticated perspectvies. But many budding young intellectuals would tell a person the first insights into existentialism was their first real peek into reality and self actualization.
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News