Existentialism

 This Task is part of flipped learning activity based on Existentialism and This task was assigned by Dilipsir  Barad .( Click Here )

Video : 1 

 Kierkegaard is considered the founder of existentialism. Other key thinkers include Nietzsche (will and meaning), Sartre (freedom and responsibility), Camus (the absurd), Heidegger (being), de Beauvoir (feminism and ethics), and Jaspers (personal experience).

Themes : 

Individuality, Freedom & Passion:

Individuality – We define our essence, not society.

Freedom – We are responsible for our choices.

Passion – Living fully, embracing emotions and convictions.

Video 2 :

Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus explores absurd reasoning—the clash between our need for meaning and an indifferent universe. He starts with:

"There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide."

When facing the absurd, he sees three choices:

1. Suicide (rejecting life as meaningless)

2. Religious faith (imposing false meaning, which he rejects)

3. Revolt (embracing life despite its lack of meaning)

Camus chooses revolt. He sees Sisyphus—doomed to roll his boulder forever—as the ultimate absurd hero. The struggle itself is where meaning lies.

Absurd Reasoning

Just because life has no meaning doesn't mean suicide is the answer.

We should analyze the absurd logically, not react emotionally.

Instead of despair, we embrace the absurd and live fully.

Final Thought

Life isn’t given meaning, but we can create our own. As Camus puts it:

"One must imagine Sisyphus happy."

Video 3 : 

Camus' idea of philosophical suicide is about escaping the absurd by adopting comforting beliefs—religion, ideology, or metaphysical truths—rather than facing life’s meaninglessness head-on. He sees this as an intellectual surrender, similar to real suicide but for the mind.

How do people escape the absurd?

Despair → Falling into nihilism, believing nothing matters.

Renunciation → Clinging to rigid beliefs (e.g., religion, afterlife).

Restless searching → Never accepting the absurd, always chasing meaning.

Camus vs. Existentialists

Kierkegaard → Leap of faith (God gives meaning).

Jaspers & Heidegger → Transcendence or higher being.

Camus → Rejects all leaps, says live without appeal.

Why is it "philosophical suicide"?

It avoids fully confronting the absurd.

It’s an escape, not a real solution.

It "kills" the absurd by forcing a false meaning onto life.

The Alternative? Revolt!

Accept the absurd—don’t deny it.

Find joy in struggle—like Sisyphus, who keeps pushing his rock.

Live freely—since life has no set meaning, we create our own.

Instead of taking the leap, Camus chooses defiance—embracing life without illusions and finding freedom in the absurd.

Video 4 : 

Dada was an avant-garde movement that emerged in Zürich during World War I as a reaction against nationalism and the war itself. Influenced by Cubism, Futurism, Constructivism, and Expressionism, it spanned multiple art forms, including performance, poetry, collage, and sculpture. Dadaists rejected traditional artistic values, often incorporating chance and absurdity into their work to challenge materialism and authority. The movement spread to cities like Berlin, Paris, and New York before dissolving into Surrealism, though its rebellious spirit still influences contemporary art.

Francis Picabia was a key Dadaist known for his eclectic style, blending Cubism, machine imagery, and satire. He founded the Dada journal 391 and created works like Très rare tableau sur la terre (1915), using mechanical forms as metaphors for human emotion.

Marcel Duchamp revolutionized modern art through readymades—ordinary objects redefined as art. His most famous piece, Fountain (1917), a signed urinal, questioned artistic authorship. L.H.O.O.Q. (1919), a mustachioed Mona Lisa, mocked artistic tradition and challenged the definition of art itself.

Video : 5 

Existentialism is often seen as a bleak philosophy because it grapples with anxiety, despair, and absurdity. However, unlike nihilism, it doesn’t reject meaning but insists that individuals must create their own. Inspired by Nietzsche’s idea of "becoming who you are," existentialists argue that meaning isn’t given—it’s made.

Faced with a world lacking inherent purpose, thinkers like Sartre, Camus, and Kierkegaard emphasized radical freedom, authenticity, and personal responsibility. Culturally, existentialism is linked to a moody aesthetic—smoky cafés, dark clothing, and deep contemplation—symbolizing rebellion, intellectualism, and the search for meaning.

Video :6 

Nihilism is the idea that life has no built-in meaning, and traditional values eventually fall apart. This can lead to confusion, despair, and inaction.

Some people give up, accepting meaninglessness without trying to change it. Hermann Hesse believed that even in deep despair, people have a duty to keep going. In Der Steppenwolf, he shows how struggles with meaning can be a phase rather than a permanent state.

On the other hand, existential rebellion means facing absurdity with defiance. Camus, in The Myth of Sisyphus, uses Sisyphus as a symbol of resistance—forced into pointless labor, yet refusing to give up. In The Rebel, Camus argues that real rebellion isn’t just rejecting meaning but creating one’s own values. In the end, nihilism leaves a choice: surrender or fight back.

Video 7 : 

Existentialism rejects universal systems that claim to provide absolute meaning, arguing that true freedom comes from creating one’s own purpose. While religion and ideology offer comfort, existentialists believe they can discourage authentic self-discovery by imposing external values. Instead, they emphasize personal responsibility, uncertainty, and self-creation.

Unlike nihilism, which sees life as meaningless and often leads to apathy, existentialism acknowledges the lack of inherent meaning but insists that individuals can create their own. Nietzsche warned that the "death of God" could lead to nihilism but urged people to shape their own values instead of falling into despair—a process he called "becoming who you are."

Video 8 : 

One of the most striking ideas in this video is how the "Übermensch" is portrayed as an inspiring message, encouraging children to embrace their uniqueness, challenge societal expectations, and shape their own values, helping them build confidence and a strong sense of self from an early age.

Video 9 : 

One of the most powerful ideas in this video is how existentialism encourages viewing suffering not as something to be avoided but as an opportunity for growth, helping individuals develop resilience, empathy, and a deeper understanding of themselves and others.

Video 10 :

One of the most striking ideas in this video is Sartre’s notion of "bad faith," which highlights the danger of denying one’s freedom by conforming to societal norms rather than consciously shaping one’s own beliefs and decisions.

My favorite video with reason:

Camus argues that life’s lack of inherent meaning shouldn’t lead to despair or suicide but to a conscious embrace of the absurd. Instead of reacting emotionally, we should face this reality with reason and create our own purpose. Like Sisyphus, we can find fulfillment in the struggle itself—choosing to live fully despite the absurd.

Thank you