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Existentialism and the Modern Struggle: Finding Purpose in a Chaotic World
Lost in the World? Find Your Way with Existentialism
I still remember the day I first stumbled upon the word existentialism. It was during one of those quiet moments, when the noise of life faded and the bigger questions crept in: Why am I here? What’s the point of all this? I wasn’t in a lecture hall or reading a philosophy book; I was sitting at a coffee shop, staring at the steam rising from my cup, feeling overwhelmed by the messiness of life.
Something about the idea of existentialism felt familiar, like it already lived in the background of my thoughts. It’s a philosophy born out of struggle, perfect for the chaos of the modern world. But what exactly is existentialism, and can it help us make sense of life today?
The Birth of Existentialism
To understand existentialism, you first have to imagine a world where certainty starts to crumble. That’s where this philosophy began. It came to life in the 19th and 20th centuries, when thinkers like Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus started to ask tough questions about life, freedom, and meaning.
Kierkegaard, often called the father of existentialism, believed life was full of…
