Existential Wisdom

Hii everyone, here are some of the questions related to human existence that makes people curious and sometimes bothers almost every human being. I've tried to answer them on the basic existential philosophy propounded by the renowned existential philosopher Jean Paul Sartre.

1. If essence precedes existence, are we doing the tasks which is decided for us?

Ans: Essence of existence becomes clear only when decisions are made without being subjective. We can think whether the choices we've made are the results of past conditioning and experiences or the most original and newer. The essence is directly connected to the most essential work. But generally people fail to apply for what is the most essential work to be done.

What is the most essential thing ever to be worked out?

The fight for the human existence originates from the discomfort and calamities around the world. The individual thinks the world as a prison chamber and finds itself trapped in it. Freedom is what the existence asks for.

2. If existence precedes essence, then is it necessary to find essence?

Ans: It is necessary to find essence because human progress is firstly compared with animal kingdom. Animals, without our knowledge also prove their existence because they satisfy only their animalistic needs.

On the other hand, humans have more responsibility because they strive for freedom; the ultimate desire of all. The essence of the human existence is related to seek out what is the most essential work. All the worries and suffering of humans come from the knowledge that they're bound by something, all the times. When people strive for freedom, the existence of an individual precedes essence.

Suggested Reading.

1. Ashtavakra Gita

2. Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham

3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

4. Existentialism is a Humanism by Jean Paul Sartre

5. Being and Nothingness by Jean Paul Sartre

The High Time is Now

We have self-help. We have fiction that reflects just what we actually are. We have books that contain class and luxurious hierarchies. We have hundreds of languages but very few are there who advocate what actually matters.

Wisdom is not something a guru or a master can give you as medicine. It is something worth seeking on our own. Our lifestyle must suggest seeking wisdom and truth. You hold a degree and you are looking for a job. Your degree is a fact but your inability to get your desired job is a truth. The same goes for decision-making.

How on earth do we decide what's best for us and what's not? What are our decisions made of? Experiences? Measurements? Facts? or Truth?

Well, experiences are always subjective. They can be collective but always subjective. What is true for them can't be true for you. Their life and your life are not the same, even if it seems so. The degree holder might also have decided to go for a job by seeing someone else's "success". There's no guarantee for success in the path of seeking success and truth.

Whenever our decisions are affected by the opinions of others, we fail in our path. And the truth is, we as human beings always want someone to blame. "I suffer because of him/her." "I failed because of his/her company." So on and so forth. But we must count our share and involvement in something that is wrong and damages our existence.

Our literature and media suggest living the most luxurious life. Media platforms are full of glamour and silky skin. Very few are those who produce truthful content and advocate art. It's not at all the right way to make a choice of entertainment. If you keep running away from applying your mind, it will slowly become the slave of technology and power. Amidst the humdrum of romanticized love, overpowered falsehood, and frequent show-offs of power, money, and richness, we need the content and literature that drives truth and wisdom at the same time.

If you know the truth, share it. In whatever means of expression there should be logic and truthfulness. Whether you like being online or not you have the responsibility to speak up for yourself and have the courage to stand out. You must turn off the channel that hides the real issues and highlights only what is the most "popular" and "liked". You must have the courage to mute the advertisement of the product that you don't actually need. You must report to the social media platforms and let the algorithms know that you no longer want to see the illogical, childish, shallow, and gibberish content. You must select the work that gives you more power to do something more worthy of being proud of. In this time of prevalent falsehood, we all must take stands, have stakes in truth, and expand our hearts to be more lovable, more kind more courageous, and more noble to follow the best of the best, highest of the high.

Those who never give importance to ethics and values never get to see the core of truth and they deprive themselves of being at peace with the world; the world which carries the weight of all species, all living organisms and non-living things that directly cater only to humans and are never beneficial for the rest of the earth.

Don't you think that it's the right time to cut all the rubbish and just get to the point? How many channels are there that actually broadcast the climate change programs? How many celebrities support the climate change movement? How many youth icons are actually worried about the overall health of the world? How much consumption happens in a single wedding? How much education is there to support the sustainability of nature and climate?

It's time to measure, it's time to improve. It's time to sit down and think about the most practical aspects of our decisions. It's time to declutter the falsehood and it's time to live by the facts. Yes, it's high time to make amends in our life, society, and culture we live in. It's high time to say "no" to falsehood and foolishness and it's high time to be compassionate to the endangered, it's high time to set the highest goals and seek the most lovable path for humanity.