Thursday, November 27, 2008
Not-So Happy* Holidays courtesy of Existentialism! (But what really constitutes happiness anyway?)
As I sit here enjoying my Thanksgiving holiday I find myself in the midst of a mild existentialist crisis. Everyone present has clearly been waiting patiently for an entire year to come so that they can enjoy the holiday and all its trimmings. As much as I love spending time with my family and friends, eating my body weight in turkey and stuffing, and enjoying the gorgeous scenery of Northern Wisconsin, I begin to ruminate on my existentialist readings. Why do we make such a huge deal over holidays? I know the traditional answers to this question include such items as spending time with family, relaxing and being away from work or school, but from an existentialist viewpoint there are many items worth pointing out when it comes to holidays. First of all, if we are simply truly alone in this world, as discussed by some of our more recent readings then why do we hold so much joy in the time spent with our loved ones? Why even bother with them if we are simply meant to be alone? The dark existentialist concept that our lives are simply the path to our impending death also creeps up on me. Why do we spend so much time looking forward to a holiday if really it means it is just another year closer to our death? I know this is really depressing to think about but it is true, at least for the existentialists. The reminder is also made manifest in the little things, like maybe one day those who like to cook in my family will be gone and by some evil twist of fate I will be called upon to prepare the Thanksgiving feast. Anyone who knows me at all well knows that cooking is not my strong suit. Even I probably would not want to eat anything that I would not even want to eat something I personally had made. Yuck. Just another pleasant reminder from the existentialists about our own personal responsibilities (if we even can have them when the world is simply pretty much against us anyway). A reminder of my own attempts at getting what I want only to find that they are futile. Thanks existentialism, for instead of making my holidays a pleasant and happy time filled with warm memories, warmer cocktails, and the beauty of nature, you remind me that none of it matters because we will all just die alone anyway. Happy Holidays!
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6 comments:
Ha- Katy, I understand some of your thoughts here--and I can sympathize with how these thoughts crept up on Thanksgiving. Here are my own musings with regards to the philosophy, life, and holidays...
I find in Existentialism a common thread of cynicism that can be almost unbearable to me. Sometimes it is hard enough to simply know that we are human, that we are fallible, that we are in the middle of an economic crisis, that families are falling apart, that cancer is more rampant than ever, that American's have a instant gratification need that must be...slaked so to speak--all of this on top of being twenty something, needing to figure out what to do with our lives, manage new found gender and race roles in society, and, just try to stay calm, rational, and healthy. But, this is our life, and somehow we must deal with it. The Existentialists place ultimate responsibility upon the self for finding meaning; we are to learn to be authentic, to actively engage in "angst-ridden" situations as to find meaning in the self overcoming self-imposed obstacles. The problem that I have with Existentialism, and not all of the Existentialists are this way, but generally, they leave me more cynically introspective and less ready to take action to help this world. And, perhaps I am simply not an existentialist, but in order for me to find meaning, I have to have a balance of both introspection and dialogue with people around me---including giving something to my community (in any form). Sometimes the only way for me not to go crazy during holidays is to actively focus on the people in my family, the ways in which I have been cared for by them and the ways in which I can better care for them; and in a similar manner--how can we somehow care for those who don't have a family? I don't think I am an Existentialist at all. I keep moving away and away from the self--I guess, I just find that cynicism stems from a focus on the self, because cynicism seems to come from a perspicacity of our fallibility. Thoughts?
Kaity--
I'm afraid Sartre may be rolling in his grave. One of the biggest efforts he made in the field of Existentialism went toward convincing people that the philosophy is not about depression, living and/or dying alone, or counting down days toward death. In fact, he finds that Existentialism is ultimately the most optimistic philosophy because you are completely free to make meaning in your own world.
Sartre's Existentialism doesn't promote a world absent of meaning, but one in which you get to call the shots when it comes to what is meaningful. If spending the holidays with your family is meaningful to you, great! If it isn't, don't feel bad: you aren't breaking any law.
Implicit in the idea of making your own meaning is the belief that meaning actually exists and that you are able to get it. The catch, of course, is that you'll have to do it on your own. Nobody is handing you a pre-formed meaningful existence. Whether you are liberated or are frightened by the idea of having to find your personal meaning might depend on how strong of an individual you are. The strong individual, perhaps the only true individual, celebrates his individuality, whereas the weak individual needs the meaning of "the they" to give his/her life some importance.
Perhaps the better question, then, is this: why should not every day be treated as a holiday?
Lacey--
Perhaps the cynical introspection that you mentioned can be interpreted less like an unwarranted pessimism (i.e. finding problems where there are none) and more like the concept of meditation and reflection (i.e. taking a hard hammer to the things you think you know, just to make sure that they are right).
I think our mild existential crises are often followed by a kind of numbness, a feeling to which we ought not give a negative connotation. It is usually during this time that I actually pause the busy-ness going on around me and think hard on things that are often taken for granted (e.g. my own existence).
I am curious as to how you would respond to the idea that one ought to figure out her own condition before trying to help someone else's with his. Are others more important than the individual, or do we help others to improve ourselves?
I really like this post and I share some of your thoughts...especially the ones you express about your fear of someday being expected to prepare a holiday feast. Cooking is not my forte either! However, I agree with what Michael said about Existentialism being a positive philosophy because you are in charge of creating meaning in your life. It is really easy to get distracted and depressed by the literal words of the many philosophers we've read this semester. When you think about them you react just as you said: this is another holiday closer to my death. But I think that it is when we realize that yes, its a holiday closer to our death but then make meaning out of our experience that we create a much more meaningful existence. The holidays are an appropriate time of year to ponder one's existence by taking a step back from the chaos of the holiday spirit and determining the meaning in one's life.
MJG--I read this a few days ago, and have been thinking about it for a few days, and I have come to the conclusion that it would absolutely depend on the circumstance--and although I see the merits of both assisting yourself first and assisting a friend first--I think that ultimately, I would probably assist the friend first. I am not sure that is necessarily the right decision as it could ultimately cause destruction to my own self, but it seems natural instinct to me to immediately help the other instead of myself.
Moreover, you nicely elucidated Sartre in light of the holidays. And an unwarranted pessimism does seem correct; I wonder what happens to Sartre though in lieu of depression? Or hormonal instabilities? or Migraines? Obviously things he could not have anticipated, but I do wonder about the physical malady and making meaning in such an instance of such physical and emotional pain--there are times when this idea of responsibility seems to great to bear.
It was meant to kind of tongue-in-cheek. But I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. Despite still feeling overly festive I thought it would be interesting to filter the holidays through a somewhat existentialist point of view.
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