Noah's Response
There are many branches of existentialism, some being more radical than others, although none overlook the fundamental battle between fate and free will. In our lives, we make many choices each day that threaten our authenticity as human beings. If however, we continue to make decisions based only on their level of authenticity, we become more concerned with self-image. That is not to say that the prosperity of one's self-image is a bad thing - in fact a strong self-image, is a profound trait of a healthy person - but it can lead vanity and selfishness which undermine social constructs. Being over-obsessed with oneself can cause a man to partake in the inhumane treatment of others. The famed French novelist, Albert Camus, says that "you will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life". Our actions are not what needs to be sought out, we must instead use action to define ourselves. A man that tells the world who he is through his actions, is more human than a man who seeks his identity through the actions of others.
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Sophia's Response
Existentialism is a philosophical movement which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will. In my personal opinion, people lived in a state of fundamental absurdity up until World War II when the idea of existentialism flourished. Existentialism has a prominent role in an adolescent's life like mine. Every decision or situation may come with simplicity or adversity, yet each action will determine my fate in the future. The belief of existentialism is that people are searching to find out who and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlooks on society. And personal choices become unique without the necessity of an objective form of truth. Until God was a figure in my life, there was no preexisting meaning to life, no goals to be set, no purpose for my near future. Just recently, I have strengthened my relationship for God and am understanding the idea of existentialism. Due to the encouragement of one controlling their own freedom, they cannot take advantage of that. A decision made is another opening to a new beginning. Allow yourself to act beyond society's expectations and create your own goals to be achieved through life. Freedom is in your hands, do not let fate take advantage of that.
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